‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ ups Joe Serafini to series regular

Expect more Sharpay in the second season of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.”

Joe Serafini, who plays Seb in the Disney+ show — and Sharpay in the production within the show — has been upped to series regular for the mockumentary’s sophomore season, showrunner Tim Federle confirmed to The Times.

A spinoff of the hit “High School Musical” trilogy, “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series” centers on a group of theater kids at the “real” East High — where the original TV movies were made — as they stage their own version of the teen play.

“I was screaming,” Serafini told The Times of his reaction to the promotion. “I’m in nine of the 10 episodes in Season 1, so I was hoping that would be the case, but just to hear actually Tim call me on the phone and tell me that that was the plan, I was just overjoyed, and I could not be more excited to go back to Salt Lake City to film and be back with the cast.”

Updated for 2019, the Gen-Z-facing take on “High School Musical” features an inclusive set of story lines and characters. In the first episode, Serafini’s Seb notably auditions for and lands the role of Sharpay, traditionally played by a woman and originated by Disney Channel alum Ashley Tisdale.

“I think [Seb] enjoys the fabulous energy that [Sharpay] emulates,” Serafini said. “I definitely wanted to emulate Ashley Tisdale’s fabulous energy as well. I mean, she’s such a queen.”

The next episode of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” starring Serafini, Olivia Rodrigo, Sofia Wylie, Joshua Bassett, Frankie A. Rodriguez and Matt Cornett, arrives Friday on Disney+.