The Zac Effect

Last night's Freddy Awards marked the end of an era in local high school theater.

Previously, the ladies dominated. The highlight of the Freddys was always the "sing-off" between the six nominees for Outstanding Lead Performance by an Actress. Those years of voice lessons paid off. Each was better than the last. Simon Cowell would be doing backflips by the time the last girl sang.

The guys were somewhat less inspiring. Their "sing-off" would have a couple of decent performances, but a high school kid really can't do a convincing "If I Were A Rich Man". Simon would be at his snarkiest in reviewing their effort.

The 2010 Freddies broke that paradigm. The guys were at least as good as the girls last night. There can only be one explanation - The Zac Efron Effect. These kids grew up with "High School Musical". For the first time, it was cool for guys to sing on stage. You can be the star of the basketball team, but you won't smooching Vanessa Hudgins unless you can sing. "Your head may be in the game, but your heart must be in the song" as the lyric goes.

It took innumerable repeats of the three "High School Musical" movies on Disney Channel, but the revolution finally reached Lehigh Valley high school stages. Guys, it's OK to trade a spot on the basketball team bench for a lead role in the play. Your teammates / castmates will be better-looking and smell a whole lot better, too. Plus, would you rather do wind sprints after school or sing scales? It's a no-brainer.

I spent my high school days as a mediocre athlete and had essentially zero social life. Had the Zac Effect been in force way back then, I might have devoted my energies to the stage and walked the halls hand-in-hand with some luscious babe from the cast. It could have changed my life.