“Disney's High School Musical 2” was a megahit when it debuted on the Disney Channel last year. The Mouse Factory’s plan for moving it to the stage, however, isn’t starting with Broadway. Instead, community theaters and schools have been granted the first licenses to produce it, and Collierville’s Harrell Theatre has the distinction of beating everyone to the punch with “2’s” world premiere.

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The Harrell Theatre in Collierville premieres “Disney’s High School Musical 2” this weekend. Watch »

A.J. Heinz (from left), Megan Homas Campbell, Tierinni Jackson, Bently Black, Kristina Hanford, Lauren Bell, Christopher Hanford, Katie Ward and Ashton Tate star in "High School Musical 2."

It’s been an adventure for director/choreographer Amy Hanford, who has been wrangling scores of actors in two casts (a senior and a middle-school version), plus dealing with changes that Disney was making as opening night closed in.

The payoff is a high-octane treat with some differences from the broadcast version. There are a couple of extra tunes that get the full treatment, for one thing. Also, there’s more of the ensemble on display in the stage version, a fact that Hanford uses to maximum advantage.

The Harrell has staged ambitious productions before, but “HSM2” barely pauses for breath as it races from one super-heated scene to the next. The cast throws itself into the opening number where the Wildcats of East High explode out of the classroom during the first minute of summer vacation.

And it amps up from there.

The story is negligible when not contrived, although that’s hardly the point. The characters from the first “HSM” are back with the same longings, but in a different setting. This time, they all get jobs at the local country club (I told you it was contrived) owned by the daddy of uber-brat Sharpay, who makes Paris Hilton seem like the epitome of reason and good breeding.

The overindulged master meddler wants dreamy Troy all to herself even though he’s got the pluperfect girlfriend in Gabriella. The blonde’s blind ambitions allow the story to indulge in lessons on friendship, loyalty, being yourself and other highly desirable traits.

But really, the musical’s reason for being is to provide a string of hook-laden songs that stir dancin’ feet interspersed with bursts of over-the-top, adolescent zaniness and lame dialogue, bro. The extravaganzas are the main thing, and the Harrell makes them pop with remarkable energy.

It sometimes seems as if the whole thing is just going to derail with dozens of actors dancing in the aisles, maneuvering wild props, confetti falling everywhere, lights strobing and irrepressible acrobatics on multiple levels. But the roller coaster stays on track and it’s engrossing to watch the multiple mini-plays going on all over. Highly recommended is the funny hair tossing bit by the Sharpettes.

Saturday night’s senior lineup had Christopher Hanford (the director’s son) as Troy and Lauren Bell as Gabriella doing good work in the lead roles, although it’s really Sharpay who dominates the action. Kristina Hanford (the director’s daughter) takes on the over-the-top role with gusto and fabulosity. Bentley Black as Sharpay’s much-abused brother Ryan nicely reprises the character he played in the Harrell’s performance of the first “HSM” in 2006.

Pretty much everyone’s vocals were strained and somewhat underpowered although the speed and overall kineticism of everything else didn’t allow those rough edges to be too problematic.

Robert Tackett’s good-looking sets were smart and sensible, Matthew Strampe’s lighting was effective, costumer Ashley Whitten-Kopera nailed the threads and Angelo Rapan, as always, was steady as the music director.

All in all, “HSM2” is more fun than a mall full of teenagers, to which Sharpay would naturally say, “Duh!”

“Disney’s High School Musical 2: Live Onstage!”

8 p.m. Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sundays, through Aug. 3 at Harrell Theatre, 440 Powell in Collierville.

Weekday performances are 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Tickets are $15; $12 for students and senior citizens. Call 853-3228.