Derek Hough to Appear in Season 2 of' High School Musical: The Musical: The Series'

The second season of the Disney+ series will follow East High drama students preparing to perform Beauty and the Beast

Derek Hough is coming for East High!

The six-time Dancing with the Stars champion, 34, will appear in a recurring role in the upcoming second season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, a spokesperson for Disney+ confirmed to PEOPLE.

Hough will play Zack, a drama teacher at East High’s rival school North High who also happens to be the ex-boyfriend of Miss Jenn (Kate Reinders).

Deadline was the first to report Hough’s new role.

The casting news comes just a month Disney+ announced the storyline for the second season of its show-within-a-show, which will follow East High drama students as the prepare to perform Beauty and the Beast as their spring musical.

Derek hough
Derek Hough.

Adapted from the hugely popular High School Musical franchise, the first season of the show centered a group of high school juniors putting on their school’s theatrical production of the 2006 Disney Channel TV movie.

The second season of the GLAAD Media Award-nominated series will include reimagined musical numbers from both the High School Musical movies and the stage production of Beauty and the Beast, in addition to brand-new songs that join hits from season one like “Born to Be Brave” and “Just for a Moment.”

“The outpouring of love and support for season one has been incredibly exciting, and I’m thrilled that the Wildcats are putting on Beauty and the Beast in season two,” creator and executive producer Tim Federle said in a statement February. “It was one of the first Broadway shows I ever saw, when I was 14, and it’s got all the perfect metaphors for the high school experience: Do people judge me for how I look? What is true love? Will I achieve the future I dream of? And, perhaps most importantly, it’s got dancing forks.”

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: THE MUSICAL: THE SERIES
Craig Sjodin/Disney+

“We’re excited about Tim’s plans for the new season,” added Ricky Strauss, president of content and marketing at Disney+. “He continues to amaze and surprise us with the relationships and stories he’s creating for this unbelievably talented cast. Season two will be filled with even more of the humor, heart, and music that made HSMTMTS a break-out series on Disney+.”

The second season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series stars Olivia Rodrigo, Joshua Bassett, Matt Cornett, Sofia Wylie, Larry Saperstein), Julia Lester, Dara Reneé, Frankie Rodriguez, Mark St. Cyr, Joe Serafini and Reinders. It is currently slated for a late 2020 debut.

The first season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is available on Disney+.

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