Big Red (2024)

"Big Red" Redonovich III is a major character from the Disney+ original series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. He was a Junior at East High School in Season 1 and Season 2. He is Ricky Bowen's Best Friend. In Season 1, he joins the Drama Club to support his Best Friend Ricky Bowen and becomes part of the Tech Crew for High School Musical. In Season 2, he was cast as LeFou in East High School's spring production of Beauty and the Beast. In Season 3, he is not able to attend summer camp at Camp Shallow Lake due to working at Salt Lake Slices. He is portrayed by Larry Saperstein.

Background[]

Personality[]

Big Red is an incredibly caring friend to practically everyone. He's sweet and always puts others before himself, perhaps too often. Throughout season one, he's a great friend to Ricky and supports him through family and relationship troubles.

Physical Appearance[]

TBA

Talents/Abilities[]

• Playing Video Games

• Skateboarding
• Tap Dancing
• Technology

Biography[]

Early Life[]

Big Red was born sometime between February 18 - March 20, 2003. In Act Two it's revealed he's actually Big Red III, and in the end credits of that same episode, it's revealed he has a secret skill for tap dancing. Big Red's family also owns a pizza shop.

Season One[]

The Auditions[]

On the first day of school Big Red and his Best Friend Ricky Bowen ride their skateboards to school. Ricky tells him that he is going to audition for the fall musical to try to get back together with Nini, but Big Red doesn't think it will work considering he knows Ricky doesn't even like musicals.

The Read-Through[]

Miss Jenn asks Big Red to fill in as the Stage Manager by reading the Stage directions during the Read-Through because the real Stage Manager Natalie Bagley had to missed rehearsal due to her Glands are swollen. After Ricky Bowen storms out of rehearsals he tries to talk to him, but Ricky skates away before he can.

The Wonderstudies[]

Big Red tells Ricky to keep at the show and to be the bigger man between him and E.J. Caswell while quoting a line from High School Musical.

Blocking[]

After finding out about Ricky's parents splitting up, Big Red invites Ricky to stay at his house for a while and tries to cheer him up.

Homecoming[]

Big Red and Ricky go to Homecoming together and try to figure out what is going on between Gina and EJ. Big Red joins everyone on the dance floor during Born to be Brave.

What Team?[]

After finding out that Miss Jenn may be getting fired at the upcoming school board meeting, Big Red invites the Drama Club over to his house to come up with a plan to save Miss Jenn from getting fired.

Thanksgiving[]

For Thanksgiving Big Red goes over to Ashlyn Caswell's house to help set up for the party and compliments her music. During game night him and Ashlyn get put on the same team. After the party abruptly ends, Big Red stays behind to help her clean up.

The Tech Rehearsal[]

At the tech rehearsal Big Red tries to work on the technical aspects of the production and gets compliments by Ashlyn as they continue to crush on each other.

Opening Night[]

On opening night he works the tech side of the show with Mr. Mazzara.

Act Two[]

After the show it is revealed that Big Red was the one who ordered a bouquet of flowers for Ashlyn. During the end credits of the season, Big Red begins to tap-dance in the gym showcasing his talents and Ashlyn sees him and kisses him.

Season Two[]

New Year's Eve[]

Big Red and the Drama Club perform Something in the Air for the East High Drama Club instagram page. On New Year's Eve Big Red and Ricky think about what the musical for this semester will be and he watches Ricky Perform Bet On It in his room. After he gets nervous about kissing Ashlyn at midnight because he thinks he will mess it up. His mom comes downstairs and tells him he has to work at Salt Lake Slices, his family's pizzeria and will have to miss the party. While swamped at Slices, he texts Ashlyn to order pizzas so that he can leave and go to the party. Big Red finally arrives but gets worried when EJ tells him that he smells like he showered in cologne so he runs off from Ashlyn. At the New Years countdown, he finally works up the nerve to kiss Ashlyn.

Typecasting[]

As they prepare for auditions Ashlyn announces that Big Red is auditioning too. He finds out that his best friend Ricky isn't auditioning this time but he tries to get him to anyways. During auditions Big Red is very nervous singing Belle. During his solo audition, he accidentally falls. Ricky rushed over to him to reassure him that he can do this and Big Red completes his audition and is cast as Lefou in Beauty and the Beast.

Valentine’s Day[]

For Valentine's Day Big Red wants everything to be perfect, so he tries to come up with a plan for Ashlyn. The plan gets messed up when he accidentally gets stuck in Ashlyn's locker ruining the surprise. That night when Ashlyn meets him at Slices, she talks to him about how she feels like she doesn't fit the role of Belle. Big Red reassures her that she is beautiful and is the perfect Belle. They hear Kourtney Greene singing Beauty and the Beast in the back of the shop and begin dancing together. In the end credits of the episode, Big Red and Ashlyn sing Red Means Love together.

The Storm[]

During the storm, Big red and the rest of the Drama Club get stuck at East High during a snow storm. So Big Red and Ashlyn suggest they should hold each other for warmth. While gathering supplies Big Red tries to tell Ricky not to tell Nini how he truly feels about her going back to Y.A.C and he tries to ask Gina for her point of view as well.

The Quinceañero[]

Big Red and Ash cook pizzas for the Quinceañero and celebrate Carlos Rodriguez's birthday at Seb Matthew-Smith's family farm.

Yes, And...[]

Big Red has to skip out on working with the Drama Club in order to work at Salt Lake Slices all weekend.

The Field Trip[]

After the drama club suspects North High School stole their Beast mask, they sneak into their school and run into the North High drama club and are challenged to a dance off. Big Red gets jealous when he notices Antoine flirting with Ashlyn. He gets even more jealous with Antoine saves Ashlyn from falling.

Most Likely To[]

Big Red and EJ perform Gaston in rehearsals. During the school's career day Ashlyn believes they made a mistake on his career aptitude test so she creates a vision board to help him see the big things that he could do. Big Red believes that what he wants to do isn't good enough for Ashlyn when he knows she is going to be super famous. That night, Ashlyn apologizes to him and supports what he wants to do. After breaking up with Nini, Ricky runs to Big Red and he comforts him.

Spring Break[]

During spring break Big Red has to work at Salt Lake Slices with Kourtney Greene. They make a video together to post on their social media with the rest of the East High drama club to show that they are focused on the competition.

The Transformation[]

The guys go to Big Red's house to come up with a good way to showcase the Beast's transformation on stage. After lifting up Ricky on stage with a rope and a harness, the rope snaps and Ricky falls to the ground.

Showtime[]

On opening night, Big Red is terrified and sick to his stomach about being on stage and performing. He is also avoiding Ashlyn and keeps dissapearing but is amazed at her when he sees her performing Something There.

Second Chances[]

After opening night, he reveals that he's been working on a gift for her all night. At Slices, he feels like they don't need to try to beat North High when they've already won with being with each other.

Season Three[]

Happy Campers[]

Big Red has to stay in Salt Lake for the summer due to working at Salt Lake Slices.

Let It Go[]

TBA

Appearances[]

Season 1[]

• The Auditions (Appears)
• The Read-Through (Appears)
• The Wonderstudies (Appears)
• Blocking (Appears)
• Homecoming (Appears)
• What Team? (Appears)
• Thanksgiving (Appears)
• The Tech Rehearsal (Appears)
• Opening Night (Appears)
• Act Two (Appears)

Season 2[]

• New Year's Eve (Appears)
• Typecasting (Appears)
• Valentine’s Day (Appears)
• The Storm (Appears)
• The Quinceañero (Appears)
• Yes, And... (Appears)
• The Field Trip (Appears)
• Most Likely To (Appears)
• Spring Break (Appears)
• The Transformation (Appears)
• Showtime (Appears)
• Second Chances (Appears)

Season 3[]

• Happy Campers (mentioned)
• Into the Unknown (pictured only)
• The Woman in the Woods (absent)
• No Drama (mentioned)
• The Real Campers of Shallow Lake (mentioned)
• Color War (mentioned)
• Camp Prom (absent)
• Let It Go (Appears)

Season 4[]

• High School Musical 4 (mentioned)
• HSM v. HSM (mentioned)
• A Star is Reborn (mentioned)
• Trick or Treat (mentioned)
• Admissions (Appears)
• Trust the Process (mentioned)
• Night of Nights (Appears)
• Born to Be Brave (Appears)

Songs[]

Season 2[]

• Something in the Air
• High School Musical 2 Medley
• Belle
• Red Means Love
• The Mob Song
• Gaston
• You Ain’t Seen Nothing

Season 3[]

• Everyday

Relationships[]

Friends[]

Ricky Bowen (Best Friend)

Big Red has known Ricky since at least preschool and they have been celebrating their birthdays ever since then.^[1]

See also Ricky and Big Red

Nini Salazar-Roberts (Friend)

Kourtney Greene (Co-worker/Friend)

Gina Porter (Friend)

E.J. Caswell (Friend)

Carlos Rodriguez (Friend)

Seb Matthew-Smith (Friend)

Mr. Mazzara (Friend)

Howie (Co-worker/Friend)

Love interest(s)[]

Antoine (Crush)

Ashlyn Caswell (Ex-Girlfriend)

Sebastian Matthew-Smith (summer fling)

See also Big Red and Ashlyn

Quotes[]

"I have no control over when I laugh, Ricky."
"Should I live vicariously through someone else?"
"I would take the SATs every week if I never have to do that again."
"Did I join a cult?"
"The only thing I'd ever throw at your face is a brighter spotlight, cause I like the way you sing!"
"I know how to... hang out?"
"I'm Big Red, I'm Ashlyn's boyfriend and I'm bi"

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

• He likes to skateboard.
• He has sleep apnea.
• He is a Pisces, which means he was born sometime between February 19 and March 19.
  • He is also one of the three characters to have their zodiac sign revealed, alongside Carlos and Ashlyn.
• He can tap dance.
• He loves to play video games.
• Big Red is short for his last name Redonovich.^[2]
  • According to Mr. Mazzara, he's the only student at East High School whose nickname managed to make it in the official Student Roster.^[2]
• He goes see an Allergist once a month according to Miss Jenn's High School Musical Script.
• Larry stated in an interview that he believes that his character is queer. He also believes Julia Lester's character is queer.
  • In Let It Go, he reveals that he is bisexual.
• His first name might be Noah, as in New Year's Eve it was mentioned that it is his grandfather's name, which Big Red is named after.

References[]