It smelled like teen spirit in the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center Tuesday night, where a pep rally was held to commemorate the opening night of High School Musical's two-week Baltimore run.

There was a squad from the Baltimore Marching Ravens, performing such fare as "Smoke on the Water" and "Louie, Louie." There was a baton-twirler -- Diane Lynn from 101.9 Lite FM. Lynn is a former high school majorette, though she admitted she was hesitant to send her baton skyward.

"I'm afraid I'll hit someone on the head," she said. "Baton-twirling is a lost art."

It's not unusual for the Hippodrome's marketing department to plan events in conjunction with theater openings, but the scope of this one was unusual.

There were red and white balloons, a rousing rendition of the fictitious East High School cheer and a wheel you could spin to win prizes, such as DVDs of Baywatch and Grease.

There was a pretty young woman in a red T-shirt and dark ponytail resembling a strict gym teacher who kept one eye cocked for troublemakers. "Why are you writing all this down?" she suspiciously asked an observer.

There was even a pre-pre-teen in attendance, 5-year-old Abby Lawson of Baltimore, sporting a different Wildcats tattoo on each cheek. Abby is a huge fan of the musical. Her favorite character is Gabriella, and she knows the words to all the songs, not only in HSM, but in HSM2.

The only authentic element missing from the pep rally was the presence of high school students. Folks wandered in and out, but there never were more than about 100 people from the 2,200-member audience in attendance.

This was puzzling because M&T; Bank Pavilion, where the event was held, is near the skywalk through which most theatergoers enter the building, and that band could probably be heard as far away as Lexington Market.

Perhaps the kids were honoring another cherished high school ritual: cutting class.

mary.mccauley@baltsun.com