High school humor in a musical

by Nickie Wang

Whether you were the campus crush, an elite member of the varsity team, the campus geek, the student government president, the singing mascot, or just the simple pimple infested face, you probably have an interesting story to tell about your high school experience.

When reminiscing the happiest and care-free days of our lives, we no longer make an effort to go further back in time. Our experience in high school is more than enough for a delicious subject for a day-long conversation.

There’s something in high school that we can’t really get over with. It’s probably the dream that didn’t come true that back when we were in high school it felt like it’s so easy to achieve. It could be about an ultimate crush that you never had a chance to talk to, and until now you’re still waiting for that person to come into your life. It could probably the kind of person you were in high school that became all different after you stepped out of the campus and went to college, and then to the professional world. It could also be the type of student you were, or the kind of friends you had.

Whatever kind of person you were  back in those days, there’s a character that can fairly depict you in a musical comedy series called Glee. It’s a program that mixes comedy, a little drama, and some electrifying popular music. It can definitely make you laugh, cry a bit, and release that little rock star in you that has been hiding all along in the bathroom.

From the creator of Nip/Tuck and Popular, comes Glee, a one-hour musical comedy for the aspiring underdog in all of us. It follows the story of Mr. Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison), a young optimistic teacher who refuels his own passion for singing and performing when he takes over William McKinley High School’s Glee Club. Convinced that fate has led him to do such task, he gathers a ragtag group of high school students and aspires them to realize their own star potential—even if everyone around them thinks otherwise.

In a special preview of Glee held on Sept. 10 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza in Makati City, we had the chance to be the first to watch the much-anticipated director’s cut and first episode of the musical comedy series.

We were introduced to different vibrant characters: Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley), a big girl with a big voice and a prima donna attitude; Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer), a fashionable nerdy soprano; Tina C (Jenna Ushkowitz), a stuttering punk rocker; and Artie Adams (Kevin McHale), a geek on a wheelchair who knows how to rock and roll; Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) a preppy perfectionist who is obsessed with fame; and Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) a popular high school quarterback.

No wonder its special preview episode last summer in the US was observed by over  10 million viewers. Even LA Times and New York Times commend the series for being edgy and simply funny.

This September, local viewers have to chance to experience the Glee-craze. It’s a story that everyone can relate. After all, we have millions of high school students who experience the same situation featured on the series. For the grownups, if you did attend high school, then this is your chance to relieve the memories and laugh your head off.

Glee premiered on Jack TV (Global Destiny Channel 30, and Cable Link Channel 41) and ETC Entertainment Central (SBN Channel 21, Sky Cable Channel 16, Global Destiny Channel 28, and Cable Link Channel 48) on Monday 8 p.m. and on Tuesday 9 p.m., respectively. Visit http://www.etc.com.ph or http://www.jacktv.com.ph for more information.