Get Ready For The Glee Premiere

photo: fox

Patricia Morris Buckley – Staff Writer
pmb@thetwocentscorp.com

Are you ready for Wednesday’s premiere of Glee? Here are some great tidbits Patricia got from the Glee Panel at the 2009 Comic-Con!

Beware, there may be a bit of spoiler-ish type stuff inside.

My Reaction
While watching the second episode of Glee, “Showmance,” I laughed so hard I almost lost my bladder function. I had no idea from the pilot that the series would be sexually suggestive, from a line about gag reflex to a very provocative dance number set to Salt-n-Pepa’s “Push It.” My, my, my.

Plus, there’s a kiss between Rachel and Finn that’s fairly hot (and NOT a dream sequence), we learn that Teri is not pregnant (a fact she hides from Will) and we get to hear the cheerleaders sing as they audition for the glee club. I’d say this episode is even better than the pilot!

In the Beginning
Producer and co-creator Ian Brennan based his screenplay on his experience in school. “I was in glee club in high school … and I never forgave myself for it,” he said. “I was sure that someone would write about glee club, and it wasn’t me, I’d be pissed.”

Brennan met producer Ryan Murphy in an elevator one day and told him about his movie idea. Murphy convinced him to turn his script into a TV show. They had only one goal: It would be nothing like High School Musical.

Brennan also didn’t want characters bursting out in song all over the place. “I wanted rules for when the singing happens,” he said.

On That Thought
Cory Monteith (Finn) agreed. “It’s as if High School Musical had been punched in the stomach and had its lunch money stolen.

Singing Experience
Both Matthew Morrison (William) and Lea Michele (Rachel) had plenty of musical experience on Broadway, but Monteith had never sung before others before. For his audition tape, he played drums with Tupperware and pencils. “I didn’t consider myself a crooner,” he said. But Morrison came to his audition playing a ukulele and sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Soundtrack Sensation
The producers plan to have three to four musical numbers per episode, but it be as many as eight. “It’s the only show that will do Rolling Stones and Barbra Streisand in the same show — and everything in between,” said executive producer Dante Di Loreto. “All songs will come from the writing process, following the theme of the show.” Many of those songs will be on the show’s first CD, which drops in November. The cast has already recorded 60 songs. They’ve all been in awe of the success the pilot’s songs have already had on iTunes.

Into Character
Michele really wanted the part of Rachel, so she acted like her during the audition to excess. “I corrected the piano player,” she said.

High School Redo
High school is a new territory for Monteith, who dropped out of school in Canada in ninth grade. “I’m glad this acting thing has worked out,” he joked.