GLEE Redux • Hold On To Sixteen

Rachel stops by the school to pick up her homework, and runs into Quinn, who tells Rachel she plans to get MS. Corcoran fired, and announces when she tells everyone about it, she will get Beth back. Rachel argues with her, and asks her to think more about her daughter, and less about herself. Rachel meets up with Finn, who decides they need to get Sam back if they are to have a chance at Sectionals. Kurt is having a time as he thinks he and Rachel are both doomed to be baristas for life, not able to get into NYADA. Soon Warbler Sebastian comes up to flirt with Blaine, and to irk Kurt. He announces to Kurt he plans on stealing his man. Rachel and Fin find Sam dancing in a strip club as White Chocolate, as apparently all the seniors at Ohio and Kentucky are 18 at the beginning of the year. Rachel goes up to Sam, tips him a buck, and makes an appointment to talk after the show. Finn and Rachel ask him about coming back, but he needs to talk to his parents. They, of course, allow him to do it, despite the fact they will miss him greatly. Back in the chorus room, the kids are getting together. They fear they will not get the chance to perform, even though the competition is at McKinley High. Then Sam comes in, and is greeted by Santana with a list of barbs. They hug, and Sam sings his first song of the season. He brings a bit of country when he sings Toby Keith's Red Solo Cup.



The boys of New Directions are dancing, struggling to figure out what they will do. Quinn talks to Sam about resuming their relationship, but Sam wants nothing to do with it. Sam wants to add some sexy moves, from his time as White Chocolate. Tina and Mike have a fight when he asks about him applying to dance schools. He has already applied to Stanford, to the pre-med program. They fight. Sam finds Mercedes, and talks to her. Yes, he heard about her boyfriend, by he wants her back! Finn follows Blaine to the gym, and apologizes to him, saying his jealousy made him not treat him right. But he wants to win, and without Rachel around, Blaine is the most talented member. He hopes they can all work together. Tina goes to talk to Mr. Chang, and bring him a tape of Mike dancing in West Side Story. Of course, Mr. Chang wants nothing to do with any of it. As the New Directions get ready for competition, The Troubletones stop by and offer to work together once they win the competition. The New Directions are insulted, and Quinn smacks back at Ms. Corcoran,hinting she knows about her relationship with Puck. The first act of sectionals goes on. The Unitards are up, and they sing Buenos Aires from Evita, starring Patti LuPone.



They are good, and everyone is frightened. Rachel follows Quinn in the hallway. She tells Quinn to beware of telling about Ms. Corcoran, and doing something she might regret. Rachel knows what that is like. Quinn goes to Ms. Corcoran, and spills about her the plan to tell Principle Figgins about her relationship with Puck. Shelby tells her to enjoy her youth while The Troubletones are up next, and Santana and Mercedes sing a mash-up of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive.



and Destiny's Child's Survivor...



It is not surprising that the girls kill it on stage. It is time for the New Directions to take to the stage and Tina leads with The Jackson 5's ABC.



At the beginning of the song, Mr. Chang comes to see the performance. Mike sees him in the audience, and is overjoyed. The song ends, and the kids perform Janet Jackson's Control. It starts with Quinn talking about talking control of her life, directed at Ms. Corcoran.



And Finn follows that up taking the lead along side Blaine, Sam, Artie and Puck. They sing Michael Jackson's Man In The Mirror.



Of course, they get a standing ovation at the end of the performance, including from Mr. Chang. He actually smiled! Mike seems so proud. Puck gives Quinn a big hug, and Finn and Blaine fist-bump. Everyone is excited back in the chorus room. Mr. Chang tells Mike he must follow his dreams, and and he will support his son. Mike is so happy, but has missed the deadlines to apply to dance schools. But Tina already applied for him. Then it is time to find out the results. Third place goes to the Unitards. Second goes to the Troubletones, meaning the New Directions win!

Quinn sees Rachel in the Principal's office, and thanks her for stopping Quinn from making a big mistake. Quinn knows she doesn't want to grow up quite yet, and might want to apply to Yale Drama School. Rachel offers to help with the application. They are kinds friends, after all. Maybe she could help her with a few other things. Quinn goes to see Brittany, Santana, and Mercedes, to see if they will rejoin the New Directions. Mercedes isn't good with that idea, not ready to take a back seat again. But Quinn negotiates a deal, and soon the girls are singing with the kids in the chorus room. They join together on a joyous version of We are Young, originally performed by Fun featuring Janelle Monae.



Next week, Christmas will come early for the kids!

GLEE Redux - Special Education

Clockwise from top left: Elaine Paige, Mike + the Mechanics, Dirty Dancing, Florence and the Machine, the Zutons, and Train.

Once again I am recapping the latest episode of Glee, only using the videos of the original songs rather than the covers. Hope you enjoy.

As Mr. Shue discusses his thoughts on sectionals with Miss Pillsbury, she basically calls him out on his lack of vision. He seems to get it. But first, he tells Puck to go get another member for the squad, since they are down one. Puck talks to the football team, who are less than impressed. He ends up locked in a port-a-potty all night long. He decides he needs to mix it up - there is some talent he has been ignoring. Finn and Rachel will not be singing solos. Sam and Quinn will be doing that this time. Brittany will be dancing the lead with Mike Chang, and her boyfriend Arnie gives her his 'magic' comb, to help her confidence. Kurt gets to babysit a parakeet and a chance to audition for a solo.

As Rachel breaks down about not having a lead, and Santana kicks her while she hissy fits - and tells her about having sex with Finn last year. She is approached by Puck, who is being nice to Jews since the potty incident. She notices his steroid-induced muscles. Tina tells Arnie that Brittany is cheating with Mike, and while he defends her, the thought is out there. Kurt comes to Rachel for a bit of advice on preparing for the solo audition, and the two start to bond in a way they never have before. She helps Kurt prepare with the song Don't Cry For Me Argentina, sung by Elaine Paige in the original London production of Evita.



Kurt makes it to the auditions, and doesn't make the cut to the next round. Blaine explains he was trying a bit hard, and the Warblers are all about the team, about assimilating, not about being an individual. When everyone gets to sectionals, Kurt and Rachel share another moment at the snack bar, and hug. Backstage, Arnie and Tina are not happy, and the New Directions seem to be at one another's throats. Mr. Shue has to yell at them to get them back on track. And tells them to come together, and act like ladies and gentleman, to support each other, and the other teams. The Warren Township Hipsters perform Mike + the Mechanics song, The Living Years, in the style of, well, The New Directions!



Blaine, Kurt and the Warblers sing Hey Soul Sister by Train. Of course, Blaine is singing lead.



It is time for the New Directions to perform. Before they go on, Brittany and Arnie have a discussion, and he finds out she didn't stray, she just lost the lucky comb. Soon, it is time for Sam & Quinn to sing (I've Had) The Time of My Life, the theme from Dirty Dancing sung by Jennifer Warnes and Bill Medley.



Santana sings the Zutons song Valerie while Brittany and Mike dance the lead.



The competition is over, and the competition declares a tie between the New Directions and the Warblers - they will both go to Regional Championships! Upon returning to the school, Mr. Shue talks to Miss Pillsbury, and she tells him she is no longer a single woman, but a Dentist's wife. Rachel talks to Finn, and admits she tried to have sex with Puck to even the score, but he wouldn't. Finn loses it, and breaks up with her. The kids meet with Mr. Shue in the Glee room, and Rachel is offered the solo to her. She declines, giving it to 'the unsung heroes,' Mercedes and Tina. The step up and sing Florence & the Machine's song Dog Days Are Over.



There is lots of hugging when it is done, except for Rachel and Finn. End scene.

Dark Monday - Evita

It was 1979, and the musical Evita was all the rage. The music and lyrics were written by the hot young duo of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. And by hot I am meaning professionally, because there is no way at any given point in time Webber could be considered physically hot. It starred a young woman who had many roles on Broadway prior to this, but used the role of Eva Peron to skyrocket to fame. Patti LuPone was a tour de force in the role, and earned endless praise. Another breakout star was Mandy Patinkin in the role of Ché Guevara, with his amazing voice and vocal range, and an acting ability that saw no bounds.



Evita was the story of Eva Peron, and her rise from commoner to the first lady of Argentina. It is thought she slept her way to the top, chewing up and spitting out many on her way, and this musical doesn't disagree with that point. But with her booming voice and amazing charm, LuPone keeps the story interesting and the character human. Here is Patti singing Don't Cry For Me Argentina in a special event.



The production won 7 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Lead Actress In A Musical for LuPone, and Best Featured Actor In A Musical for Patinkin. It opened in September 1979, and closed in 1983 after more than 1,500 performances.