In the real world, when a relationship ends it is often accompanied with tears, tissues and a pint of ice cream. In the fictional halls of William McKinley High School, break ups are approached with more panache and a large dose of jazz hands as the school’s choir of loveable misfits sings along to the All American Rejects’ “Gives you Hell.”

This is the world of “Glee,” and many Chapman students are vying to become a part of the hit television series by making a guest performance in the show’s next season.

“Everyone secretly wishes whatever school they went to actually had a Glee Club,” said junior Ali Verbich, self-proclaimed obsessed fan. “Even though it is portrayed as nerdy, I think everyone can relate to a character and really has that passion to just perform.”

Chapman students like Verbich auditioned in a nationwide open-call casting session hosted by Myspace for their own chance to get on television. Contestants age 16 to 26 were asked to submit a video of themselves giving a personal statement and performing a song from a given list.

Videos were posted on the website and people were able to vote for them and award gold stars by logging on through either Facebook or Myspace. The casting went from March 30 and ended last Monday. The show’s Myspace page does not give a date for when those who move on to the next step of auditions will be notified.

Focusing on the trials and tribulations of a high school glee club, or show choir, “Glee” has amassed a devoted fan following – affectionately known as “Gleeks” – since it premiered last May. With its inspirational message and offbeat humor, “Glee” is a hit with audiences and critics alike.

Verbich said she first thought the show would be dumb, but after seeing the third episode she was hooked. The series won a Golden Globe for Best Television Show – Musical or Comedy, before its first season had even wrapped production, while songs from “Glee” are consistently in the Top 100 iTunes sales charts.

“It would be very surreal to suddenly see yourself on the program that you watch every week, especially when you’ve never seen yourself on television before,” said senior Marian Quiroz.

She believes it would be fun going to work every day to sing, dance and have a good time.

“Glee” is inspirational and humorous, Quiroz said. She submitted an audition video and said the show embraces its cheesiness allowing the far-fetched plots to be loved by a large audience.

The show is also not afraid to tackle hot-button topics, openly dealing with issues surrounding homosexuality, teen-pregnancy and the difficulties faced by students with disabilities.

“[Cheerleading coach] Sue Sylvester became my favorite character when I discovered she has a sister who has a disability,” said Quiroz, who is a disability rights advocate. “I want to become a special education teacher, so when she talked about treating people with disabilities just as you would treat any other person, it really struck a chord with me and I began to respect her and the show too.”

Glee has something for just about everyone, said senior Ryan Young, who auditioned to be a part of the show with a rendition of Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me.”

“It is a show about finding out who you are and using music to communicate that,” Young said. “Also, it is kind of a satire on ‘High School Musical,’ which can be pretty funny.”

The show has so many aspects of common high school drama that it is relatable even though it seems over-dramatized, Verbich said.

“I initially thought it was about cheerleading and I was a cheerleader then so I decided to watch an episode,” Verbich said. “Now I’m mainly just obsessed because the two main guys, Puck and Finn, are super hot.”

The show uses a twist on old and new music, covering everything from Broadway standards to Journey to Madonna, which invites a wider-range of viewers, Verbich said.

The show has caught on because there haven’t been musicals on television for a long time, said Stephen Coker, associate professor of music and director of choral activities. Coker said he has only watched part of one episode.

“It is fresh and entertaining because it hooks you with familiar songs and the cast seems to be frequently featured on talk shows,” Coker said. “I believe it may be the spawn for more similar shows.”

There is a similar musical performance group at Chapman called SoundCheck, but it performs a capella, Coker said.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if some a capella groups began adapting that idea of accompaniment and showmanship like in ‘Glee,’” Coker said. “The cast has the pop genre down pretty well and seem to spend a lot of time and effort on vocal arrangements.”

Quiroz said she will not be disappointed if she does not make it onto the show and doesn’t believe she actually will.

“I’m about to graduate from college, so I thought why not take a chance on this unique opportunity,” Quiroz said. “I’ve been singing all my life, but when I got to college, that passion took a backseat … Auditioning was sort of part of my Bucket List, putting myself out there and taking a chance just to see what happens.”


Contact these reporters:ian.lausa@thepantheronline.com and olivia.scott@thepantheronline.com