Gleek Showdown

It’s a performer’s dream: a captivated audience of more than 13 million viewers each week on a hit television series. Comedic musical series Glee has made this dream possible for its young actors who portray students in a high school glee club, showcasing their singing and dancing chops, making for triple threats all around. When the producers announced they would be holding a nationwide casting call for the fall season, thousands of aspiring entertainers started recording their audition tapes. One of whom was voice major Therese Curatolo, who graduated from University of Nevada, Reno last May. Curatolo believes everything happens for a reason, and this casting call happened to make her the next Glee superstar.

“When I saw the pilot, it was basically the depiction of my life in high school,” says 22-year-old Curatolo. “This is my life on TV. I have to be a part of it. They would not hold this (audition) if I wasn’t supposed to be on the show.”

Vocal performance major Nicole Dzadek agrees that Curatolo was born for the spotlight, and deserves this pined after spot on Glee.

“I think she would be a good candidate because she loves what she does,” says 23-year-old Dzadek. “Not only that, but she is naturally talented, smart and beautiful, but she is trained in addition to her natural talent.”

Curatolo says Glee represents the cream of young performers in contemporary television.

Photo courtesy of flickr user visual.dichotomy

“Not only are they young, but they’re trained in every aspect of performance,” Curatolo says. “I would feel so blessed to be a part of that.”

Curatolo has been singing since she could speak and songwriting since middle school. She has gone to Los Angeles and New York City to audition for shows like The Little Mermaid and Wicked, but was simply told she needed to live in the area to launch her career.

In the summer of 2008, she got her big break by way of a radio contest. When the DJ announced it was time, callers would phone in and sing their favorite Stevie Wonder song. If they won, they would get the chance to sing with Stevie Wonder at his concert that week.

“I was sitting in the pool and listening to the radio when they announced ‘now’s the time to call in’,” Curatolo says. “I picked up my cell phone and sang.”

After singing “I Just Called to Say I Love You,” into her cell phone, Curatolo received a call back from the radio station telling her she was a finalist in the contest. She competed in the karaoke showdown and won, allowing her to sing the same song, this time with Stevie Wonder.

“It was the most amazing experience of my life,” Curatolo says.

Curatolo is now hoping her luck with contests will continue, as she makes an audition tape to be uploaded to MySpace. Currently, there are 10,932 entries, all pleading for gold stars awarded by viewers. Twenty-one-year-old musical theater major Michael Davanzo is also planning on trying out for Glee with Curatolo, hoping to get co-starring roles together. Davanzo admires Curatolo’s passion for musical theater and wishes her the best in the competition.

“She is an ideal candidate for Glee,” Davanzo says. “She works so hard to achieve success and perfection and can smile all the way through it. She finds joy in everything she does.”

Submissions can only be one song and less than five minutes in length. The song must be chosen from a predetermined list of songs previously performed on Glee. Curatolo plans to perform “Don’t Rain on My Parade.” Even though this song is on the list of approved songs, she says she can’t think of a better song to perform.

“That’s the song I would perform (no matter what) hands down,” Curatolo says. “It’s so triumphant and powerful.”

As for the amount of competitors she’s up against, Curatolo says she’s trying not to get nervous, but can’t help the build up of anticipation.

“It’s like Willy Wonka and I’m trying to find the golden ticket,” Curatolo says. “I hope I can get it.”

To vote or upload your own audition tape, go to myspace.com/gleeauditions.

Watch Curatolo’s video at myspace.com/gleeauditions?link=529859177.