High School Musical: Get In The Picture, Episode 3 – West Coast Auditions

This week’s episode opens with host Nick Lachey greeting fans from around the country in Long Beach, California, for the west coast auditions. The three faculty members who worked the east coast get this week off as we are introduced to three new ones: vocal coach Jen, dancing coach Regina, and vocal/dancing coach Chris. Got that straight?

The first auditionee of the day, Hripsimie, wakes Chris right up by seductively (and inappropriately) dancing and singing to “Tainted Love,” but it isn’t enough to peak Chris’s interest. Jen, meanwhile, interviews “jock” Adam. The producers use the word “jock” loosely, basically to refer to any guy who looks like he would actually know how to toss a football. Adam doesn’t make it through.

Sixteen-year-old singer/songwriter Olivia auditions for Regina, who continues the dream-smashing, and Jen breaks the heart of Georgia peach Sarah before we finally get a glimpse of happiness when “jock” Stan makes it through despite a few excessive riffs.

Now don’t forget, our three faculty members also travel the west coast to check out kids who have secretly been submitted by family or friends, catch them in action (be it a play, a concert, or a rehearsal), and decide whether or not to admit them to the semi-finals. Regina starts it off by heading to Hawaii.

After a hula lesson (I’m not kidding), Regina checks out Christina as she plays at a local club. Her intimate voice and persona impress Regina, who gives her a one-way ticket to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Chris heads to Austin, Texas, to check out BFFs Shawn and Kelly, two real-life Ryan and Sharpes, and both make it through to round two.

North Carolina’s Cash Johnson isn’t so lucky when Jen decides not to admit him to the next round, but Texas honor student Madison fares much better with Chris. Meanwhile, Regina continues to have a blast in Hawaii, sipping a pina colada on the beach before realizing she needs to pay attention and check out would-be contestant Christie as she performs some Alicia Keys at a karaoke party. It’s a go, and Christie will be coming inland for the next round of auditions!

Jen travels to Lincoln, Nebraska, to check out self-proclaimed band geek Ether, and her rejection streak finally ends when she gives him the go-ahead to move on, while back in Long Beach we get to see a montage of kids making it through to prove that these judges aren’t too stingy.

Regina rejects a cute cheerleader who actually can sing, while Jen holds back laughing at another kid’s broken English. These three judges are much nastier than last week’s three! However, after hearing “A Whole New World” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” butchered beyond belief for the umpteenth time, I have to side with some of their crankiness. Luckily for those songs, a cute brunette named Brittany and charming young guy named Blair are able to redeem the songs and get themselves into the next round in the process.

Back on the mainland and sent to middle America, Regina is less happy and goes on a rejection spree, but she does accept a current community theatre Sharpe. Meanwhile in Alaska, Jen seeks out a girl named Clairen at a jazz music festival, but Clairen’s style of music isn’t what Jen thinks this competition is about. As for Chris, he visits a family of musicians and passes daughter Shayna to the next round.

A small town open mic night singer, a guy who recently lost 40 pounds, and a back-flipping Zac Efron look-alike with bad skin all make it to the next round, as does a proud-to-be size twelve belter named Christina and Latinalicious Vegas diva Lauren.

As the day winds to a close, South Central’s 17-year-old T.J. Wilkins is the final performer to audition, and he closes the night with a bang as Stevie Wonder channels through him with “For Once in My Life.”

Chris and the ladies go home happy, as do the batch of lucky contestants, but that happiness must be short-lived, because Monday night it will come to an end for all but six of them as the semi-finals make them sing, dance, and act their hearts out for the chance to “Get in the Picture!”

John Filizzola received his M.S. in Television & Radio and currently lives in Los Angeles, CA, where he watches way too much reality television ever since Survivor won his heart. He can be reached at johnnyf82@hotmail.com.

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