ajanders

Let that sink in.

six years.

You know a great big fat person once stood on this stage and told a group of a dozen or so nerds in hideous disco outfits that Glee, by its very definition, is about opening yourself up to joy. Now it’s no secret that for a long time, I thought that was a load of hooey. As far as I can see, the Glee Club was nothing more than a place where a bunch of cowardly losers go to sing their troubles away and delude themselves that they live in a world that cares one iota about their hopes and dreams, totally divorced from the harsh reality that out in the real world, there’s not much more to hope for than disappointment, heartbreak, and failure. And you know what? I was exactly right. That’s exactly what Glee Club is. But I was wrong about the cowardly part. What I finally realized, now that I am well into my late thirties, it takes a lot of bravery to look around you and see the world not as it is, but as it should be. A world where the quarterback becomes best friends with the gay kid, and the girl with the big nose ends up on Broadway. Glee is about imagining a world like that and finding the courage to open up your heart and sing about it. That’s what Glee Club is. And for the longest time, I thought that was silly, and now I think it’s just about the bravest thing that anyone can do. I am honored to be here to rededicate this theater the Finn Hudson Auditorium. William, it is with your hard work and his memory that you managed to accomplish something unimaginable. McKinley High School for the Performing Arts has become an overwhelming success. A model for public schools that showcase the arts now being replicated all across the country. Congratulations, Will Schuester. You and your Glee Club have accomplished something quite remarkable, and now without further ado, it is my pleasure to introduce the New Directions.