glee written by: Ryan Murphy And Brad Falchuk And Ian BrennanBLACKNESS. In the void, a sound...CLAPPING. In SYNCOPATION with FOOT STOMPING...a crazed crowd demanding a show. Suddenly, a slit APPEARS in the blackness...which we now realize is a black velvet curtain. A SWEET NERVOUS TEENAGE BOY peers out. His POV: it’s terrifying...a HUGE SOLD OUT AUDITORIUM, everyone vibrating with anticipatory frenzy. TITLES UP: EPCOT CENTER, GLEE CLUB NATIONALS, 1993. INT. BACKSTAGE EPCOT THEATRE -- DAY -- CONTINUOUS The NERVOUS TEEN, in a TUX, joins twenty other or so TEENS as they stretch, practice scales, etc. One GIRL is even looking in a mirror, practicing a HUGE SMILING SHOW FACE. Suddenly, their teacher LILLIAN ADLER, 50s, appears from the wings, claps her hands for their attention. MRS. ADLER Show circle, everybody. The teens grasp hands in a circle around Mrs. Adler, which is difficult to do because she’s obese. MRS. ADLER (CONT'D) Welcome to nationals. The kids whoop and scream with delight. MRS. ADLER (CONT'D) Fantastic. Use that excitement on the stage today. But I want you guys to remember something. PUSH IN ON THE YOUNG NERVOUS TEENAGE BOY as she continues. MRS. ADLER (CONT'D) Glee club isn’t about competition, it’s not about shiny trophies. It's about something deeper than that —— realizing your potential. Utilizing your gifts. Even by its very definition in Mr. Webster's book, glee...is about opening yourself up to joy. (then, off their awe) Byebrows up, everybody. ANNOUNCERS VOICE Ladies and gentlemen...please welcome to the stage, from Lima, Ohio...The Harrison High Singsations!INT. EPCOT THEATRE ~~ DAY Horns BLARE. Hips SHIMMY. Clumps of students whip around in succession, beaming with optimism and enthusiasm, painting rainbows of joy with their arms as they sing “Brand New Day” from “The Wiz.” THE SINGSATIONS “CAN YOU FEEL A BRAND NEW DAY? CAN YOU FEEL A BRAND NEW DA-A-A-AY!!!" The group FLIES into an impromptu dance break, whooping to each other and exchanging ad lib high fives, then WHIPPING back into formation with military precision. Their dancing is youthful and acrobatic, and the crowd roars to its feet. As tambourines fly into their hands and the lights start to strobe, we PAN the young sweaty faces. The kids are excited, overwhelmed with joy. THE SINGSATIONS (CONT’D) "CAN YOU FEEL A BRAND NEW DAY!!!” The band screams to the finish, and the choir hits its final position, arms straining, faces busting with smiles that they try to hold through their panting, trying desperately not to scream in ecstasy. CLOSE on our NERVOUS YOUNG MAN near the back, arms up, eyes open wide: the world has just opened up to him. SMASH TO BLACK. TITLE UP on INT. SCHUESTER APARTMENT -- DINNERTIME -- 2008 TIGHT on a HALF-EMPTY BOTTLE OF KRAFT LITE RANCH DRESSING. WILL SCHUESTER -- thirty, naturally optimistic -- pours a DOLLOP on his iceberg salad, then smiles at his wife TERRI across the card table they use as a dining room. WILL How was work today? TERRI (dry) I manage a store called Sheets N’ Things. I folded sheets. Silence as they eat. Then, trying really hard -- WILL I wish you could have seen Glee Club rehearsal yesterday, Terr.