Last year MTV debuted a new show about students at the Cincinnati School for the Creating and Performing Arts (SCPA). I fell in love with the show from the very first episode, and blogged about it each week. I was thrilled to learn the show had been renewed, and in advance of the season two premiere, MTV is airing a bonus graduation episode and a trailer for season two!
In the bonus episode we get to watch the seniors graduate (a very tearful scene), see a final performance that brought together The Definition and Black Rain, and an awkward final talk between Jasmine and Tyler.
We also found out what happened to each cast member after the show! Jasmine went to New York City to dance with Alvin Ailey for the summer, Malik and Shakira both went off to the same college in Chicago, and Mia and Aaron moved into a house together to start a band. It was really fun to see where they all wound up. Thank you, MTV!
In the audition special we are introduced to six new SCPA students:
1) Ian - An aspiring actor and rapper, I was more impressed by his mother's acting chops than his. When she gets the call that he's been accepted, she punks him before delivering the good news. Bravo, Mama!
2) Anna - A dancer suffering from scoliosis, Anna has to work twice as hard as the other dancers. She also seems to be attracting some attention for one of the aspiring male dancers.
3) Carlton - When not checking Anna out, Carlton is trying to become SCPA's next triple threat (It would help if he didn't have such a lame first name). Carlton cites Michael Jackson as his dance inspiration. He gets off on the wrong foot by showing up to the auditions in street clothes. Bad move. Mr. Bjoza is not loving you.
4) Emily Silber - The last of the auditioning dancers, Emily is the first to raise her hand when the teachers ask who is brave enough to kick off the solos. I like her already.
5) Adam - Hailing from Tennessee and sporting the sexy, Southern drawl Adam is a singer/songwriter who wins the teachers over immediately. For his audition he sings a song he wrote called "Sad love song." I can already tell he is going to be the new darling of the music department. With Mia gone, there is plenty of room for a new star.
6) Emily Sones - Emily is the youngest of the new cast. She is a singer/songwriter who is overcoming anorexia. She uses songwriting to channel her feelings. During her audition she faced away from the teacher which I found very odd. Emily hopes SCPA will be a new start for her.
While I enjoyed getting to know the new cast, there was more drama in the final, two minute preview than in the entire half hour special! A taste of what we have to look forward to:
- Tyler gets cast in a movie (and also hurts his ankle; cue one, glistening tear).
- Mia returns! It seems Tyler still counts on her as a confidant. If that girl doesn't have a record deal yet, something is not right in this world.
- Carlton repeatedly challenges Tyler, refusing to accept his domination of the dance program.
- Adam lusts after fellow song writer Emily Sones, who wanders her way over to Ian.
- Tyler and Emily Silber hook up and break up! Tyler says, "what can I say, I'm attracted to talent." Yup, we've heard that before.
I am beyond ecstatic for the return of Taking the Stage! The season two premiere airs Thursday January 28th at 11:00 pm.
