Make It Pop

Last time on Make it Pop

If you're still looking for a lead, it's me.

Agh! The store is in a truck, and I'm stuck in the back.

Corki: My father saw the whole thing!

And I know this must be very disappointing, but I--

Mr. Chang: That was wonderful.

Incoming cast list...

And I'm... not on the list.

Mr. Stark: Alright, everybody, quickly,

we're running out of time.

I said places, people!

Trees, shrubs and other random foliage, upstage.

Twigs and yellow bricks...

To the wings.

Problems, Mr. Stark?

First day of rehearsal is always a special challenge.

The excitement, the dreams, the hormones...

The mayhem.

They will find the play and it will be great.

Not what I meant.

Last year's play was a colossal failure.

And this year...

Caleb: I'm winged monkey number seven!

This is awesome...

Ahhhhh.

I'm okay....

I'd say "break a leg"

but it looks like Caleb's got that covered.

Mr. Stark, I need to talk to you.

Can it wait?

Have I ever waited for anything as long as you've known me?

I guess not.

How could you not cast this?

You are one of the most talented performers at MacKendrick.

One of?

Have you taken a look around this place?

I almost got it...

Your performance the other night was terrific.

So why am I not the lead?

Because I couldn't reward someone when I found out she

had dyed a few of her fellow classmates flamingo pink.

What?

How did you find out about that?

I'd love to help you piece this together, Sherlock,

but some of us have play rehearsal.

Kissies.

Okay kissies people-- Places people.

She hasn't moved in hours.

Well, that's not so unusual.

She hasn't said anything in hours either.

Oh, this is serious.

Ahh!!

She's alive!

I can't believe this!

Sun Hi, it's just a play.

Maybe to you, Jodi. But to me, it was another piece of my celebrity puzzle.

Be fabulous: check.

Get a Nation of followers: check.

The band blows up: check.

We've performed in front of people.

I'm not sure if that's really "blowing up?"

Corki!

Sorry.

What now?

I'm fifteen.

Time is running out!

Take it easy.

Before your world ends

you might want to read this review of our last concert.

"The pop divas wowed the crowd

with astounding vocals and amazing moves,

Singer Sun Hi Song finishes off with a pitch-perfect solo."

That's not bad.

Jodi: See?

And it's on the internet.

Can't get any more credible than that.

Mhmm.

Mr. Stark: Pay attention!

It's a house of cards, people!

Mr. Stark are you okay?

I having more trouble controlling this group

than my all-cats production of Cats.

Am I happy to be cast as a tree?

No, but am I one to go half way?

Uh-uh.

Oh, for the love of Dorothy.

Caleb: I'm okay.

Nice commitment.

Don't you feel kind of sorry for him?

I don't think trees display empathy.

Especially not for someone who clearly can't see real talent

when it's standing right in front of him.

He needs help.

Maybe from someone who exudes leadership.

Authority.

Discipline.

Know anyone like that?

Besides me?

I don't know...

I mean what makes him Oz and not...

Whoever fits into that role might find themselves

indispensable to this play.

Mr. Stark: Places people,

People!

Corki, you're a genius!

Places people, please!

Places?

Line up, now!

You see that is the power the quarterback,

student body president,

and 'would have been' homecoming king wields.

This might be useful to me.

I'll keep your play in line

but ah I'm gonna need a little something in return.

I know.

You don't want to be a tree.

Nice commitment by the way.

Thanks.

Mr. Stark I want creative control.

Ha!

Absolutely not!

It takes years to get creative control.

It is earned, young man, not given.

Okay, suit yourself.

As you were!

Fine!

You can be my... assistant director.

Your name will appear on the playbill under mine,

and in a much smaller font.

Don't push it, Jared.

Got it.

Deal.

Places everyone.

Thank you...

Jared: Let's take it from the top!

Mr. Stark: Act one, or two, it doesn't matter,

we're going back to the beginning.

It doesn't feel right without Sun Hi here.

Like we've abandoned her.

Sun Hi?

No way....

For her it doesn't get any better than

Reading great reviews about herself

No...

I think Sun Hi would be sad to be missing this.

I think you're right.

Jodi: Sun Hi?

Corki: Sun Hi?

Don't you have class?

Yes.

But I'm sick.

My eyeballs are completely dried out.

Are you sure you're not just forgetting to blink?

I was reading our review

which led me to an article about us in the local paper.

That led me to a story about potbellied pigs.

And that led me to a site where I watched

two incredible seasons of "Tracey's Turbo Taxi".

Then I remembered the band and tracked down a review

in the MacKendrick Gazette.

Which is where I found this comment, from Populargirl15.

It says, "Best new band ever?"

Ummm. Only if this is Opposite Land!"

Okay, that's pretty harsh.

But it's the only bad comment on here.

Then it's the only one that matters.

You never care what anyone thinks.

I know, right?

I'm not myself!

I'm sorry!

I love Tracey's Turbo Taxi.

Jodi, listen to what Populargirl15 just said.

"Sun Hi thinks her band's amazing.

But really, it's just amazingly bad."

So then I wrote, "That's what you think."

Are you feeling okay?

Super!

So now, what's a better way to say,