Following Rachel Berry’s departure to star in the school’s production of Cabaret , Will Schuester recruits former glee club star to bolster New Directions. Despite being a high school dropout and an alcoholic squatter, April re-enrolls to help the club for an upcoming "Invitational".
(from Cabaret ): Performed as a duet by April Rhodes and Rachel Berry. Glee_1x05
: Briefly performed with Quinn Fabray on lead vocals before she becomes ill. "Cabaret" : Rehearsed by Rachel for the school play. Critical Reception 1x05 The Rhodes Not Taken Rewatch/Discussion Post : r/glee Following Rachel Berry’s departure to star in the
(Queen): Performed by New Directions with Rachel and Finn taking the leads. This performance is widely cited by critics from The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times as one of the series' best. : Briefly performed with Quinn Fabray on lead
" The Rhodes Not Taken " is the fifth episode of Glee's first season, originally airing on September 30, 2009. Directed by John Scott and written by Ian Brennan, the episode is notable for introducing recurring guest star Kristin Chenoweth as April Rhodes. Plot Summary
During the Invitationals, a drunk April performs but later realizes she doesn't belong in the spotlight meant for the kids. Rachel, having quit the musical after discovering Finn’s girlfriend was pregnant and feeling used, returns just in time to lead the group in their final number. Musical Performances
While April’s talent is undeniable, she proves to be a poor influence, teaching the students to shoplift and providing alcohol to Kurt. Meanwhile, Finn attempts to manipulate Rachel into returning to the club by flirting with her, leading to a brief romantic connection. The truth about Quinn’s pregnancy—and the fact that Finn is not the father, despite his belief—begins to spread among the club members.