Brothers, Sail On!

May 21, 2012
Today the Glee Club gathered for a rehearsal in the boat’s conference room with
our alumni who were able to join us for the cruise. Our rehearsal prepared us for our
evening performance outside of the main dinner hall. We were pleased to see an amazing
turnout and we were well received by the guests. The space quickly filled with audience
members as guests left their dinners. We are looking forward to our second performance
on the boat this Friday, and hope to see an equally energetic audience!
May 22, 2012
After another successful rehearsal with the Club and our alumni, the Glee Club
gathered to watch the Penn Pipers perform in the middle of the day at one of the ship’s
restaurants. The Pipers’ performances were very well-received, and the hostess of the
ship’s activities even came to watch and asked the Pipers to perform again later in the
cruise on the way back from Bermuda. In the evening, the Club attended a stand-up
comedy show where a few members of the Club became the butt of some jokes, some
members attended a learn-how-to-waltz class, and the Club tore up the dance floor at the
ship’s evening dance party.
May 23, 2012
Bermuda, ho! Finally, the ship arrived in Bermuda, and the Club got off the boat
at King’s Wharf, boarded a ferry to head over to the city of Hamilton, and met up with
Ari Lindlar (W’92), our fantastic Glee Club alumnus contact in Bermuda. After a brief
lunch, we headed over to perform for Ari’s company, ACE, where we had a very
enthusiastic audience. The Club then visited a few of Bermuda’s hot spot beaches and
tourist attractions before coming back to Hamilton to sing in the city’s Harbour Nights
Festival. With a huge crowd and a great audience, the songs were well-received and we
had a great time performing. Finally, the Club, tired and sun-kissed headed back to the
ship to get some sleep before a full day of enjoying the sights and beautiful weather of
Bermuda tomorrow.

ARRRRRRG! Climb Aboard the Brothership!!

After a night in the Big Apple, the Glee Club departed from Grand Central
Station aboard a bus bound for New Jersey. Soon Clubbers found themselves being
offered champagne by a wonderful ship staff as they made their way onto the enormous
Celebrity Summit. Within an hour of bringing our luggage onboard, we left port and
sailed towards our current destination – Bermuda! Clubbers have been graced by the full
luxury of the ship, with many of us reveling in the delicious food (and 24-hour free room
service!) that comes included with our tickets. Each evening is topped by a Broadway-
quality theatrical production featuring singers and dancers who manage to perform
incredible musical numbers as the boat rocks back and forth. The Glee Club has become
somewhat legendary on the boat, being the largest single group onboard with almost 60
guests. Wherever Clubbers go together, we sing and draw a crowd. Even the hot tub
proved to be a great performance venue, at least until the boat staff asked the 22 of us in
it to get out.

That's a Lot of Water, eh?

Friday, May 18 Farewell, Ontario...Helloooo, Niagara! After spending three enjoyable days exploring Toronto, the Glee Club set its sights on our next stop on Tour, Niagara Falls. While waiting for our bus, a spontaneous guitar sing-a-long and frisbee in a nearby park was a great chance to enjoy the brotherhood that the Glee Club offers. On our way to Niagara, the Club had a brief visit to one of the many wineries that Ontario is famous for, Creekside Estate Winery. There we tasted a few of their newly made batches and sang some classic drinking songs of old. After a bit more driving, the Club arrived at the majestic Niagara Falls. Many Clubbers who had never before visited this natural wonder experienced its awe-inspiring vistas and we all enjoyed the surrounding town. At night, we saw a great fireworks show above the falls and had an impromptu performance for the other guests there. The next morning, the Club climbed aboard its first boat of the trip, the Maid in the Mist. The boat lived up to its name, as Clubbers soon found themselves in what seemed to be the middle of the Falls. We then boarded a bus to depart for a stop overnight in NYC to get ready for our cruise aboard the Celebrity Summit (aka the Brothership).

Glee On Top of the World, eh?

Yesterday (Wednesday) morning, the Glee Club journeyed to the nearby St. James Cathedral to perform a few songs in the historical building. The space was a fantastic way to enjoy the more spiritual sounds of the Glee Club. We even had a chance to rock out in front of the church to "I Can See Clearly" for some Toronto passersby as the morning rain clouds parted. The Club then made a visit to St. Lawrence Market for some world-famous peameal bacon sandwiches, a Toronto specialty. The Glee Club also had a chance to perform at St. Michael's Cathedral, the seat of the largest archdioceses in Canada. After these two inspiring performances, the Clubbers were excited to take a 22 km/hr elevator ride to the top of the CN tower, where we could stand at the highest publicly accessible observation deck in North America. Standing 341 meters above the ground, the Glee Club saw the full breadth and beauty of Toronto. Next, the Glee Club meandered through the stunning exhibitions at the Art Gallery of Ontorio, taking in some diverse and breathtaking artwork from Canadian and other international artists. To conclude the day, the Club split up, and some members visited a local brewery, saw an improv comedy show at the Second City Comedy Club, and went to perform some awesome Glee-karaoke.

Today (Thursday), the Glee Club spent a free day in Toronto, taking in a few more of the fantastic sights and sounds of the city. Clubbers visited the Lake Ontario waterfront, the famous Yonge Street, and visited the inspiring Royal Ontario Museum. In the evening, the Club split into two groups to experience some tear-jerking sights: one group saw the emotional play War Horse, and others saw the Yankees defeated by the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. The Glee Club has thoroughly enjoyed its stay in Toronto, and was amazed at the hospitality and spirit of the local Torontonians. Tomorrow, we will be saying a warm farewell to Toronto and heading south to Niagara Falls!

Glee Club Arrives in Toronto, eh?

After an early morning goodbye to Penn, the Glee Club set out aboard a bus towards Canada. With our trusty driver George at the wheel we were in good hands. We arrived in Toronto in a brisk 9 hours, after many Clubbers successfully used shiny new passports for the first time. Our accommodations couldn't be nicer and within minutes of arriving the Glee Club stormed the streets of Toronto. Clubbers traveled the beautiful waterfront, saw the amazing Blue Jays stadium and wandered the Entertainment District.

Today, the club will be performing in St. James Cathedral and taking a trip to the top of the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, and the Art Museum. Check back for some great pictures of our adventures later today!

The Brothership Tour Approaches!

After months of planning and anticipation, the Penn Glee Club's 2012 Brothership Tour is less than two days away! Check this blog over the next two weeks to read all about the adventures and performances of Glubbers in Toronto, Niagara Falls, New York City, and Bermuda. The Club is thrilled to be capping off this 150th Anniversary Year of Glee in such brilliant fashion.

Come back on Tuesday to read about our first day of tour in Toronto!