Recap the Rainbow: Over the Rainbow episode 5

We're down to six Dorothys and the competition is getting close. Can you stand it?

A quick reminder of who your judges are for CBC TV's CBC TV Over the Rainbow competition: "Canada's first lady of musical theatre," Louise Pitre, choreographer and director Arlene Phillips and handsome and charming actor Thom Allison.

Let's get right to it and recap the evening.

"Oh my" moments:

The good witch is watching over this one
Amy Winehouse was such a vocal treasure that any and all covers of her songs pale in comparison. That being said, Danielle's rendition of "Valerie" was as good as it could possibly be. The judges heaped on the praise. And the girl looked amazing in a sequined minidress and I would kill (OK, whine) for those legs.

It's a twister!
I thought AJ's performance of "Feelin' Good" was a bit harsh and shouty but the judges disagreed and loved it. The girl can do no wrong in their eyes. Among the effusive comments was this one from Phillips: "You were not just creating a storm up there, you were a tornado. You were fan-ta-stic!"

That's a horse of a different colour
Cassandra rallied just in time, apparently, with her performance of "Out Here on My Own" from Fame. Allison told her, "That was what I've been waiting for to see from you. I was concerned you couldn't get deep enough to give us Dorothy the girl who wants so much...If I hadn't seen that I was ready to possibly write you off."

Over the Rainbow performance
While I could have done without the awful clowns and kitschy staging, Stephanie blew me away when she sang "Smile." She's not the loudest or most ostentatious girl in the show but her voice is like a pearl. Seriously, though, what was up with those clowns?

What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage!
Just watching the Dorothys do the CN Tower Edge Walk, at 1,100 feet was too freaky for me. WHY would you make them do that? I'd have been out of there so fast, even if it meant losing the competition. But as a test of courage, they all passed, looking braver, it must be said, than host Daryn Jones. (Of course, he is very brave facing the flock of Totos each week.)

Who's clicking her heels three times?
This is hard but I'd guess it's down to Jessie and Colleen. The judges, except Phillips, loved Colleen's vocal on Barry Manilow's "Could it Be Magic." I thought she was crazy pitchy. (Are we even watching the same girls this week???) but noted her presence was lacking. Jessie, as adorable as she is, just seems to run out of steam a bit when she has to do more than make puppy dog eyes (she sang Donna Summer's "Enough is Enough"). Colleen took the worst of the judges comments though, so let's put our money there. Sorry Colleen. Tune in tonight at 8 pm and see if I'm right. (I never am. It's like its own talent, being so wrong!)