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New Nickelodeon Musical Is 'Spectacular!'

Nickelodeon

Tammin Sursok, left, and Nolan Gerard Funk face many twists and turns before the inevitable happy ending.

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The Associated Press

Published: February 16, 2009

You mustn't let anyone trample on your dreams. You can learn a lot from people who are different from you. Those are two of many lessons in store for tweens in Nickelodeon's new musical film "Spectacular!" It premieres tonight at 8.

Singing and dancing to success has been part of movie storytelling since movies learned to talk. And it still is, as "High School Musical" proved three years ago on rival Disney Channel.

Now comes "Spectacular!" Besides a reaffirming exclamation point, it arrives outfitted with adorable guys and gals who speak their minds in song and dance. Conflicts are resolved and obstacles surmounted. And at the end (spoiler alert) a chaste kiss is exchanged.

It's a delightful film, as even parents exposed to it may find they're forced to acknowledge.

"Spectacular!" orchestrates a culture clash that not only serves the tale but also accommodates two styles of musical performance: rock and "show choir" (defined as competitive choral singing with elements of dance and theatrical costuming).

Nikko, a squeaky-clean teen rebel, is dead-set on stardom as a rock soloist - all the more so after his band fires him because he's so difficult to work with.

Meanwhile, fellow high schooler Courtney is the perky control-freak leader of a dozen-member show choir named Spectacular! And she's in trouble. Her male soloist has ditched the group, with a national competition coming up. She needs Nikko to step in.

But Nikko's not about to be part of any enterprise that calls for matching purple outfits. On the other hand, any record deal for him is looking pretty iffy.

There are many twists and turns on the way toward an inevitable (but clever) happy ending.

"Spectacular!" bundles fun, self-acceptance and stardom into a musical romp - by design.

"Every kid thinks they're five minutes, and one lucky circumstance, from becoming famous," says Nickelodeon Vice President Marjorie Cohn. "We thought Nikko's journey, and his desire to be a rock star, was completely relatable."

In the film, Greg Germann ("Ally McBeal") has a key supporting role as the school's disaffected music teacher and Nolan Gerard Funk stars as Nikko.

But mostly "Spectacular!" is populated with attractive fresh faces, including, as Courtney, Australian-born Tammin Sursok (previously seen on "The Young and the Restless"). Starring as Nikko is Nolan Gerard Funk.

LOCAL HGTV: In January 2007, a HGTV crew filmed local artists creating their special craft for a show. Those artists are finally getting their time on TV when they are featured on "That's Clever," a half-hour series highlighting contemporary crafting that airs weekdays at 8 a.m.

This morning, Jennifer Ault Fernandez of Brandon will demonstrate how to make a doghouse necklace. On Thursday, Letta Schmidt of Tampa will embellish a book cover with image transfers.

Other artists to be featured in future episodes include: Feb. 24, Barbara Melby-Burhans, casting paper; Feb. 27, Maggie Green, beaded daisy art; Mar. 5, Mike Sherard, papier mache marlin; Mar. 6, Sana Doumet, unity pin; Mar. 10, Dominique Martinez, steel mirror; Mar. 11, Josh Sullivan, robot CD case; Mar. 17, Vickie Brunner, hands hat; Mar. 20, Cindy Arriola, frog painting; Mar. 23, Ellen Errico Schon, quilt-inspired collage; Mar. 24, Stephanie Schorr, ceramic wall sconce; Mar. 25, Michele Palenik, fused glass collage; Mar. 26, Boo Ehrsam, T-shirt magnet; Mar. 27, Kimberli Cummings, tango dancer vase.

Tribune correspondent Esther Hammer contributed to this report.

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