But Little Marvin, creator of Them, stresses that the show is inspired by the true, lived experiences of many Black people who journeyed out of the South in search of a better life. Them follows a black couple, Henry Emory (Ashley Thomas) and Lucky Emory (Deborah Ayorinde), who relocate from Chatham County, North Carolina to East Compton, California along with their two daughters, Ruby Emory (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Gracie Emory (Melody Hurd). Both Henry and Lucky are haunted by their past traumas. As Them takes great pains to prove, there is little justice, or understanding, for Black people in America especially in this slice of America. The show will almost certainly spark debate already, Thems moody trailer has been criticized for using Black pain as entertainment, and early reviews have called out the series for conflating depth in storytelling with violence and fear. Outside a creepy older lady is singing. (That there is little joy for Black folks pretty much anywhere in the show, even among each other, is telling.) Them marks to be the first huge project of the young actor. Menu. Subscribe now All rights reserved. At the same time, I think art can provide context and distance in measures that we need in order to really be able to hear and see something. As Livia flees, Betty travels to her own house of horrors, her rich familys neoclassical estate. This kind of demoralizing horror is the furthest image Miss Simone had in mind when she sang, Oh what a lovely precious dream, a few seconds into Young, Gifted, and Black.. Copyright - cinemaexpress.com 2023. Ke Huy Quan Continues His Winning Streak at the Independent Spirit Awards. As the only Black family on the block, they immediately cause a fury stoked by Betty Wendell (Alison Pill), the picture of the mid-century blonde Americana housewife, who has an icy and distant. McIntyre took over the titular role of Spartacuswhen the previous actor departed due to illness. Created by Little Marvin and executive produced by Lena Waithe, the first season of the horror anthology series explores the systemic racism of white suburbia and restrictive real estate covenants designed to keep neighbourhoods segregated. Years before the family moves to their new home, we are given a glimpse of the social environment around their home in North Carolina. That means the spirit can shapeshift into whatever person or thing it needs to in order to pounce. For all intents and purposes, Livia has traveled to a witchs house. But the racism they encounter in their new home is no less traumatic it just wears a very-well applied shade of red lipstick. The self-appointed head of the welcoming committee, Pill's Betty Wendell . By the end of the hour, shes leading a vicious, racist campaign against the Emorys, a Black family that has just moved to her white California suburb from North Carolina. Shahadi Wright Joseph plays eldest daughter Ruby Emory, a teenager heading to a white high school after the familys move to Compton. Its also Compton in the 1950s, and the Black housewife, Lucky Emory (Girls Trips Deborah Ayorinde), is still reeling from the racist horrors she left behind in the South. Engilsh | It has racial commentary, racial abuse, sexual assault, mental health crisis, PTSD, self-harm, violence, infanticide, and maltreatment of psychiatric patients. Thomas plays his veteran-turned-father with a degree . Every pivotal scene that follows is scarier, creepier, and more shocking than the one before. I cant imagine living somewhere I wasnt wanted, Betty tells Livia. Directed by Craig William Macneill in black and white, it zooms back to the Civil War era in order to shed light on the evil that haunts the land that became Compton. Lucky is the first to sense the spookiness in the house. Them primarily feels empty during the first half of its run. He previously suffered a brain aneurysm on February 18, and was ultimately taken off life support. It gets to a point when we wish for the real estate agent to just pay back the money and let the family go. Its an amazing work of history in that it takes the individual and personalizes policy decisions and historical context on a human level. It only knows how to wring terror from the pain we experience. It doesnt induce empathy or the desire for abolition in white folks. But their lives are still in danger, and there is no clear route for escape. Them (TV Series 2021- ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. However, she is not alone for long. Leading the charge is Betty Wendell ( Alison Pill ), the neighborhood busybody, who sees the arrival of this one Black family as the end of the neighborhood. Neither of them sees the voyeur in the corner: the Black Hat Man (Christopher Heyerdahl). After his boss pointedly disinvites him to an office party later that afternoon, Henry makes a point of showing up anyway. Alison Pill as Betty Wendell Chris Rock Breaks Silence on Will Smith Oscars Slap During Live Netflix Special Here's What He Had to, Young Sheldon Just Torpedoed Mary and George's Marriage Will Big, Did The Flash Rob Us of Flashbacks? . From there, she gained a job narrating children's audio books. Even before the basement spectre takes charge entirely, the humans pose a real threat. 3,756, This story has been shared 2,269 times. It leaves us with a lingering thought: humans can be as evil as the devil, and even manifestations of evil can have some humanness in their dark corners. When a horrified Lucky asks Gracie who taught her the song, Gracie says Miss Vera, the fictional teacher from her book. A post shared by Melody Hurd (@melodyhurd). The cluster of white supremacist women also play terrible songs on their little hand-held radios, including a racist little ditty called Civilization (Bongo, Bongo) from the Andrews Sisters and Danny Kaye. Hes not a smiling figure, but nor does he seem as stiff and patrician as you might expect. After all, violence doesnt happen against Black bodies in America, it happens toward Black people affecting not just the flesh we live in, but our very psychology and those beautiful, complicated relationships we have with other Black folks and the world around us. From episode 2 onwards, we realise that the situation is simply too bleak. From episode 2 onwards, we realise that the situation is simply too bleak. It was more of a concern about the storytelling elements and making sure that it says the right thing. This scene is just mild compared to what follows. Bull Wheatley: A police officer often called in to handle the intensifying situations at the Emory and Wendell households. Suddenly, the people who hadnt gotten loans from banks for centuries are suddenly able to get loans, and you realize that its the same setup for failure that has been happening. The day (Day 6) ends with Livia dragging the whole family to the Johnsons death-haunted house, where she barges in to show Henry evidence of the horrific crimes she witnessed earlier that day. Were you in brown face, Prime Minister? Everything Everywhere All at Once has won in every category they were nominated for. Therefore, there is no real reason to keep her locked up, or for Luckys daughters to say they believe their mom harmed Chester. THEM Stars, EP Urge Horror Lovers to Watch Before Drawing Us Comparisons. I knew more about the Harlem Renaissance in terms of the Great Migration, I knew less about the California experience. Contents 1 Early Life 2 Throughout the Series 2.1 THEM: Covenant 3 Appearances 3.1 THEM: Covenant 4 Trivia 5 Gallery 6 References Early Life TBA Just because it never happened doesnt mean they cant get back together. There is still systemic racism but your doctor might have two cars, not 16 cars. Try to avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment. The best thing about Them is its solid conflict. Last Updated: 17th April 2021 09:49 AM She also struggles to finance the 'mission', and also has to deal with a partner who doesn't share her eagerness to chase away the Emorys. Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: As part of your account, youll receive occasional updates and offers from New York, which you can opt out of anytime. Jeremiah Birkett as Tap Dance Man: A minstrel show performer haunting Henry Emory. not exactly a show you want to take your cues from, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Advertise With Us, Tamil | This represents a problem for "Them," one that comes to a head in the form of a character played by Alison Pill. The Morning Standard | Events Xpress, Contact Us | He is known for playing Billy Riggins on Friday Night Lights. As the door closes, we catch a glimpse of what she really is: a walking corpse. With Lucky sequestered, the Emorys racist neighbors capitalize on the opportunity to terrorize her family members. Oh, Loosey! Website Designed, Developed & Maintained by Express Network Private Ltd. Even little Gracie is not spared, as a ghostly Miss Vera haunts her constantly. Its important [for audiences] to see in terms of knocking down the weird white woman pedestal of she can only be the victim, and we have to protect her. She is capable and horrible, just like everybody else. Status Theres Mrs. Johnsons hands, scrubbed raw and bloody per the instructions of the man she says has helped her through all the trials and tribulations to which her white neighbors have subjected to her. The fact that Mrs. Johnson (Anika Noni Rose) is sitting at the window, beatifically smiling, even before Livia arrives is sign number one that things are not right with the Johnsons. Hes dangerous, hes terrifying, hes an extra in, How to Watch the 2023 Oscars Celebrate All 23 Categories Live Again. And I think the reflection of this beautiful family, this loving husband and wife, these gorgeous children, make her aware of things that she doesnt have. Next:American Horror Story: How Every Asylum Character Died (& Why), Them Cast & Character Guide: Where You Know The Actors From, Jordan Peele's HBO Series Lovecraft Country Subverts The Racist Horror Icon, How Modern Horror Movies Rescued Women From Hitchcocks Hysteria, American Horror Story: How Every Asylum Character Died (& Why), Why Playing Glenn In The Walking Dead Frustrated Steven Yeun, Picard Season 3's Ferengi Finally Delivers On Roddenberry's TNG Promise, Cobra Kai Ending With Season 6 Wasn't Netflix's Decision, Says Creator. While Henry, a veteran, battles PTSD, Luckys trauma emanates from an incident that happens during Henrys absence. By Were often taught that Canadas hands are clean when it comes to the legacies of slavery because it was the final stop on the Underground Railroad. In their basement lies a rotten, otherworldly horror that is particularly motivated by a racial bias towards black people a hatred more powerful than even that of their neighbours. Alison Pill: The hesitancy from me came more from having to trust the creators that the violence against this Black family wouldnt be sensationalized. (The reasoning behind this only starts to make sense in the last two episodes. She is tortured both within the domestic sphere and outside of it. They do not represent the views or opinions of newindianexpress.com or its staff, nor do they represent the views or opinions of The New Indian Express Group, or any entity of, or affiliated with, The New Indian Express Group. But. Related:How Modern Horror Movies Rescued Women From Hitchcocks Hysteria. The men claim their abuse has a righteous purpose the recovery of missing white woman Betty Wendell (Alison Pill) but it's simply unmitigated racist hate and paranoia made actions. Why did the song trigger her? Alison Pill plays Betty Wendell, a resident of the Emorys new neighborhood. She was also the voice behind the young lioness Nala in the 2019 Lion King movie. Gracie, like her sister, seems uncomfortable with what her mother represents as a Black woman, whose traumas have led her to act with an emotional intensity that they find embarrassing and crazy. And Lucky? Them follows a black couple, Henry Emory (Ashley Thomas) and Lucky Emory (Deborah Ayorinde), who relocate from Chatham County, North Carolina to East Compton, California along with their two daughters, Ruby Emory (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Gracie Emory (Melody Hurd). Hours after the family moves in, Betty's only mission in life becomes to chase them away. And like any good witch, Mrs. Johnson has children cooking in the oven. Betty has a lot of issues too. Yet, Them never takes the time to make a concrete connection between Martha and Lucky at any time over its 10 episodes. 1,098, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), What Time Is Chris Rock's Netflix Special On Tonight? If I did that in a way that youve seen before like an act of police brutality or a slave narrative that in some way creates a distance or a salve for a viewer. Christopher Heyerdahl as The Black Hat Man: The apparition haunting Lucky Emory. Ruby gets bullied at high school and establishes a bond with an imaginary friend. Movies. Director: Little Marvin Theres something insidious about Little Marvins perspective in this quote: It supposes that putting a Black person in a visually white concept is inherently radical, instead of showing the limits of his imagination. In 2018, the artist Lorraine OGrady said at a Brooklyn Museum book event, In the future, white supremacy will no longer need white people. That future is now. We realise that, as a child, she was subjected to sexual abuse by her own father. Weve got romance, breakups, emotionally loaded dumplings this episode has a little bit of everything! Heres this classic Hitchcock frame that back in the day would have only held Janet Leigh or Eva Marie Saint or Grace Kelly, and instead heres Deborah Ayorinde in the center of the frame, looking gorgeous, dazzling and Black. Little Marvin may see this as homage, but with the shows garish use of color (it is in love with washing a frame in cherry red) and its adherence to split diopter shots, as well as certain ostentatious camera movements, Them is more jacking Hitchcocks style than remixing it. The use of the phrase Black bodies is galling here. The Emorys are forced to battle racial abuse from their bullying, psychotic neighbours, headed by Betty Wendell (Alison Pill), who have a dream of Keeping Compton White. Livia is a former teacher who is now focusing on raising her two daughters while being haunted by malevolent forces and events that take place in her household. Betty has a lot of issues too. The last time the audience sees Hiram, his spirit is burning in the basement. Livia cuts her off: Good thing you dont have any, isnt it? she shoots back, smooth as silk. Were not better. At the top of that domestic food chain is Betty Wendell (Alison Pill), a bigot who resides with her husband Clark (Liam McIntyre) directly across the street from Henry and Lucky, and whose. New York Magazine. It plays To Be Young, Gifted and Black and urges Henry, Lucky, Ruby, and Gracie to pose for the camera like theyve just pulled off the greatest Fast and the Furious heist in history. But episode five, Covenant I. which is, notably, directed by the shows only Black director, Zolas Janicza Bravo turns the show from a grating, hollow depiction of Blackness in America to one that revels in degrading its Black characters in a way that left me questioning both the Black creators involved and the studio system that is eager for this kind of work. The Wagner opera returns to the Met for the first time in 17 years. Betty is a racist who wants to keep her neighbourhood segregated and wants to drive the Emory's away from her all-white neighbourhood by any means necessary. Them is relentlessly brutal to both its characters and the audience. (Viewers wont learn exactly what happened to Baby Chester until a very traumatizing Episode 5). Its that duality white womens ability to both be the oppressed and the oppressors that initially drew Pill to the controversial role. I was really into the idea of looking very deeply and clearly at this woman, because shes around, shes common, shes everywhere. Them also takes a deeper dive into the issue. Ruby Lee is the eldest daughter of Lucky and Henry Emory . Underneath that smooth veneer and polite smile lies a rotten core of white supremacy. Why those, of all the words in the world, are what finally defeats Hiram is a quickly discarded mystery. Other departments like cinematography, editing, and colouring are also commendable and the visuals are astounding. She also struggles to finance the mission, and also has to deal with a partner who doesnt share her eagerness to chase away the Emorys. At the same time, it has nothing new to say about whiteness how it works, how it perpetuates itself, how ingrained it is in our culture. 3,873, This story has been shared 3,756 times. Lucky arrives home and lights a fire perimeter with a psychic power she hadnt previously possessed. Thus she places her finger on one of the fault lines driving Bettys mania: Livia lives the ideal of the nuclear family, while Betty cannot. It holds no meaning or bearing in this series. Banks wouldnt lend to Black families, so the loans that they got were predatory. Inside the house, Lucky must help her family step away from the violent indignities inflicted upon them by Hiram. When she learns of the usurious obligations to which their contract ties them, shes placated somewhat by finding out from Helen the location of the other Black family in the neighborhood, the Johnsons. I didnt really hesitate over the character;I did this short film with Janicza Bravo called Woman in Deep (she directed an episode of this show as well) and her framing of it was similar: the privilege that white women dont know they have, and the navel-gazing of whiteness generally. What Black viewer would ever feel a sense of distance from the visual representation of police brutality or slavery? In the THEM premiere installment, this includes sitting in front of the Emorys house with at least 20 of her friends and staring menacingly. (This show takes a slow-burn approach to its scares, but not to its plot.) Episode nine is the one that nearly broke me. From its theme to the mise en scene, everything about Them necessitates a trigger warning. She needs a loan to finance a move out of the neighborhood, and so she turns to. She even breaks down and feels blue that she is alone in this. It leaves us with a lingering thought - humans can be as evil as the devil, and even manifestations of evil can have some humanness in their dark corners. Ashley Thomas co-stars as Henry Emory, the father of the family, World War II veteran, and the first Black engineer hired at his new company. RELATED STORIES Others like you also viewed THEM: Covenant Lucky Emory Betty Wendell Day 1 THEM: The Scare THEM (TV Series) Miss Vera Day 7: Morning Gracie Jean Emory Ruby heaves a hatchet into one of her fathers white assailants, killing him. This password will be used to sign into all, a New York and Vulture critic covering film and pop culture, Shania Twain Gives Rare Update on Her Ex-Husband and Ex-BFF, Journey Should Probably Go Their Separate Ways, TikToks Favorite Celebrity Couple Is Kim Kardashian and Michael Cera, How to Watch and Stream Every 2023 Oscar-Nominated Movie, Rick Scott Is Unfortunately Kind of Right About Novak Djokovic, Rick Scott Is Unfortunately Right About Novak Djokovic, Michelle Yeoh Promises No Swearing, Only Tears During Best Lead Performance Win. What happens next, like everything in the back half of the show, is grueling to watch. And who you can expect to see performing and presenting. Ahead, Pill explains how she got into her characters mindset, and what she hopes people will take away from the series love it or hate it. 'SNL': Travis Kelce's Brother Jason Appears In Bar Skit with, How the Film Independent Spirit Awards Winners Could Impact, 'SNL' Spoofs Fox News Dominion Lawsuit Woes in Cold Open; Host, Everything You Need to Know About Cordyceps Supplements in 2023, TVLine is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Another thing that makes Them stand out is how all the characters, including the neighbours and the supernatural ones, have a definite character arc. Thomas, a British actor, has appeared as Isaac Carter in 24: Legacy, Jermaine in Top Boy, Calvin Hart in The Night Of, and Alonzo Carter in the short-lived Salvation. Ayorinde really gives the character her all, but her efforts like those of the other actors cant obscure Thems ugly core: It does not truly care about Black people. Abstain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks. Ultimately, the shows genre-driven storytelling results in, at best, a few fleetingly creepy moments. Edex Live | After all that fight, their future could still be cut down in the middle of the street. to support our journalism and get unlimited access to our coverage. The first time we see Alison Pill as Betty Wendell in Them, shes decidedly unthreatening. The story follows the Emorys, a Black family moving from North Carolina to an all-white neighborhood in Compton, California in the 1950s. Cast: Deborah Ayorinde, Ashley Thomas, Alison Pill, Shahadi Wright Joseph. If somebody has something, that means that I dont. Sophie Guest as Doris: Ruby Emorys friend at her new school. Alison Pill The biggest difference between Amazon Primes new terror anthology and other neighborhood-based dramas: One housewife is Black, and the other is white. White characters glaring at the Emory family is one of the shows central visual tropes. The 8 Best Soundbars To Buy In 2023, Per Experts, How to Watch Donald Trump's 2023 CPAC Speech: Live Stream Information, Is 'Yellowstone' On Tonight? But the Emorys dont only have to contend with their viciously racist neighbors. Hindi | She's a stranger, but seems to know about the woman and her son, and . When theyre not openly staring and taking their white gaze to the next level, Betty and her friends make horribly bigoted comments and assumptions as they plan more dastardly deeds. I read Isabel Wilkersons The Warmth of Other Suns. Jason Statham and Aubrey Plaza do not seem like a match made in action-comedy-chemistry heaven, but it somehow works. These spiritsturn their idyllic home into an epicentre of evil forces. Deborah plays the role of Livia Emory fondly knowns as Lucky. Relationships First, it messes with little Gracie (Melody Hurd), the youngest Emory daughter, by teaching her another racially offensive song called Old Black Joe. But this one is worse than Civilization, because the woman who hurt Baby Chester sang that very tune. Instead, its infuriating a faux empowerment paen that refuses to reckon with the buffet of white supremacist trauma built by Them over 10 episodes. Yet, Betty truly scares us. It gets worse. Deceased Thats because the malevolent force dwelling within the Emorys house is initially less gregarious than the neighbors. Well, Lucky has to bear the weight of the world in ways so many Black women are forced to. Becoming Betty with Alison Pill - THEM - Prime Video. Terms of Use | She is currently working on the CBS All Access series "Star Trek: Picard" and the FX series "Devs." Her other TV roles include "The Family," "In Treatment," and "The Newsroom." Pill will portray. He has played Lee Garner on Luciferand Principal Hayes onEuphoria among many other guest star roles. The answer lies in the history behind the song. It isnt just morally bankrupt. All the comments will be moderated by the newindianexpress.com editorial. Crying at the thought of entering the bathroom with that man, Betty flees, without the check shed hoped to collect, but also without falling into her fathers incestuous clutches once again. Other departments like cinematography, editing, and colouring are also commendable, and the visuals are astounding. How much did you know about the Great Migration before embarking on this project? PMC Entertainment. Their daughter Ruby ( Us co-star Shahadi Wright Joseph) is bullied at her all-white high school, and develops self-esteem issues . Clad in a belted, full-skirted blue dress thats color-coordinated with her stylish living room wallpaper, shes the poster girl for 1950s womanhood, cheerfully giving cooking advice to her friend. Amazon Series Them Finale Ending Meaning Explained, American History Has Been Whitewashed, But, Black Teen Girls On TV Are A Mess Finally, Nina Simones To Be Young, Gifted and Black.. All rights reserved. Esther Haber (mother)Otto Haber (father)Jane (sister)Unnamed nephewsClarke Wendell (husband) I think its really important for women to be able to be unlikable. What Tamil film are you most excited to see in 2023? Betty is pretty unredeemable as a character was it important for you to play her that as a pure villain? Occupation As she accepts her Someone to Watch award on stage. Lucky is seen feeding her baby boy, when a creepy stranger - a white woman - approaches their abode. Henry Emory, at least, is having a better day. 19,607, This story has been shared 7,250 times. They are encircled and attacked by the white settlers after tensions rise blinded with a hot iron poker, strung up by rope, and eventually set aflame while bystanders look on with awe as the Flamingos I Only Have Eyes for You plays. The series is centered on the Emorys, a Black family from North Carolina, who moves to an all-white neighborhood in Los Angeles during The Great Migration. Perhaps I should have known when, early in its first episode, it explains the Great Migration in text overlaying the screen, tipping its hand that it is not for Black audiences at all, but everyone else. We realise that, as a child, she was subjected to sexual abuse by her own father. Ruby is obsessed with whiteness in a way that only becomes clear later on. What would you say to those who have misgivings about the show veering into the supernatural, for fear that it might discount the impact of real-world horrors? Ive seen it before. But this is so abominable it defies you to see it that way. But what viewer is Little Marvin trying to grab? Both Henry and Lucky are haunted by their past traumas. Its only when the school custodian (Tim Russ) barges in and reprimands Ruby for not doing better, as he knows she must do given her race, that what should perhaps have been obvious is made clear: Doris is not there. Marty (Pat Healy) and Roger (Zack Daly) beat Henry, hold him at gunpoint, and clip off one of his fingers. Triangle of Sadness Ending Explained: Does Abigail Kill Yaya? The adjacent desperations of the Emory family are meant to limn the material and psychological effects of living under the threat of anti-Blackness in America. And then suddenly, youre like, Oh, shit, 2008. Disclaimer : We respect your thoughts and views! Emorys have shelled all their savings to buy this house, and both Lucky and Henry are in for the long haul. However, their new home is full of threats, both from the racism of their white neighbors and the lurking presence in their house. The first episode of THEM wastes no time pitting housewife against housewife. (Thus is the shows biggest monster humanized, not to excuse, but perhaps to explain.). While Henry, a veteran, battles PTSD, Lucky's trauma emanates from an incident that happens during Henry's absence. The Emorys leave the house on Palmer Drive and come face-to-face with their enraged neighbors and three police officers, who are on the other side of the fire barrier Lucky (somehow) magically enacted. She also struggles to finance the 'mission', and also has to deal with a partner who doesn't share her eagerness to chase away the Emorys. Deborah has previously played the role ofCandace onLuke Cageand Becca Hays onTrue Detective. It is not just the writing of Them that is impressive. Henry Emory is the father of the Emory family who is a World War 2 veteran and has been hired as the first Black engineer at his new company. He even bypasses his supervisor to introduce himself directly to the head of the company (Peter Mackenzie), with whom he bonds over their shared experiences at war in Europe, albeit during two different conflicts. Heyerdahl is best known for playing The Swede in Hell on Wheels. Wow. *Sorry, there was a problem signing you up. Amazon Prime Video's Them ends to the tune of Nina Simone's "To Be Young, Gifted and Black.". Henry struggles to focus on his job as an engineer as he is torn between the burden of everything going on and a nitpicky, authoritative bigoted boss. Derek Phillips as Sgt. Them is an American horror anthology series that premiered on Amazon on April 9, 2021. Speaking of pouncing, thats exactly what a spectral Miss Vera does when Gracie wakes up in the middle of the night. Cool. When she asks Mrs. Johnsons wheelchair-bound paraplegic husband Roland (Moe Irvin) to confirm what shed seen, he cant respond, having lost his voice as well as his legs during the war. The short answer is no. It is important to not see her reduced. Liam McIntyre as Clarke Wendell: Betty Wendells husband. The seasonal anthology series from executive producer Lena Waithe shares familiar elements with 'Get Out . Biographical Information She was a member of the Toronto Children's Chorus and was chosen to narrate one of their performances.