Naval Academy helps spread glee

Long before "Glee" became one of the most popular television shows, the U.S. Naval Academy's Women's Glee Club was wowing audiences around the world.

They performed for about 150 people Monday on the aircraft carrier Yorktown.

Director Cindy Bauchspies rolled her eyes when asked if she often hears comparisons with the TV show.

"Glee actually goes back hundreds of years," she said. "But it helps us. People say, 'Ah, "Glee," OK.' "

The club recently had sweatshirts made with a lettering style based on the television show, she said.

The Naval Academy Women's Glee Club was formed in 1976, the same year the academy started accepting women.

"We've always had a good amount of women in the club," Bauchspies said. "About 10 percent of the women in the school are in the glee club."

Freshman Allison Schwinn of Seaport, Del., a member of the group, downplayed any resemblance to the TV show, and she said she hasn't seen a surge in attention since the show became popular.

"I watch the show," she said. "I love it. But this is nothing like it."

The group boasts its own accolades. They joined other music groups at the academy to back up Beyonce Knowles and Renee Fleming at President Obama's inauguration in January 2009.

Monday, the group consisted of 60 young women, dressed in navy-blue skirts and blue-and-gold jackets.

They sang a cappella on the traditional tunes, added piano accompaniment to some of the popular songs and broke out into smaller groups for a few of the fun numbers.

Patriots Point Executive Director Mac Burdette praised women who "sing like angels and fight like devils."

He noted that the Yorktown was called The Fighting Lady during World War II. He gave the glee club pink T-shirts emblazoned with "The Fighting Ladies."

Ann Hudson of Alpharetta, Ga., watched the performance with seven or eight members of her youth choir, which was in town to perform at several local churches. She said "Glee" has made it easier to recruit young people. "The kids all love that show," she said after the performance. "It's done a lot to make singing in a choir popular."

Reach Dave Munday at 937-5553.