FOX orders 13 episodes of Glee musical comedy series

FOX has ordered 13 episodes of the new one-hour musical comedy series Glee.

The series will follow an optimistic high school teacher Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison, Broadway’s Hairspray) as he tries to transform the school’s glee club from losers to national champions.

Even with help from fellow teacher Emma Pillsbury (Jayma Mays, Ugly Betty), it won’t be easy. The club includes: Kurt (Chris Colfer) as a nerdy soprano with a flair for the dramatic; Mercedes (Amber Riley), a diva-in-training who refuses to sing back up; Ary (Kevin McHale, True Blood), a geeky guitarist who attracts more bullies than girls) and Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz, Spring Awakening), an awkward girl who needs to suppress her stutter before her onstage solo.

And though everyone else thinks he’s crazy for trying to make the glee club a success, he’s out to prove everyone wrong, even his tough-as-nails wife Terri (Jessalyn Gilsing, Nip/Tuck) to McKinley’s cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch, Best in Show).

Glee will debut in 2009 and feature a soundtrack of hit songs from past to present, according to FOX.

Photo courtesy Newscom.