▁because ▁she ▁is ▁exception al . ▁Rach el ▁inv ites ▁Car men ▁to ▁attend ▁their ▁National s ▁performance , ▁and ▁p led ges ▁to ▁aud ition ▁for ▁NY AD A ▁every ▁year ▁until ▁she ▁is ▁accepted . ▁ ▁Sue ▁( J ane ▁Lyn ch ) ▁announ ces ▁that ▁rival ▁g lee ▁club ▁V ocal ▁Ad ren al ine ▁is ▁the ▁team ▁to ▁beat , ▁thanks ▁mostly ▁to ▁its ▁trans gender ▁lead ▁singer ▁W ade ▁" Uni que " ▁Adams ▁( Alex ▁New ell ), ▁who ▁has ▁become ▁a ▁media ▁star . ▁Sue ▁dec ides ▁that ▁New ▁Dire ctions ▁needs ▁a ▁similar ▁g imm ick ▁to ▁win ▁and ▁she ▁tells ▁Kurt ▁( Chr is ▁Col fer ) ▁to ▁dress ▁in ▁drag , ▁but ▁he ▁ad am antly ▁ref uses . ▁P uck ▁( Mark ▁S alling ) ▁d ons ▁a ▁dress ▁and ▁volunte ers ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁drag ▁number , ▁but ▁Will ▁v eto es ▁the ▁g imm ick ry ▁and ▁ref ocus es ▁the ▁group ▁on ▁its ▁ch ore ography . ▁ ▁Sant ana ▁( N aya ▁River a ), ▁Brit t any ▁( He ather ▁Morris ), ▁and ▁Mer cedes ▁( Am ber ▁R iley ) ▁are ▁wor ried ▁because ▁Co ach ▁Be iste ▁( D ot - Marie ▁Jones ) ▁has ▁not ▁left ▁her ▁ab us ive ▁husband , ▁C oot er ▁( Er ic ▁Br usk ot ter ), ▁as ▁she ▁claimed . ▁Be iste ▁tells ▁them ▁that ▁adult ▁relationships ▁are ▁more ▁complex ▁and ▁ins ists ▁she ▁is ▁fine .