Making Menudo | Welcome To Miami | Episode Summary

In early 2007, MTV held auditions in various cities to find the best male singers and dancers between the ages of 13 and 19, a process that was chronicled on the MTV Tr3s series The Road to Menudo. Hundreds of hopefuls auditioned but, in the end, only 15 had the right stuff. Now, those 15 finalists are heading to Miami to begin their Making Menudo journey, where five of them will become the next generation of the legendary all-Latino boy band.

When they get off the plane, the Menudo hopefuls are brought to the pimped out penthouse where they will be staying. Then legendary manager Johnny Wright, who helped launch the careers of *NSync and the Backstreet Boys, greets the boys and gives them a breakdown of what to expect. He tells the guys to stay focused and be on point when it comes to showing off their singing and dancing skills -- no excuses will be accepted.

Each week, three hopefuls will be teamed up to form a group. That group will have to learn a song and dance routine in just 72 hours, then they'll perform it in front of a live audience. This week's performers are Monti, J.G. and Antony, and they will be singing B2K's "Girlfriend." After their performance, they'll be told whether they'll be staying or going.

David Coury, musical director and vocal coach, sets the tone by giving Monti, J.G. and Antony a tongue-lashing at their first rehearsal. Just 13 years old, J.G.'s immaturity and lack of experience leaves the other two guys concerned that he'll bring them down. And when Monti struggles with learning the song, Antony thinks their performance could be a complete disaster.

While Monti, J.G. and Antony are working their butts off, the rest of the Menudo gang hits the beach to scope out the scene -- and the girls. When a few of the fellas try to impress the ladies by giving them a beachside serenade, the rest of the group jokes about whether they've got game. Back at the penthouse, J.C. admits that his main motivation is girls, which leaves some of the other guys wondering if he's in the competition for the right reasons.

Back at rehearsal, Monti, J.G. and Antony are introduced to Anibal, their choreographer. Anibal immediately thinks Monti is a natural on the dance floor, while J.G. needs to seriously step things up to keep up.

At sound check, Monti, J.G. and Antony are surprised to learn that Johnny and the rest of the Making Menudo hopefuls will be watching their every move. After their rehearsal ends, Johnny says he doesn't think they're ready for the main event, so the boys keep on practicing.

Then, just like that, it's time to hit the stage. In front of hundreds of screaming fans, Monti, J.G. and Antony hope to give the performance of their lives. When they're done, the crowd goes wild, but Johnny only gives them a five out of 10.

After the performance, the other Making Menudo hopefuls discuss who they think should stay and who should go. But it's not their opinions that matter -- it's up to Johnny, David and Anibal, who break each guy's performance down. The judges discuss how J.G. lost his groove at one point and started screaming instead of singing and how Antony was vocally strong but not so hot when it came to the choreography. As for Monti, they all seem to agree he was the best, despite a few downfalls.

With only five spots to fill, Johnny gathers all the Making Menudo hopefuls to reveal the fates of Monti, J.G. and Antony. Without hesitation, Johnny invites Monti to become the first member of Menudo, but warns him that he could lose his coveted spot if he doesn't live up to expectations. Johnny then gives Antony another shot at fame by throwing him back into the mix with the other hopefuls. Sadly, though, the road to Menudo ends for J.G.