Musical revives and fun and frailties of the 50s
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff writer
The classic Broadway musical of a good girl falling for the school’s bad boy – and the trials of teenage life in the 1950s – come to the Burlington High School stage starting tonight in the drama department’s production of “Grease.”
Show dates are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., March 30-31 at 7 p.m. and Sunday April 1 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5 and available through the high school.
The show is directed by Paul Ivkovich and Carrie Fidler, with musical direction from Penny Yanke, choreography by Emily Mullens, technical direction from Mike Klafka and costume direction from Tamara Albrecht.
The story covers the senior class at Rydell High School through its many exploits. Danny Zuko (played by Ross Canales) falls over the summer for Sandy Dumbrowski (Madison Gruman), but doesn’t realize that she’s even enrolled in his school until friends introduce them on the first day of classes.
From there, Sandy’s friends – highlighted by the members of the Pink Ladies: Betty Rizzo (Kasey Lane Cragg), Frenchy (Lexie Baker), Marty Maraschino (Kennedy Bunker) and Jan (Ali Knight) – help her through the romantic entanglements that come from falling for the guy everyone wants, and also find out a few things about themselves along the way.
Zuko, meanwhile, gets support from the T-Birds – Kenickie Murdock (Evan Czysz), Doody (Gunnar Knight), Dominic “Sonny” LaTierri (Bryce Gauger) and Roger (Danny Levandoski).
The musical is highlighted by a school dance – where Cha-Cha Degregorio (played by Hannah Anderson) steals the show, and a dance trophy, by dancing with Danny – while Vince Fontaine (a local radio superstar played by Brandon Lindemann) flirts with the teenagers amid the performance by Johnny Casino (Eric Zeman).
Other specialty roles are filled by Michaela Peterson as Miss Lynch – the teacher everyone hopes to avoid – nerd Eugene Florczyk (Cole Conrad) and cheerleader Patty Simcox (Laura Christoph).
The teen angel is being played by Elijah Erdmann, while Micah Gebel voices the “radio star” heard by Sandy. Other voices heard come from Sammie Koch and Paul West.
Other members of the cast are dance corps members Allie Daniels, Aislinn Poe, Olivia Solfest, Emily Creek and Sammi Robers, as well as Rebecca Hensel, Brenden Novak, Mason Hawes, Zach Morrow, Rebecca Otis, Alli Zeman and Marah Zinnen.
The student director for the show is Lauren Nadolski, with Brittany Lamp serving as stage manager and Anna Gribova as props manager.
Light and sound engineers are Alyssa Haglund, Claire Halverson and Rachel Nice, with McKenzie Bratlie manning the spotlight and Alex Pospichal the curtains.
The set crew is Harley Baseler, Katie Crawford, Maddie Crawford, Amber Kolosso, Julianne Krusemark, Andrew Pangburn, Bridget Vos and Ryan Windsor, while the costume assistants are Gribova, Kayelynn Junescue, Marissa Loper and Callie Tuchel.
The music is coordinated by teacher Ben Johnson with Melissa Thorngate serving as accompanist, Sam Vondra playing guitar, Emma Fitzgerald the bass and Amber Solomon the drums.
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