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Grease
by Alpine Union School District
 It didn’t feel like Summer Nights outside, but they
were alive and well inside the theatre where the group of fifth through eight
graders of the Alpine Union School District transported us back to the Fifties
with the musical Grease. And for their Saturday night shows, they
weren’t wasting any time. Although the rainy weather tripped up their plans to
have roller skate-wearing carhops bring meals on wheels to the parking lot as
the audience got warmed up with a drive-in movie, they still served hamburgers
and shakes inside the theatre to get us in the mood prior to the start of the
show.
I wasn’t able to make it till their final performance, and
the cast was clearly in their own by then. The seasoned actor Nate August
gave a truly standout performance as the cool high school senior Danny Zuko who
has to compromise his coolness a little if he wants to end up with the nice
girl he’s fallen for. The highlight is when he romantically serenaded a
surprised audience member with Those Magic Changes. His counterpart is
Sandy Dumbrowski played by Kaylyn Hopkins who has a definite Olivia
Newton-John-ish look to her and a good voice, transitioning nicely between the
good-girl singing of Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee and the very next scene
in which she meets Danny Zuko halfway by wearing some leather for their great All
Choked Up scene.
One of the comedic highlights from the show was definitely Ryan
Guaderrama as Roger and Marielle Miller as Jan singing about Roger’s
one natural talent – his Mooning. Kristen Osborn made for a jaded
Rizzo, Danielle Pupa as Frenchy and Brock Cummings as the Teen
Angel led a humorous Beauty School Dropout that included Frenchy demonstrating
just why she couldn’t cut it in the hair biz, and Danielle Stathas led
the Pink Ladies in a tribute to Freddy her love. The ensemble had some
standouts including Jessica Rubin as Sandy’s rival Patty Simcox and Rachel
Anderson as the dancing, nose-picking Cha-Cha who thinks she’s hot stuff.
All combined the cast did a good job with numbers like Summer Nights, Greased
Lightnin’, Born to Hand-Jive, and the revved up finale of We Go
Together.
Director Susan Lancaster and her team did some
creative work with this G-rated version of Grease and came up with some
creative sets and splashes. Some of the music was done at a slower than normal
tempo which felt a little frustrating, but overall it still had plenty of fun and
hi-jinks and peer pressure and the memorable tunes that have made this show a
surprising classic. Top that off with free hamburgers and shakes, and you’ve
got the makings of a thoroughly enjoyable Alpine night – summer weather or not.
Performed through March 18, 2006.
Rob Hopper
National Youth Theatre
~ Cast ~
Danny Zuko: Nate August
Sandy Dumbrowski: Kaylyn Hopkins
Kenickie: Mitchell Carter
Rizzo: Kristen Osborn
Frenchy: Danielle Pupa
Doody: Brannon Cody
Jan: Marielle Miller
Roger: Ryan Guaderrama
Marty: Danielle Stathas
Sonny: Payton Saksa
Eugene: Patrick Sutherland
Patty: Jessica Rubin
Miss Lynch: Ashley Williams
Vince Fontaine: Cody Dupree
Cha-Cha: Rachel Anderson
Teen Angel: Brock Cummings
Johnny Casino: Zack Petsch
Rockin' Rita: Amber Blank
Chorus:
Alex Benjamin
Brittnie Swartchick
Jayce Galeazzi
Julia St. Clair
Cole Pulsipher
Tori Pool
Ryan Tweed
Elise Napier
Evan Myres
Brandi Brown
Ryan Krantz
Shaney Sample
Directors:
Susan Lancaster
Sandra Bennett
Nicole La Bella
Tim Arends
Accompaniment: Joan Waterworth
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