by Claire DeMarco
It’s the late 1950’s at Rydell High School and Danny (Davis Wayne), leader of the Greasers gang is reliving his summer adventures on the beach. He met a girl named Sandy (Maya Santiago). The romance ended because Sandy and her family, not from the area were moving away. Danny was local and Sandy wasn’t.
Greaser members Roger (Michael Zak), Sonny (Payton Léger), Kenickie (Brecken Newton Farrell) and Doody (Ben Johnson) prod Danny on how far he went with Sandy. Danny of course obliged, agreeing to every outrageous action the Greasers mentioned.
Sandy’s family didn’t move out of the area after all and Sandy, also at Rydell High is making new friends. Her new acquaintances realize that the Danny she is talking about is the Danny they know.
When Danny and Sandy finally meet again, Danny is caught off guard. His demeanor and behavior when on vacation is very different than his actions at Rydell. He’s caught in a conundrum. How does he retain the macho image he portrays at Rydell but reboot his original behavior with Sandy?
How or is their situation ever resolved?
Rizzo (Zanny Laird), Frenchy (Emily Palmer), Jan (Maddie Young) and Marty (Mia Schmidtetter), members of the Pink Ladies (the girl’s equivalent of a gang) attempt to initiate naïve and non-worldly Sandy away from her goody two shoes image.
Note: Peer pressure, possible pregnancies, sexual promiscuity and conformity had stricter outcomes in the 1950’s. Although today they still exist, women have more input and control over their resolutions and outcomes.
This is a wonderful production of a classic musical.
We can see the progression in Santiago’s character as she changes from a rather insecure teenager into one more confident, especially in her relationship with Danny. Any emotional turmoil she harbored finally vanishes as her relationship with Sunny is elevated to a higher level. Santiago’s performance of “Hopelessly Devoted” is stunning.
Wayne shows us two sides of his character. As the Danny that Sandy met in the summer, he is sweet and tender. As a member of the Greasers, he acts like a raging teenager full of himself.
Laird’s rendition of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” is moving. Rizzo plays the bad girl that most of us knew in high school but Laird also pulls out the insecurity in Rizzo. Underneath all that bravado is a sensitive teenager.
Farrell plays Kenickie as the tough guy reluctant to express any emotions but shows a glimpse of softness when his sometime girlfriend Rizzo is in trouble.
Zak and Young deliver a funny, song and dance duet with “Mooning”.
Chris Laitta’s comedic timing is spot on. Great facial expressions and gymnastic movements enhance her characterization of the spinster school teacher Miss Lynch. Top this off with a great singing voice and you have near perfection.
David Toole’s “Beauty School Dropout” is exceptional. What a powerful voice!
Kudos to the entire cast of talented actors. They sing, they dance, they act! And they all do it well!
Shout out to Music Director Dr. Francesca Tortorello.
Scenic Designer Tucker Topel’s incorporation of a classic car in several scenes is clever and smooth.
Wonderful Direction and Choreography by Danny Herman and Rocker Verastique.
“Grease” Book, Music and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.
-CED
“Grease” is a production of Pittsburgh Musical Theater. Performances run from March 7 through March 17 at the Byham Theater.
