‘Grease’ revs up nostalgia and Nineteen Fifties enjoyable at Little Theatre of Alexandria

“Okay, cats, throw your mittens around your kittens, and away we go!” Deejay Vince Fontaine, the “Main Brain” from WAXX, implores the group to get with it and dance up a storm. Gals in robes and guys with slicked-back hair tear up the gymnasium flooring and hand-jive like there’s no tomorrow.

This can solely be describing one legendary musical: Grease. Yes, the present that actually reignited the Nineteen Fifties nostalgia craze within the early Nineteen Seventies and has been entertaining audiences the world over ever since. The present’s status solely grew when the 1978 movie adaptation blew up and propelled John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John into the heavens, driving their magic scorching rod into the sundown.

But we’re right here to speak concerning the authentic Grease — the stage musical, now enjoying to capability crowds at Little Theatre of Alexandria. This distinction must be addressed as a result of if you wish to hear “Hopelessly Devoted to You” or “Sandy” or the show-stopping “You’re the One that I Want,” pull out your DVD and watch. Those songs have been added to the over-stuffed 1978 movie, together with different Nineteen Fifties tunes thrown in for environment.

Director Frank D. Shutts II and his manufacturing have returned to the supply, i.e., the unique e-book and rating of Grease, by sole authors Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Loosely impressed by their very own highschool adventures from the late Nineteen Fifties, this present was bottom-line their creation: story, music, and lyrics. The tunes echo pop hits from the previous juke field, and the story is almost as previous as time: Will the pure good lady find yourself with the good-looking dangerous boy? 

Before we discuss performances and performers, a notice concerning the content material. This present was made by grown-ups for grown-ups. Sure, Grease is wildly widespread with faculties in addition to neighborhood {and professional} theaters — principally as a result of it normally ensures massive field workplace returns. But faculties have the choice to decide on a toned-down model of the script. This shouldn’t be the “school version.” The language and innuendo are vast open right here. This shouldn’t be a criticism however only a notice concerning the language and subject material. Take it or depart it.

Grease is a complete journey down reminiscence lane. The present goes past nostalgia, since many people weren’t alive when Eisenhower was president and black-and-white televisions confirmed “The Mickey Mouse Club.” But we will all relate to these days of highschool angst and enjoyable, it doesn’t matter what 12 months we graduated. All anybody has to do to get pleasure from Grease is sit again and let the music and characters take you again to an easier time. Shutts is aware of this and permits the present and his proficient solid to get on with the motion. 

Suzy Alden, Shutts’ choreographer, retains the motion full of life and period-perfect, with step-touch-step-touch, doo-wop footwork, and grander lifts and thrills for the large numbers. Adding punch and drive to the present is the reside band, tucked away onstage above the motion, snappily led by Mark V. Deal. The seven-piece ensemble rocks out and makes the present sound correct in line with the ’50s-pastiche tunes, supporting the actors with each quantity.

Leading the solid of greasers and bobby-soxers are Shannon Hardy and Jake C. Schwartz as Sandy and Danny, respectively. Hardy, full with blonde ponytail, is the essence of the candy, fish-out-of-water, sheltered faculty lady, contemporary from Catholic faculty, now fending for herself in a tough and tumble public faculty. With thick, wavy hair and the requisite leather-based jacket, Schwartz strides by way of his scenes with a straightforward, swaggering appeal; Danny is perhaps a foul boy to his buddies, however he’s principally a pussy cat round Sandy. Hardy and Schwartz even have the vocal chops to deal with their massive numbers, beginning with “Summer Nights,” recounting their trip rendezvous, joined by their classmates longing for the juicy particulars. They additionally impress with their penultimate quantity collectively, “All Choked Up” (the unique track changed with “You’re the One That I Want” for the film). 

Flying solo, Hardy tugs the heartstrings along with her reprise of “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” revealing the wounded hen inside craving to embrace her wild facet. And Schwartz, backed up by his gang, evokes pop idols of yesteryear together with his rendition of “Alone at the Drive-in.”

Danny and Sandy’s fellow Rydell Ringtails are a full of life bunch, every bursting with vitality and youthful pizzazz. Danny’s entourage, going by the unique moniker “The Burger Palace Boys” (“T-Birds” within the film), refill the stage with pleasant shenanigans and work collectively like ringedy-ding-dong, to cite one of many songs. Matt Yinger is wild because the second-in-command Kenickie, who leads the showstopping “Greased Lightning.” As harmless and goofy Doody, Jonathan Grygiel is endearing. His ringing tenor voice brings to thoughts Paul Anka singing “Those Magic Changes.” Ryan Walker is a good larger goofball as Roger, generally known as the king of the mooners who will get to (ahem) naked himself within the charming duet “Mooning,” with Allyson Markussen’s food-obsessed Jan. Rounding out the Burger Palace Boys is Hugo Del Pino Jr. as Sonny La Tieri, the resident lady-killer — or so he thinks.

Their female counterparts, the “Pink Ladies,” are a mixture of sassy, brassy, ditzy younger broads, and they’re at all times entertaining. Markusson’s food-obsessed Jan is everybody’s pal. Not the very best scholar, Frenchie is the one who tries magnificence faculty solely to drop out and return to Rydell. Sydney Morefield performs Frenchie endearingly, full with thick, New Yawk-ish accent. As the fashion-plate of the bunch, fashionable Marty is dropped at life by Gabrielle Priest, who makes probably the most of her scenes and her featured quantity “Freddy, My Love,” bringing again recollections of Connie Francis or Etta James. 

And because the prime “Pink Lady,” Lourdes Turnblom is Rizzo, the daring and mouthy alpha-dog, fast with a quip and withering look to all beneath her. Turnblom’s turns bloom when she pops out her signature track, “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” poking enjoyable at Sandy and her squeaky picture. She additionally shines with the 11 o’clock quantity, “There Are Worse Things I Can Do,” pouring out her coronary heart and soul.

Other Rydell Ringtails that make the grade are Mollie Becker because the uppity cheerleader Patti, Ryan Brown as Vince Fontaine, the slick radio announcer, and Cha-Cha, a chick from a rival faculty who crashes the large dance. These actors carry laughs galore and embody the spirit of the exaggerated nostalgia on show.

Stepping out of the full of life ensemble, Brady Misustin is the boy singer Johnny Casino (“Born to Hand-Jive”), Garret Rinker warbles winningly as Frenchie’s teen guardian angel, with the track “Beauty School Dropout,” and as a radio singer, Marissa Michaels duets with Hardy’s Sandy for the candy and unhappy “It’s Raining on Prom Night.” 

The motion and enjoyable all happen on a unit set that brings again recollections of cinderblock partitions, lockers, and the smells of the varsity cafeteria — all courtesy of Julie Fischer’s purposeful set design. The actors are aided of their performances by the period-perfect wigs and hair designed by Andre Hopfer, and the wardrobe by the design crew of Jean Schlichting and Kit Sibley, with help from Janis Johnston. The busy Ken and Patti Crowley present a colourful lighting design that enhances the manufacturing. The award-winning lighting duo are at the moment additionally represented at Prince William Little Theatre’s Woman in Black.

No matter what period you grew up in — for a few of us, it was the MTV-era of the mid-Eighties — these days when your whole life was nonetheless earlier than you and the most important selections you had have been whether or not the lovable lady from the marching band had a date to the promenade have been golden. Grease celebrates the innocence (accented by somewhat raunchiness, in fact) of the late Nineteen Fifties and does it very nicely. Shutts’ manufacturing and solid are able to welcome you to Rydell for a drive down reminiscence lane.

Running Time: Approximately two hours with one 10-minute intermission.

Grease performs by way of November 15, 2025, introduced by Little Theatre of Alexandria, acting at 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA. To buy tickets ($36, reserved seating), go online or contact the Box Office through telephone (703-683-0496) or electronic mail ([email protected]).

The program for Grease is on-line here.

LTA is holding a Nineteen Fifties costume contest with prizes for the October 31 Halloween efficiency. Patrons are invited to return dressed to impress of their finest Nineteen Fifties threads and revel in an evening of music, dancing, and Halloween enjoyable.

Grease
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
Producer: Kadira Coley
Director: Frank D. Shutts II
Music Director: Mark Deal
Choreographer: Suzy Alden