Gil Brady as Kenickie and Janna Cardia as Rizzo in "Grease," opening tonight at the Fulton Opera House.
By Laura Knowles
Published Sep 07, 2006 11:24
And they’ve been struck by greased lightning ever since.
With today’s opening of “Grease” at the Fulton Theatre, it’s clear that the the show that wowed audiences more than 30 years ago hasn’t lost its appeal.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by response to the show. Ever since the box office opened, calls keep coming and coming,” says director and choreographer Gary John La Rosa.
What makes a musical popular with so many age groups? Those who grew up in the ’50s and ’60s can relate to the high school culture of black leather jackets, bobby sox and poodle skirts. Baby boomers who were around in the ’70s recall the time when the show debuted and the movie came out in 1978 with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.
Then there are today’s teens, who have seen the movie and probably put the show on at their local high schools. For them, it’s a look to the past that somehow rings true even today.
As Gil Brady, who plays tough greaser Kenickie, points out, all through the generations, the high school experience has had a continuing thread. There are the popular kids. Then there are the outsiders, who break away from expectations, with their own rebellious look.
They may be greasers, hippies, punkers or skaters, but they break the rules. And through the generations, everyone who has ever gone to high school can relate in some way — even if they were neither insiders or outsiders.
“I was somewhere in the middle when I was in high school. But this will be my fifth time doing this show,” says Brady, who has played lead greaser Danny Zuko three times and his pal Kenickie twice.
In the Fulton’s production of “Grease,” Danny is being played by local boy Andrew Kindig, who has performed in shows that include “Crazy for You,” “Oklahoma” and “Ragtime.”
Sheltered and innocent Sandy is Dana Zihlman Harshaw, who admits that she first viewed “Grease” as a “fluffy” show without a lot of substance. She quickly changed her mind when she began to see the response the show evokes.
“People just love ‘Grease.’ They love the characters and the music and the high school experience,” says Harshaw. “It really is a dream role.”
La Rosa thinks the fresh approach to a musical is what makes “Grease” so appealing. The dancing is vibrant and lively, and the music is packed with songs like “Summer Nights,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “Sandra Dee” and “Greased Lightning.”
Audiences relate to Danny and Sandy’s summer romance that takes them to Rydell High School, where they see how different they are. When sweet Sandy is taken under the wing of the Pink Ladies, she is suddenly transformed into a hip chick that wows Danny with her teased hair, high heels and black leather.
As La Rosa notes, “Grease” was the brainchild of self-proclaimed greasers, Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, who were weary of the dated melodies that were the mainstay of Broadway musicals of the time. They broke free with a rock ’n’ roll sound track that has been a hit ever since.
Talkback on LancasterOnline
Welcome to the new TalkBack on LancasterOnline. Please use the comment box below to share your opinion on this
article. If you would prefer to use the previous TalkBack forums instead, please use this link.
