Review: Grease by The Georgetown Palace Theatre
by Michael Meigs

The Georgetown Palace Theatre is back to doing what they do best -- a rollicking big musical comedy with lots of dance,sparkling with a glitzy coating of happy nostalgia. Grease is no trail breaker, but it's for sure an entertainment where the whole family can kick back and enjoy. With the bonus that they'll learn that live theatre is so much more than the talking pictures from the 1978 movie with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

Everybody's doing it. The Texas School for the Deaf puts on a version tonight and tomorrow, with the interesting twist that the the interpreters for the audience will be speaking, not signing. Tex-Arts is running a June theatre camp for youth that will culminate in performances of the show.


The Palace does the theatrical version of Grease, which originated in Chicago in 1971 and went on to Broadway. There's music not included in the movie version, but the story's generally the same: after a summer romance, sweet Sandy and greaser guy Danny encounter one another unexpectedly at their urban high school, with all sorts of social pressures from the Pink Girls clique and the guys' T-Birds gang (a pretty innocent group of gawkers, closer to the then-contemporary "Happy Days" TV show than to the gangs in West Side Story).

Scenes take place in the school cafeteria, at a slumber party, around a hot rod, in the burger palace, at the gym dance, at the drive-in movie, and at a party. No studying for these kids! Teachers are goofs and the class brain is, in today's terms, a nerd. But who cares? What's important is hormones, acting out, having a good time, and getting the chance to dance, dance, dance!

Costumes are super and the Lisa Jones' choreography is swift, humorous and endearing. Despite the familiar plot and the time-warp travel of the experience, the Palace makes Grease funny and engaging with yet another cast of attractive singer/actor/dancers.


Diego A. Flores as Danny and Phil Rodriguez as his buddy/rival Kenickie strut, flirt, and carry the testosterone with a twinkle. In the movie, John Travolta as Danny dominated, but in the stage version Kenickie gets to sing the surging "Greased Lightning," a vibrant celebration of the freedom of owning your own wheels. Rodriguez does a huge job of it and dismounts his four-wheeled steed with a snappy balletic jump that establishes him as top dog.

 

Katie Walther as new-girl Sandy, all in pink, is suitably demure, and she has a voice of fine expressiveness and range. Bad girl Rizzo is a more interesting character, though, and in that role the assured Fiona Rene (below) provides depth and credibility. Her frustration and jealousy of Sandy are poignant rather than hateful. 

 

                
All of the other "Pink Girls" (Jennifer Wilcox, Cameron Snyder and Sharon Brown) are saucy and vivid.

 

The guys are equally well differentiated. As Doody the guitar player, Michael Fariss is cheery and amusing. Chris Sawey in the clown role of Sonny is a funny guy full of mannerisms, but in his desire to amuse he too often he rushes his cues.

Charismatic Matthew Burnett scores again in the relatively minor role of Roger, dating the endearing muncher Jan (Sharon Brown). The short comic number "Mooning" has him strutting his stuff.  Literally!

 

The stage is full, with a cast of almost 30 and an onstage band of 5 musicians. They're too many to acknowledge individually for the energy and flash of their contributions. Kirk Miller as the eerie white-suited apparition Teen Angel singing to "Beauty School Dropout" Frenchy (Jennifer Wilcox); the warm-voiced, humorous Melita McAfee as the indulgent teacher Miss Lynch; and director Ron Watson -- all get a special tip of the hat.

Tickets were selling so fast that the theatre has added four shows, including Thursday evenings and Saturday matinees.

Come early enough to settle into your seat in the crowded hall and enjoy the 1950s oldies audio selection that runs ahead of the show (this was the second time in a week I'd heard the "Shoup Shoup Song," featured quite differently in The Heidi Chronicles). And spend some time studying the proscenium decorations. Set designer Steve Williams and guest scenic artist Michael Davis spent a lot of time and love reproducing or imitating 1950s magazine advertising art. They rim the opening with almost 30 subtly comic visuals that make the era come alive, even before the actors hit the stage.

 

EXTRA:

 

             

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Grease
Georgetown Palace Theatre