St. Dunstan’s ‘Grease’ Gives Audiences Chills With Its Electrifying Performance
Chances are, if you’re a theater lover like us, you’re familiar with the story of Grease. A prim and proper girl meets a greaser boy on summer vacation, and they fall madly in love. However, with the dawning of a new school year, the two believe they’ll never see each other again, but fate has something else in mind. I’ve watched this film so many times that it’s almost a travesty that I haven’t ever seen it live on stage. Thankfully, St. Dunstan’s Theatre has brought Grease to its Greek Theatre, capturing the energy that makes this story a musical classic.
With a book, music, and lyrics from Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, this local Bloomfield production is co-directed by David and Pamela Martin. This dynamic duo finds the heart and soul of Grease and heightens it even more with the musical direction of Ryan Bowie and choreography from Hunter Milan. With a strong cast of colorful characters, it was the same story we’ve all come to love, but with a new excitement as audiences gathered to see it live on stage. What was this unique St. Dunstan’s Theatre experience like? Continue on to explore what you can expect from Grease in the Greek!
[Warning: Spoilers from St. Dunstan’s theatre’s production of Grease are below!]
Summer Lovin’ is alive with Grease in the Greek!
As those of us who grew up on film versions of Broadway shows know, the story can undergo significant changes as it is translated from stage to screen. While this gives each version its distinct feel, it can be upsetting for audiences if they expect an exact carbon copy of their favorite film to play out on stage. That being said, this production of Grease is largely intact and identifiably recognizable to everyone gathered in the outdoor theatre on that opening night show at St. Dunstan’s Theatre.
The love story between the lovely Sandy Dumbroski (Anderson Lee) and Danny Zuko (Curtis Martin) is still front and center, beginning with a look back at their romantic summer encounter. Promising never to forget their time together, the lovebirds separate and return to reality, where life isn’t exactly picture perfect.
Danny is a member of the T-Birds, a local group of greasers who are always up to no good. From stealing hubcaps to rumbling with other local boys, the T-Birds are the epitome of bad boys, which isn’t exactly the picture that Danny sold to Sandy, who is as different from Danny as you can possibly imagine. She’s as clean-cut as can be, following every rule perfectly. However, their differences didn’t matter amongst the sunny days and beach waves, and it isn’t like they will ever see each other again. Right?
Cue their shocked and surprised reactions when it’s discovered that Sandy now attends the same school as Danny, bringing about a plethora of problems. Can the couple weather the stark differences between their realities, or are they a summer fling destined to sour?
Danny and Sandy lead the way in this St. Dunstan’s Production
While Grease itself is quite an ensemble piece with many intricate pieces woven together, the story of Danny and Sandy drives the narrative forward. The love formed on one summer night is tested throughout the show, ultimately changing both of them as they look to find common ground to build a relationship. Because of that, no matter how strong the rest of the cast is, any production of Grease would be lost without a strong Danny and Sandy. Which is not something St. Dunstan’s has to worry about.
Anderson Lee stepped into the role of Sandy with such ease, capturing her energy perfectly on the stage. Sandy goes through one of the most significant changes in Grease, from naive schoolgirl to a woman in her own right. From one extreme to another, Sandy requires someone who has immense talent to get right, and Lee has that in spades.
Instead of Sandy being a damsel in distress, Lee infuses her with power, giving the character more autonomy than ever. She’s strong and capable, even in moments of weakness. Lee’s rendition of “Hopeless Devoted” was a highlight of the entire show, perfectly capturing the ache of love and the struggle to remain true to herself.
On the other hand, Curtis Martin takes an overtly masculine character, Danny, and gives him more dimension. In the film version, Danny’s nothing short of an ass, placing looking cool over his love for Sandy. While many parts of that characterization hold true in this St. Dunstan’s production, Martin has laced Danny with nuance, portraying him as a bit softer as he attempts to win Sandy over, while also not losing himself in the process.
Martin made Danny incredibly likable, which is a feat. While I love Grease, I never found Danny redeemable, but Martin’s portrayal of this character does just that. He had me grinning from ear to ear every time he was on stage, as he was inherently charming as the greaser with an attitude.
Grease is nothing without its Pink Ladies
While I stated above that Grease is nothing without the love story between Danny and Sandy, truly, what makes this show special is the comedy genius of the Pink Ladies. Serving as the cool counterparts to the T-Birds, the Pink Ladies are the burnouts of Rydell High. They don’t fit in with the school’s Patty Simcoxes (Emily Sameck), but instead walk to the beat of their own drums. The confidence they exude and the laughs they bring to me every time are why I continue to return to Grease year after year.
St. Dunstan’s did a fabulous job finding the perfect actors to fill these roles, as the Pink Ladies continued the time-honored tradition of being the best part of the show. Lauren Neuwirth (Beauty and the Beast, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress) continues to prove her talent with another strong performance as Betty Rizzo. Rizzo’s one of those characters that can easily come off cold or lack empathy, as she’s guarded and withdrawn to protect herself from pain. Neuwirth highlights this latter part, giving the character some much-needed depth.
Allura Jarbo and Mei-Lin Wong, as Jan and Frenchy, respectively, understood what made these characters enjoyable in the film and amplified that. These two felt ripped from the screen and placed on the stage, with so many iconic moments playing out exactly as I remember.
However, Celine Barrone’s Marty felt like the most welcome change to this production of Grease. Relegated to a side character in the film, there’s another whole side of the character in the staged production. Instead of being just a flirt, Marty is shown as a loyal friend and someone searching for love and devotion. Barrone had me rolling with laughter, and her singing “Freddy, My Love” was one of my favorite moments from the show.
A dynamic group of T-Birds makes this production cool
I can’t wrap up this review without speaking about the other half of the show, the leather-clad T-Birds. Their identities are very much still intact as the school rebels who are always up to one scheme or another. From the hilarious Matthew Cross (The Sound of Music, Murder on the Orient Express) as Sonny to absolutely cool Kenickie (played by the even cooler Antonio Hood), to the slick as all hell Lliam Hamilton-Kraft as Doody, there’s something to appreciate from the entire gang.
Kaden Selvidge stood out among the group, giving one of the most endearing performances I’ve seen recently. His energy was infectious, and he had a big, goofy grin that you couldn’t help but smile along with. He was awkward in an adorable way, which is difficult to nail, but Selvidge does it with the talent of someone who has been acting his entire life.
Grease in the Greek is shaping up to be one of St. Dunstan’s best productions!
The cast of St. Dunstan’s Grease was truly special, with so many incredible performers that it almost became impossible to name them all. However, there was not one amongst the bunch who didn’t give their all in this production. Grease excelled with fabulous costumes and a simplistic yet recognizable set, which helped to transport audiences to a simpler time and place. There was no better way to spend a summer night than seeing Grease live on stage in St. Dunstan’s Greek theatre!
A huge congrats to the cast and crew of this show, which ended its run to a series of sold-out performances! You can catch St. Dunstan’s next show, Much Ado About Nothing, which arrives at the outdoor Greek Theatre on September 12, so check out St. Dunstan’s webpage for more information! Let us know your thoughts about Greass on social media @boxseatbabes!
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