By Madison Davis
Everyone knows Grease. You either love or hate the movie, and the musical it was based on has been a popular choice for school or community theater productions over the years. This classic show was performed by CSI’s Center for the Arts on Oct. 9-11 with an enthusiastic cast, elaborate costumes and spirited choreography. It also answered a question that many have debated: is Grease still relevant for today’s youth?
This production of Grease had a mix of songs that originated from both the original 1971 musical ( “We Go Together”, “Summer Nights”, “Freddy My Love”, “Mooning”, “Greased Lightning”, “Look At Me I’m Sandra Dee”, “Those Magic Changes”, “Born to Hand Jive”, “Beauty School Dropout” and “There Are Worse Things I Could Do”) and the 1978 movie (“Grease Is the Word”, “Sandy”, “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “You’re the One that I Want”). However there are some differences from the well-known movie regarding the placement of certain songs in the production.
For example, “Look at Me I’m Sandra Dee” is sung towards the end of Act 1, with Rizzo mocking Sandy out of jealousy for Danny Zuko, as opposed to at a sleepover with just the other Pink Ladies . “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” is sung by Rizzo as an attempt to make peace with Sandy rather than a reflection to herself regarding her life choices.
Something the musical does that I and likely many others prefer over the movie is how more of the supporting cast have time to shine. In the movie, most of the focus is on Sandy, Danny, Frenchy, Rizzo and Kenickie, which is still very much true onstage. However, the musical gives other characters significant exposure as well.
Marty, played by the bubbly Jacqueline Mangini, sings about her long distance relationship with a Marine in the Do-wop style “Freddy My Love.” The dorky Jan and carefree Roger sing “Mooning,” a quirky duet through which the onstage chemistry between Michelle D. Kats and Robert Lombardi is sure to melt your heart. “Those Magic Changes,” performed by John Gainer as Doody, is a perfect display of the character’s charm with the ladies and passion for rock and roll music.
The exuberant and preppy yet sensitive people-pleasing Patty Simcox, played by Abbygail Khandros, has a significantly larger role compared to the movie. She’s still “the little lulu of Rydell High” according to Rizzo, but like “the tough little Italian,” is also frenemies with Sandy over their respective flings with Danny. Ultimately, Patty has a happy ending, where she is accepted by the rest of the main cast despite their differences in perceived social status, thanks to Sandy assuring her “it doesn’t really matter.”
The show overall was very well-cast, and I appreciated how each of the actors made these iconic characters their own. Joanna Dejesus approached playing Frenchy, as more than just doing an impression of Didi Conn (though she nailed the actress’s iconic voice), and really played up different aspects of the aspiring beautician: her kindness, her uncertainties about the future, her sensitivity. Alexandra Stein blew it out of the water as Betty Rizzo, with a strong voice, commanding stage presence, convincing intimate moments with frequent lover Kenickie (Michael Russo), and hidden vulnerability.
When it comes to Danny Zuko, leader of the Burger Palace boys (T Birds in the movie), one might struggle to think of anyone that could possibly live up to John Travolta’s iconic performance from the film. Personally, I believe David Serrano Hernandez is definitely a contender because he really seems to understand who this character is: a young man torn between maintaining the tough gangster-esque persona he’s cultivated for himself and his relationship with a girl that he knows deep down was more than just a summer fling. I had previously seen Angelinna Cespedes in productions of Into the Woods (as the Witch) and Annie (as Miss Hannigan), and her taking on the role of Sandy really shows her acting and vocal range. I imagine showing a believable connection between two characters who are being pushed apart by arbitrary social standards is no easy task, yet David and Angelinna successfully took on that challenge.
Sandy’s transformation from an innocent, soft spoken Catholic school transfer student to an assertive, rebellious greaser girl was very compelling and contrary to popular belief (especially of those who had only seen the movie), was not just to impress some guy. Rather, it served as a way to bridge the gap between Rydell’s cliques. She and Danny, who joined the track team soon after Sandy joins the cheerleading squad, changed for not only each other but to prove to their peers that nothing should have to come between them.
Grease is meant to be a satire of 1950s teen culture, and in it I see a very enduring message: we shouldn’t to prove ourselves as worthy of love and respect or conform to others’ arbitrary expectations, yet we often do so anyway because there will always be people who struggle to see past what makes us different.
