UPPER SANDUSKY - The Rydell High School class of 1959 is gathering for its 53rd reunion as the curtain rises on "Grease," being staged at 7:30 p.m. today through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Upper Sandusky High School.
As the classmates reminisce, the audience is transported back to senior year at Rydell. The students are counting the days to graduation and passing time hitting the Burger Palace, making out at the drive-in, polishing their hot rods, rocking to the latest hits and doing everything but sleep at slumber parties.
The school year begins as students assemble in the cafeteria to talk about their summer escapades.
Article Photos
PHOTO BY KYLE HUNTER
The Pink Ladies pair with the Burger Palace Boys in this scene from “Grease.” The actors pictured include Fiona Bather, Aubry Wentling, Samantha Barth, Courtney Bricley, Trevor Barth, Jacob Courtright, Adam Duress and Jaime Boucher.
The girls are sizing up Sandy, a new student who wants to blend in as much as possible. The guys circle around Danny as he describes a summer fling.
After alternating verses of "Summer Nights," Sandy and Danny come face to face. The audience learns they had been singing about each other; however, Danny gives Sandy the brush-off to preserve his tough-guy image.
In the lead roles of Sandy and Danny are Caitlin Sprang and Robert Lodge.
The Pink Ladies are Fiona Bather (Jan), Aubry Wentling (Marty), Samantha Barth (Rizzo) and Courtney Bricley (Frenchy). Taylor Daughenbaugh portrays the perky Patty Simcox and Tom Griffin is cast as the nerdy Eugene Florczyk.
Playing the Burger Palace Boys are Trevor Barth (Doody), Jacob Courtright (Roger), Adam Duress (Kenickie) and Jaime Boucher (Sonny). Megan Outland appears as Miss Lynch, the English teacher.
The Pink Ladies invite Sandy to a slumber party, but she can't bring herself to smoke or drink like the other girls. Each one elaborates on her personal challenges with weight, boys and school.
Rizzo performs "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" to ridicule Sandy and her goody-goody personality.
Meanwhile, the greasers are celebrating Kenickie's new car with "Greased Lightning," and a "teen angel" is giving Frenchy career advice with "Beauty School Dropout."
At a school dance, Danny and Cha Cha (Angela Massara) show their stuff in "Born to Hand Jive." Danny is left "Alone at the Drive-In Movie," and Sandy finds herself without a date on prom night. Scott Warfel and Walker Karg perform as Vince Fontaine and Johnny Casino, respectively.
Eventually, Sandy dumps her wholesome persona and gets a makeover to attract Danny's attention and win him back.
"We Go Together." closes Act I and repeats for the finale.
The chorus includes Hannah Barth, Amanda de'Jonge, Michaela Wolfe,Taylor Dilley, Brooke Bennett, Ally DuBois, Krista Caudill, Kate Huston, Feride Morcay, Jenna Mundy, Teahl Rice, Kaitlin Rowe, Taylor Sites, Erica Stansbery, Drew Barth, Dillan Barto, Cohl Gagnon, Troy Jordan, Nick Reid, Evan Scheck, Dylan Robertson, Kyle Romanko, Ben Smith, Seth Sprang, Tyler Toland,
Brady Townsend and Walter Zenowicz.
Director Stacy Barth is assisted by student directors Katie Grafmiller and Jenna Brocklesby. The crew includes Megan Vanderpool (stage manager), Michaela Barth, Shelby Clark, Linsey Elkins, Cohl Gagnon, Troy Jordan, Walker Karg, Keegan Routt, Tyler Rice, Gannon Ritter, Dylan Robertson, Brady Townsend.
To add to the nostalgia, Wyandot Classics and Cruisers will be set up in the high school south parking lot at 1 p.m. Sunday, prior to the matinee performance of "Grease" at 2:30 p.m.
Seats for all shows are $7. To reserve tickets, call the school at (419) 294-2308.
