"Grease"

Saw DMTC's YPT version of "Grease" on Saturday night. A great show! I particularly liked the fact that there were lots of people on stage for the big musical numbers (the core "Grease" cast isn't really very large, which takes some of the punch away when it comes to big numbers). I also liked the fact that strong males were cast in the primary male roles (Scott Scholes as Danny, Cody Craven as Kenicke, Wyatt Floerke as Roger, Andrew Lemons as Doody, Mark Lillya as Sonny). Scott Scholes can really hit those high notes!

The traditional "Grease" script was edited to remove unsavory aspects from the show, which mostly-improves the show, in my opinion, since all that that supposedly-edgy raciness adds is seaminess and tackiness. The only downside is that motivations get lost, but, then again, it's a musical, and musicals can often thrive in a haze of illogical incoherence. Apparently, a couple of songs from the original version of "Grease" are excised from this young people's version, but were added back in DMTC's show (thus, the welcome illogic of "There Are Worse Things I Could Do.")

The primary female cast members (Emily Jo Seminoff as Sandy, Jocelyn Price as Rizzo, Caitlin Humphreys as Jan, Meeka Craig as Frenchy, Julia Spangler as Marty) are strong and experienced. Nora Unkel was fine as 'Vickie' Fontain, and Rachel Fader excelled as 'Teen Angel.' Kennedy Wenning tottered on as Miss Lynch, looking considerably older than her years (do musicals long enough, and look what happens to you!) Chris Petersen played Eugene as more-gregarious than I once played the role (it takes a nerd to know how best to play the role, and I'm afraid Chris is no nerd). My only disappointment was that I wished that stellar Meeka Craig had had more time on stage. The biggest surprise to me, however, was just how effective Meghan Vanderford was as irritatingly perky Patty Simcox. This is the first time I've seen Meghan really let loose in a role, and she did an excellent job!

In my corner of the house (left side of house, near the top), there was an anticipatory buzz when Caitlin Humphreys and Wyatt Floerke prepared to sing their sweet "Mooning." At first, I thought it might have been Caitlin's friends, but it may have also been Wyatt's fan club at work (tipoff: the group was mostly-female).

Emily Jo Seminoff sang "It's Raining On Prom Night" together with Rebecca Rudy at the beginning of Act II. Emily Jo also sang a second song from her bedroom: "Since I Don't Have You." According to Emily Jo, the song comes from the "Grease" Broadway revival, and thus isn't in the original.

During the big group number of "We Go Together," at the end of Act I, I spotted Nora Unkel near the back looking slightly uncomfortable. Slight discomfort is often a red flag for something dramatically wrong on stage - cast members falling while running with scissors, set pieces collapsing, light bulbs exploding; i.e., things that can terrify - but afterwards she said no big deal: her particular costume was just too constricting for the big movements of the dance number.

Very clever: 3-D glasses for the "Alone At A Drive-In Movie" scene!

Unfortunately, I have no photos (digital camera wasn't charged).