Fresh 'Grease' : Arts Live Theatre produces slicket-up version of rock 'n' roll musical
Posted on Friday, May 9, 2008
Black leather jackets. Scarves and poodle skirts. Slicked-back hair.
And kids.
Although the classic musical "Grease"debuted on Broadway in 1972, it is still amazingly popular, said Mark Landon Smith, artistic director for youth theater company Arts Live Theatre.
Even among those born long after Danny first courted Sandy.
The musical has its roots in the fabulous '50s. As the story goes, Danny Zuko, played by Michael Felix, is the leader of a group of greasers known as the Burger Palace Boys, friends from the fictional Rydell High School.
Set in Chicago, the musical is centered on the relationship between Danny and Sandy Dumbrowski, played by ALT newcomer Kelsey Kauffman.
After its debut," Grease"reached a new level of popularity when it became a 1978 movie starring John Travolta as Danny as Olivia Newton John as Sandy.
"Grease"will take the stage for a four-show run courtesy of Arts Live Theatre beginning today and concluding Sunday in the University of Arkansas Continuing Education Auditorium in downtown Fayetteville.
Despite the fact that the oldest cast member of the ALT production was born in 1989, it is a favorite amongst the 23 cast members, who range in age from 11-18, Smith said.
"They know all of the songs,"he said. "It's one of those classic musicals."
It is those songs, Smith said, that drive the musical and have made it such a staple of theaters worldwide. Included are such memorable songs as "Summer Nights"and "Shakin' at the High School Hop."
The play's enduring popularity is a factor in the production, Smith said. Because the songs and the concept are so well known, the previous productions have to be taken into consideration.
"You don't want to do art that is imitative,"Smith said. "But there is a visual expectation."
So, expect the boys in white shirts and black jackets and the Pink Ladies in jackets appropriate for their names.
This production is a departure, Smith said, because the cast members will perform with a live band instead of using a backing track.
The musical bills itself as a rock 'n' roll musical, and so it demands the live instrumentation, which will be provided by a group of local musicians. The lack of a backing track often used in productions presents a new challenge to the youths.
"It gives our actors the experience of working with a live band, because it's a totally different experience,"Smith said.
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