Grease
at Lakeshore Catholic High School

Reviewed on May 10, 2014

Liz Gross
Ridley College
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

Welcome to the idyllic 1950s - a world of poodle skirts, hair gel, and tentative teenage romance. With all the nostalgic enthusiasm of the decade, Lakeshore Catholic High School presented Grease, a rock-n-roll ode to adolescence and falling in love that perfectly encapsulated the sentimentality and infectious energy of the American golden age.

Written in 1971 by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease was performed a record-breaking 3,388 times on Broadway and was subsequently adapted into a hit film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Set in 1959 Chicago, Grease follows a group of working-class teenagers at the fictional Rydell High School as they deal with the challenging realities of friendship and young love. The plot centres around Danny Zuko, a too-cool-for-school "greaser" along with his gang of Burger Palace Boys, and Sandy Dumbrowski, an idealistic transfer student who becomes involved with a tough, tight-knit girl group called the "Pink Ladies."

As bad-boy Danny Zuko, Matt Traynor was slick and tough-skinned, but believably nurtured a soft spot for Sandy. The natural leader of the Burger Palace Boys, Traynor's undeniable swagger was apparent from the moment he stepped on stage. Complementing Traynor was Ashley Fisher as the vivacious and innocent Sandy Dumbrowski. Her spot-on vocals and wholehearted enthusiasm enabled her to believably transition from the stereotypical goody-two-shoes to a leather-clad rebel, all while highlighting Sandy's unending devotion to Danny.

Stealing the show was Bronwyn Leitch as Betty Rizzo, the surly, wisecracking Pink Lady with a reputation. Her biting sarcasm and sultry stage presence was matched only by her smoky, resonant voice – a strength that was especially evident during the lamenting "There Are Worse Things I Could Do." Adding to the comic relief of the production were George Khairallah as the irrepressible Sonny LaTierri and Allie Moore as Frenchy, a bubbly beautician-in-the-making. Through heartfelt dedication to their characters and unfailing energy, both performers created and defined memorable roles in the dynamic Rydell landscape.

Despite a few slow set changes, all pieces were vibrant and versatile. Moreover, everything from the drop-down panorama of Frenchy's bedroom to the unforgettable "Greased Lightning" was constructed by the LCHS Construction Technology and Manufacturing classes and painted by the LCHS Art Club.

No matter how old you are, it's hard not to get swept away in the toe-tapping rhythms of songs like "Summer Nights" and "We Go Together" presented with the stellar vocal harmonies and eye-catching choreography of the LCHS ensemble. This production tackled the flamboyant fifties with lighthearted effervescence, brilliant backdrops, and characters that were "one of a kind, like dip da dip da dip doowop da doobee doo".

Cortney Peters
Welland Centennial
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

Through all the years, Rydell , we give thee cheers - and a cheer to Lakeshore Catholic High School for their May performances of Grease! Based on the original 1971 musical, Lakeshore Catholic brought to the stage a hand- jiving musical that consisted of about thirty "hopelessly devoted" cast members, and seven months of hard training. With such great pride, director Katie McAllister was pleased with those who participated, saying that the cast "gelled" really well.

Each member was noticed and appreciated for their capabilities in this large cast of thirty. Show-stopping with the well known song "There Are Worse Things I Could Do," actress Bronwyn Leitch poured out her heart and soul with a forceful and empowering voice, reaching the audience as the edgy character Betty Rizzo. Along with Bronwyn, cast members Allie Moore (Frenchy), Jessica Traynor (Jan), and Sarah Ward (Marty) compiled The Pink Ladies - shimmering their individual personalities under the light with each dazzling pink step. In contrast to these ladies, actors Matt Traynor (as Danny Zuko) Wyatt Flagg (Kenickie), Parker Abrunzo (Doody), Riley Mione (Roger) and George Khairallah (Sonny LaTierri) comprised the Burger Palace Boys - showing their tough and quirky sides, leaving the audience laughing and swooning over their brotherly bond.

Along with the well-known characters, Lakeshore Catholic offered a set-design that was flashy but subtle, showing how bright lights and a candy-apple red car can add to a show. The creativity levels were taken to new heights, as the song "Beauty School Dropout" featured a saxophone instead of lead vocals by the Teen Angel. In addition, the choir supported the song as they sang it in full, with angelic voices that lifted the audience, leaving hope for the adored character, Frenchy.

Having strong connections to the 1978 movie version of Grease, audience members noticed that not all songs were included in the theatrical performance. Because of these differences, Lakeshore Catholic's production offered more opportunities for smaller roles to be highlighted. For example, Parker Abrunzo (singing the song "Those Magic Changes") stole the show with his swaying voice that carried to the back of the room, enchanting everyone on its way.

For a cast of mostly juniors playing senior roles, they showed a mature level in both characterization and singing in their new bad boy and bad girl personas. Successful with their two-part harmonies, the intricate hand jive, and the 50's leather jackets, the performance showed that hard work and dedication paid off.

Grace D'Achille
Denis Morris Catholic High School
Submitted for publication to The St. Catharines Standard

Strap on those dance shoes and bring on the poodle skirts and leather jackets, because it's time to get Grease Lightning! Lakeshore Catholic High School's production of the musical Grease brought together talented vocalists, cool and quirky characters, and a fantastic 1950's style set.

Lakeshore performed Grease, based on the original Broadway musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The audience is brought to the reunion of the 1959 graduates of Rydell High School. The musical then flashes back to their graduating year, and captures all of their most memorable moments. Danny Zuko is the classic bad boy in the 1950's, complete with slicked back hair and a leather jacket. Danny fell in love with good girl Sandy Dumbrowski over the summer, but he never thought that she would show up at Rydell High! The audience is shown The Burger Palace Boys and The Pink Ladies as they fight, make relationships, and complete their graduating year.

The actors successfully came together to make the bond between the friends look realistic. They brought comedic features to the musical, and portrayed their characters well.

Matt Traynor captured the role of Danny Zuko exceptionally well. He brought his bad boy attitude to the stage, and is acknowledged for hitting vocal notes well out of his range in a professional and well-done manner. Betty Rizzo, played by Bronwyn Leitch, is a sarcastic, negative, and comical character. Leitch stayed in character throughout the entire performance, and blew the audience away with her vocal talents in the song "There Are Worse Things I Could Do." Her voice was strong and sounded truly amazing.

The audience quickly fell in love with the character of Doody, played by Parker Abrunzo. Doody is a hilarious and confident character. Abrunzo was a perfect fit for the role, and in his performance of the song "Those Magic Changes," his vocal talents fit the song perfectly. He sounded marvelous.

The performers were able to connect with each other, and present the relationships that their characters were in. For example, the relationship between Rizzo and Kenickie (Wyatt Flagg). Leitch and Flagg showed the relationship between their two characters throughout the performance. We saw the couple grow and have bumps along the way. The actors were able to successfully show this throughout the entire production.

The set pieces reflected the era and added to the element of the 1950's. Although some of the set changes were lengthy, the band played music throughout the changes, and it was worth it because the sets were large and realistic. The car that was made for the "Greased Lightning" scene made the song a memorable one. All of the costumes reflected the characters of Sandy with her poodle skirt, and Rizzo with her tight dresses. Overall, the production was a success.

Lakeshore Catholic's production of Grease was a memorable one. With talented actors and vocalists, and creative set pieces, they brought the adventures of Rydell High to life.