Grease is the word at Tabor Academy this week as the cast and crew of the annual winter musical are set to perform Grease from Thursday, February 16 through Saturday, February 18.
All performances begin at 7:30 pm and are free and open to the public in Tabor’s Fireman Center for Performing Arts in Hoyt Hall.
Grease is the story of a group of ten teenagers who call themselves the “Burger Palace Boys” and the “Pink Ladies” at the fictional Rydell High School who navigate the difficulties of friendship, romance, peer-pressure, and other teenage issues.
First performed in Chicago’s Kingston Mines nightclub in 1971, Grease has since been reworked and performed thousands of times on Broadway and at theaters big and small across the country and the world. Grease has also been a successful film and a live TV musical.
Over 50 students make up the Grease cast and crew, with a mix of talent from the local area and across the country.
The lead role of Sandy Dumbroski, the new girl in town, is played by Marion resident Lucy Saltonstall, a senior at Tabor. The leader of the “Burger Palace Boys” Danny Zuko is played by Connor Cook, a sophomore from Colorado.
For the rest of the “Pink Ladies,” the outspoken and tough Betty Rizzo is played by senior Aurelia Reynolds of Sandwich, and aspiring beautician and dreamer Frenchy is played by New York native and senior Kate Marshall.
Marty, the “beauty” of the Pink Ladies, is played by junior Zoe Boardman of Falmouth and senior Katie Bresnahan of Beverly plays the funny, compulsive eater Jan.
Sonny LaTierri, the funny, self-described lady-killer is played by senior Nick Stasinos of California; the tough and surly Kenickie is played by sophomore Harding Daniel of Chatham. The boyish and guitar-wielding Doody is played by Mattapoisett’s Matt Carvalho; the mischievous and comedic Roger is played by sophomore Brian Lee of South Korea.
The performance has been a work in progress since auditions began in mid-November. Since then, the cast of approximately 40 students has been rehearsing six days a week after school. Under the leadership of Director John Heavey, Musical Director David Horne, and choreographer Danielle LaTullippe, each day of practice was spent learning and refining the many pieces of the performance that have been coming together over the last few weeks.
Behind the scenes, an able group of crew has been working tirelessly to plan, create, and execute the lighting, props, sets, and costumes for Grease. A diverse set of costumes and a clean, colorful lighting plot complement a simple yet striking set that is enhanced by the orchestra’s unconventional presence upstage and a few unique set pieces.
For several of the senior cast members, Grease marks the fourth and final show in their Tabor career. Senior Aurelia Reynolds, who plays Rizzo, has mixed feeling about the upcoming performance.
“It’s my fourth show and I have really bittersweet feelings about the fact that it’s ending. It has been a great four years, and I’m going to miss the Tabor Academy productions,” said Reynolds.
In 2014, Tabor showcased the musical Legally Blond; in 2015, the show was Hairspray; and last year, Tabor performed Thoroughly Modern Millie. This year’s show Grease is no doubt the best known of them all, being one of the most performed musicals ever.
Tabor senior and four-show veteran Katie Bresnahan, who plays Jan, encourages everyone to come out and watch the performance:
“I’m super excited for everyone to come see Grease. It’s going to be a great show,” she said.
Tabor’s three performances of Grease will begin at 7:30 pm in the Fireman Center for Performing Arts in Hoyt Hall at 235 Front Street in Marion. All shows are free and open to the public with no advanced ticketing required.
By Jack Gordon
