“Grease is the word, is the word that you heard
“It’s got a groove, it’s got a meaning
“Grease is the time, is the place, is the motion
“Now, grease is the way we are feeling.”
— From the title tune of “Grease,” the musical
Your first encounter of the show “Grease,” now at Diamond Head Theatre, is an oversized cut-out of a red car frame hanging over the proscenium of the venue, created by set designer Deanne Kennedy.
It is formidable, dominating, and reflecting a precise groove, of the time (circa 1959), the place (Rydell High School), the emotion (nostalgic teen-age angst) of an indefatigable serving of pop culture.
The show’s two centerpiece figures, Danny Zucko (played by Cameron Scot) and Sandy Dumbrowski (portrayed by Sophia Ysrael), initially lack chemistry and spark, like two lost souls from different sides of the railroad tracks. Summer’s over, and they’re back in school, with uncertainties of direction.
They are eventually united in song, dance and romance, in a powerful story tenderly directed by Michael Ng, in collaboration with the agile and imaginative choreography by Dwayne Sakaguchi. They both connect the dots in this familiar journey.
Such teamwork throughout the creative ranks eventually makes “Grease” a well-oiled wonderment, though the ghosts of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John unintentionally linger from a hit film that obstructs the Danny/Sandy relationship.in the stage version. It’s not till Sandy, like the Newton-John’s late-in-the-show remake in a body-clinging leather outfit, that she starts percolating.
Homecomings can be a snoozer, after all. The point is, unless you’re hip to the relatability of being greased, your presence has ceased.
Two things help bring the magic of “Grease” to life:
— The rich well of rock/pop classics. Happily, DHT has invested in paying extra royalties fees, to enable the cast to sing tracks from the movie, like “Grease,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “Sandy” and “You’re the One That I Want.” These titles are solid gold, so the inclusion is a triumph for the audience.
— The use of group vocals and dances by the company of troupers, in moments that might be termed “megamixes” of specific tunes, is part of the process toward satisfaction.. The title song “Grease,” is the essence of time and place and even pace, but melodies like,“Shakin’ at the High School Hop,” “Born to Hand Jive,” and the finale version of “You’re the One That I Want” are hallmark. Karaoke meets disco, resulting in rousing vocals and choreographic explosions.
Secondary characters steal some of the thunder in the show. For instance, Jody Bill as Betty Rizzo, has a leading lady moment, on “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee;” Jantzen Shinmoto as Kenickie puts sizzle into “Greased Lightning;” Kiakahi Kekoa as Roger and Lainey Hicks as Jan shine on “Mooning;” Gabriel Ryan-Kern as Johnny makes “Born to Hand Jive” come alive; and Jeff Andrews as Teen Angel and Parker Kilkenny as Frenchy team up wonderfully on “Beauty School Dropout.”
A production of this magnitude – with a cast of nearly 30 — requires a vigorous and versatile ensemble: Kirra Baughn, Drew Bright, Victoria Chang, Paul Garcia, Justin Garde, Sammy Houghtailing, Caris Leong, Shane Nishimura, Maggie Ryan, Gabriel Ryan-Kern, Emi Sampson, and Jasmine Weldon provide dependable and exquisite support.
Designer Kennedy’s bag of set tricks work well; besides the car motif at the proscenium, she constructs smaller pieces (like sofa chairs, easier to move) and aerial groupings of signs and ribbons (not a task to fly up and down, and quiet) and scaled-down towers for Rydell High signage (moveable with barely a squeak). Oh, a smart move, too, to position a six-piece orchestra in an elevated stage; nice to see and applaud maestro Darcie Yoshinaga and her seven-piece ork here instead of the invisible pit.
Not certain who gets credit for creating Kenickie’s red car, seemingly a full-sized sedan; is it Kennedy’s vision, or part of the wizardry of Kyle Conner’s props design?
Chris Gouveia’s light design and La Tanya Siliao’s sound design are right on target.
Other background heroes include Emily Lane (costumes) and Aiko Schick (hair and make-up), whose tasks involve scores of color-coordinated gears for men and women, with seemingly unending costume changes, and beaucoup wig creations for the myriad of required looks.
It all adds up to a satisfying funfest…
And that’s Show Biz…
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“Grease”
What: A musical about homecoming teens at Rydell High School, with book and music by Jim Jacobs and Warren Case, with a title tune by Barry Gibb
Where: Diamond Head Theatre
When: Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; also, at 3 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays, through April 20.
Tickets: $41 to $68, at www.diamondheadtheatre.com or (808) 733-0274