“Grease” a Must See

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The Greasers are ready to entertain you.
Photo: KATHERINE MOSSMAN

Instead of spending another boring evening scrolling through streaming services, how about having some real fun?

Grease, performed by Theatre Palisades Youth, is exceptional. . . .and fun . . ..and cute . . . and filled with enthusiasm . . . tricky dance steps -nearly perfectly executed . . .and raw talent. It is a must see.

I loved the kids playing Danny, Sandy and Cha Cha in the performance I saw. Danny needs a certain amount of swagger and charisma and this kid had it. Sandy’s voice was perfect, and you couldn’t take your eyes off Cha Cha, as she seemed to be having more fun than anyone as she danced her way through the contest.

But as always, Director Lara Ganz, gives her young actors the chance to have a leading role. There are four Sandys, three Dannys and three Cha Cha’s. The casting of some of even the youngest kids as teachers or members of the gang, is absolutely brilliant.

Director Lara Ganz said that Grease has been one of her favorite musicals since it hit the theaters in 1978 – and it was actually filmed at Venice High school.  Grease, set in the 1950s, is the story of high school sweethearts Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson, which was played by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the original film.

“When I first took on the program director position at TPY in 2016, I tried to put on Grease as my debut show, but the rights were too expensive,” Ganz said. “But with the growth of our program, we are finally able to make this longtime dream a reality.”

The 50 actors, ages 8 to 14 are performing a family-friendly school version of Grease, which tells the story of working-class teenagers navigating the complexities of peer pressure, politics, personal core values, and love.

Meet the Pink Ladies of TYP’s Grease.
Photo: KATHERINE MOSSMAN 

Sandy is being called to throw off the conformity and repression of the 1950’s for the freedom and adventure of the 1960’s. This cultural chaos is perfectly represented by rebellious teenage attitudes so perfectly depicted by the Greasers, T-Birds, and the Pink Ladies, based on a real 1950s girl gang that existed in Grease creator Jim Jacob’s high school in Chicago.

Choreographer Rebecca Barragan played Cha Cha in a touring Broadway show of Grease and in the TPY production her 14-year-old daughter is playing Cha Cha.

Choreographer Aaron Jung said, “Grease is, absolutely without a doubt, the WORD. The dances are stunning and the solos are soaring.”

Even if you’re not a musical fan, it’s worth going to Pierson Playhouse just to see the costuming, designed by Gillian Calof, Vanessa Schacter and David Montgomer.  For this production, choreographer Rebecca Barragan also played a major role in the vision for the costumes.

Barragan and Ganz’s overall vision was to stay as authentic as possible to the 1950s, but choosing bright, vibrant Tupperware-esque colors.

Performances this week are Friday, July 12 at 7 p.m., Saturday, July 13 at 2 and 5 p.m., Sunday, July 14 at 1 and 4 p.m. Next week one can catch the show on Thursday, July 18, at 7 p.m., Friday, July 19 at 5 and 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 5:30 p.m. and the final show for this run will be Sunday, July 21, at 1 p.m.

Tickets click here are $22 for general admission and $17 for a senior/student. Warning: TPY shows generally sell out—and this will be one where tickets will be scarce.

The theater, Pierson Playhouse is located at 941 Temescal Canyon Road, phone (310) 454-1970.

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