Blog.WBRU

Grease: The Musical opened its National at the Providence Performing Arts Center last night, and the classic love story of Danny and Sandy has not finished seducing audiences of all ages.

Set in the 1950s in Rydell High School, Grease takes us through the trials and tribulations of high school students in cliques and in love. The T-Birds and The Pink Ladies represent the coolest and the sexiest of Rydell High, so when the sweet and innocent Sandy Dumbrowski moves to town after a summer of lovin’, she’s mostly met with skepticism and mockery. Before long, she finds out that her summer love, Danny Zuko, is none other than the leader of the T-Birds, and that his attitude towards her has completely changed now that he is back with his friends.

The show is an instant pleaser because of Grease’s special place among the hearts of thirty years worth of viewers. The 50s bring us back to a lively decade, with stylish clothes we all wish we could still pull off and music that still gets us to do the twist and shout, as Vince Fontaine, played by Dominic Fortuna, proved in his prologue to the show. To warm up the audience, the WAXX radio disc jockey came on stage and played/performed three songs of the times, including the 1957 classic “Great Balls of Fire.” Spectators already showed a willingness to participate and have a good time.

The most outstanding element to the show was without a doubt the performances. The actors showed great energy and complicity, which is crucial in a storyline like Grease, which centers on friendship and budding love. A number of actors stood out, namely Emily Padgett, who plays Sandy. Her voice was the ideal balance between sweet and powerful, and watching her evolve from a pure and naïve child to a smokin’ and confident vixen was as satisfying for the audience as it was obviously for her. She pulls off both character traits flawlessly, and manages to provide Sandy with a unified yet multi-layered personality. Other standouts were Allie Shultz, consistently charismatic as Rizzo, Kelly Felthous, whose sexy-silly portrayal of Marty was spot-on, and of course Taylor Hicks, fifth season American Idol winner, as Teen Angel. Hicks may only appear in one scene, but during that short time on stage, you drink up his charisma and charming voice with glee. Thankfully, he rewarded the audience with an encore after the bows (so make sure you stay till the end!)

The only downfall to such a cohesive ensemble is that Danny and Sandy don’t stand out as much as the lead characters of the show. This is more due to the way the show is written and directed than to the performances, and for faithful Grease fans, it might come as a bit of a disappointment. However, they do shine in “You’re The One That I Want,” the penultimate song of the musical. Their performance last night was dazzling and uplifting, almost literally. Padgett showed off her flawless splits, many times, in heels and sexy leather pants. Impressive.

Grease: The Musical would not be the same without the spectacular choreography by Kathleen Marshall, who also directed the show, and the fantastic costumes, designed by Martin Pakledinaz. Dances were energetic and fast-paced, which served to augment audience enthusiasm, and costumes were refreshing and enviable. The actors looked like they were having as much fun as their characters, and their energy resonated throughout the beautiful PPAC theater. I particularly enjoyed the School Dance scenes and the choreography to “We Go Together.”

On the other hand, the set design was disappointing in its simplicity and its tackiness. Mostly hand-painted panels, they served their purpose, but provided no additional esthetic. In fact, noticing the unrealistic and overstated decorations in scenes such as the School Dance and Jan’s Rec Room distracted me from what I wanted to focus on: the performance and the music.

I will communicate a word of caution to devoted Grease fans: come expecting a few changes from the movie. It is quite jarring at first, and I found some alterations quite upsetting, having grown up watching the movie on repeat. Sandy is no longer the Australian damsel we know and love, right down to her Polish-sounding last name, and the car racing scene has been dropped. Smaller changes also disturbed me, such as Rizzo’s “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” being directed to Sandy instead of being an independent reflection and in part an indication of her fondness for Kenickie. That being said, if you can find it in you to watch the show with a fresh point of view, you will be enchanted by the music and you will delight in the small moments that are just as they are supposed to be.

Grease: The Musical made me want to crank up my soundtrack as soon as I could; and I did. Don’t miss the National Tour at the Providence Performing Arts Center this week, from December 2nd-7th. Get your tickets now online at www.ppacri.org or by calling 401-421-ARTS.

- Mirage