By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief
“Grease is the word” for Theatre Palisades Youth, which is opening a two-weekend run of the show beginning Friday, July 12.
“Grease: School Version” is led by Director Lara Ganz, with a cast comprised of more than 45 youth actors, ranging from 8 to 18 years old.
“Travel back in time to the summer of 1958, when good girl Sandy and greaser Danny fall for each other during a carefree summer,” read a synopsis provided by Theatre Palisades Youth. “But when the school year begins, Danny is torn between his feelings for Sandy and his image with the Burger Palace Boys and the Pink Ladies. Come hear your favorite songs from the movie and Broadway musical, including ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You,’ ‘Greased Lightnin‘’ and ‘All Choked Up.’”
Ganz said that the show is one of her favorites, and she has been working on bringing it to fruition through Theatre Palisades Youth for almost a decade.
“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,” she explained. “Instead, we produced a different, more affordable Olivia Newton John musical—‘Xanadu.’ But with the expansion and growth of our program, we are finally able to make this longtime dream a reality.”
The original “Grease” script touches on several social issues—including teenage pregnancy, peer pressure and gang violence—“framed around themes of love and friendship, teenage rebellion, class consciousness, and class conflict,” Ganz explained.
“TPY’s all-youth production … are performing a more family-friendly ‘Grease: School Version,’” Ganz said. “But our actors are likewise focused on retelling the classic story of working-class teenagers navigating the complexities of peer pressure, politics, personal core values and love. Our school version lightly alludes to mature themes, and we enthusiastically punctuate these moments in the production.”
The first weekend has performances set to take place on Friday, July 12, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, July 13, at 2 and 5:30 p.m.; and Sunday, July 14, at 1 and 4 p.m.
The second weekend shows include Thursday, July 18, at 7 p.m.; Friday, July 19, at 5 and 8 p.m.; Saturday, July 20, at 2 and 5:30 p.m.; and Sunday, July 21, at 1 p.m.
Tickets for the show are $22 for general admission, $17 for seniors and students. All shows take place at Pierson Playhouse, located at 941 Temescal Canyon Road.
“We are having a lot of fun encouraging rebellion, teenage power and autonomy from the young actors onstage,” Ganz concluded, “and we can’t wait for audiences to join us and relive one of America’s most iconic, widely loved musicals across generations.”
For more information, including a link to purchase tickets, visit theatrepalisades.org/youth.
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