“Okay, cats, throw your mittens around your kittens, and away we go!” Deejay Vince Fontaine, the “Main Brain” from WAXX, implores the crowd to get with it and dance up a storm. Gals in gowns and guys with slicked-back hair tear up the gymnasium floor and hand-jive like there’s no tomorrow.
This can only be describing one legendary musical: Grease. Yes, the show that really reignited the 1950s nostalgia craze in the early 1970s and has been entertaining audiences the world over ever since. The show’s reputation only grew when the 1978 film adaptation blew up and propelled John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John into the heavens, driving their magic hot rod into the sunset.
But we’re here to talk about the original Grease — the stage musical, now playing to capacity crowds at Little Theatre of Alexandria. This distinction needs to be addressed because if you want to hear “Hopelessly Devoted to You” or “Sandy” or the show-stopping “You’re the One that I Want,” pull out your DVD and watch. Those songs were added to the over-stuffed 1978 film, along with other 1950s tunes thrown in for atmosphere.
Director Frank D. Shutts II and his production have returned to the source, i.e., the original book and score of Grease, by sole authors Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Loosely inspired by their own high school adventures from the late 1950s, this show was bottom-line their creation: story, music, and lyrics. The tunes echo pop hits from the old juke box, and the story is nearly as old as time: Will the pure good girl end up with the handsome bad boy?
Before we talk about performances and performers, a note about the content. This show was made by grown-ups for grown-ups. Sure, Grease is wildly popular with schools as well as community and professional theaters — mostly because it usually guarantees big box office returns. But schools have the option to choose a toned-down version of the script. This is not the “school version.” The language and innuendo are wide open here. This is not a criticism but just a note about the language and subject matter. Take it or leave it.
Grease is a total trip down memory lane. The show goes beyond nostalgia, since many of us were not alive when Eisenhower was president and black-and-white televisions showed “The Mickey Mouse Club.” But we can all relate to those days of high school angst and fun, no matter what year we graduated. All anyone has to do to enjoy Grease is sit back and let the music and characters take you back to a simpler time. Shutts knows this and allows the show and his talented cast to get on with the action.
Suzy Alden, Shutts’ choreographer, keeps the movement lively and period-perfect, with step-touch-step-touch, doo-wop footwork, and grander lifts and thrills for the big numbers. Adding punch and drive to the show is the live band, tucked away onstage above the action, snappily led by Mark V. Deal. The seven-piece ensemble rocks out and makes the show sound right in step with the ’50s-pastiche tunes, supporting the actors with every number.
Leading the cast of greasers and bobby-soxers are Shannon Hardy and Jake C. Schwartz as Sandy and Danny, respectively. Hardy, complete with blonde ponytail, is the essence of the sweet, fish-out-of-water, sheltered school girl, fresh from Catholic school, now fending for herself in a rough and tumble public school. With thick, wavy hair and the requisite leather jacket, Schwartz strides through his scenes with an easy, swaggering charm; Danny might be a bad boy to his pals, but he’s mostly a pussy cat around Sandy. Hardy and Schwartz also have the vocal chops to handle their big numbers, starting with “Summer Nights,” recounting their vacation rendezvous, joined by their classmates eager for the juicy details. They also impress with their penultimate number together, “All Choked Up” (the original song replaced with “You’re the One That I Want” for the movie).
Flying solo, Hardy tugs the heartstrings with her reprise of “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” revealing the wounded bird inside yearning to embrace her wild side. And Schwartz, backed up by his gang, evokes pop idols of yesteryear with his rendition of “Alone at the Drive-in.”
Danny and Sandy’s fellow Rydell Ringtails are a lively bunch, each bursting with energy and youthful pizzazz. Danny’s entourage, going by the original moniker “The Burger Palace Boys” (“T-Birds” in the movie), fill up the stage with friendly shenanigans and work together like ringedy-ding-dong, to quote one of the songs. Matt Yinger is wild as the second-in-command Kenickie, who leads the showstopping “Greased Lightning.” As innocent and goofy Doody, Jonathan Grygiel is endearing. His ringing tenor voice brings to mind Paul Anka singing “Those Magic Changes.” Ryan Walker is an even bigger goofball as Roger, known as the king of the mooners who gets to (ahem) bare himself in the charming duet “Mooning,” with Allyson Markussen’s food-obsessed Jan. Rounding out the Burger Palace Boys is Hugo Del Pino Jr. as Sonny La Tieri, the resident lady-killer — or so he thinks.
Their feminine counterparts, the “Pink Ladies,” are a mix of sassy, brassy, ditzy young broads, and they are always entertaining. Markusson’s food-obsessed Jan is everyone’s friend. Not the best student, Frenchie is the one who tries beauty school only to drop out and return to Rydell. Sydney Morefield plays Frenchie endearingly, complete with thick, New Yawk-ish accent. As the fashion-plate of the bunch, stylish Marty is brought to life by Gabrielle Priest, who makes the most of her scenes and her featured number “Freddy, My Love,” bringing back memories of Connie Francis or Etta James.
And as the prime “Pink Lady,” Lourdes Turnblom is Rizzo, the bold and mouthy alpha-dog, quick with a quip and withering look to all beneath her. Turnblom’s turns bloom when she pops out her signature song, “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” poking fun at Sandy and her squeaky image. She also shines with the 11 o’clock number, “There Are Worse Things I Can Do,” pouring out her heart and soul.
Other Rydell Ringtails that make the grade are Mollie Becker as the uppity cheerleader Patti, Ryan Brown as Vince Fontaine, the slick radio announcer, and Cha-Cha, a chick from a rival school who crashes the big dance. These actors bring laughs galore and embody the spirit of the exaggerated nostalgia on display.
Stepping out of the lively ensemble, Brady Misustin is the boy singer Johnny Casino (“Born to Hand-Jive”), Garret Rinker warbles winningly as Frenchie’s teen guardian angel, with the song “Beauty School Dropout,” and as a radio singer, Marissa Michaels duets with Hardy’s Sandy for the sweet and sad “It’s Raining on Prom Night.”
The action and fun all take place on a unit set that brings back memories of cinderblock walls, lockers, and the smells of the school cafeteria — all courtesy of Julie Fischer’s functional set design. The actors are aided in their performances by the period-perfect wigs and hair designed by Andre Hopfer, and the wardrobe by the design team of Jean Schlichting and Kit Sibley, with assistance from Janis Johnston. The busy Ken and Patti Crowley provide a colorful lighting design that enhances the production. The award-winning lighting duo are currently also represented at Prince William Little Theatre’s Woman in Black.
No matter what era you grew up in — for some of us, it was the MTV-era of the mid-1980s — those days when your entire life was still before you and the biggest decisions you had were whether the cute girl from the marching band had a date to the prom were golden. Grease celebrates the innocence (accented by a little raunchiness, of course) of the late 1950s and does it very well. Shutts’ production and cast are ready to welcome you to Rydell for a drive down memory lane.
Running Time: Approximately two hours with one 10-minute intermission.
Grease plays through November 15, 2025, presented by Little Theatre of Alexandria, performing at 600 Wolfe Street, Alexandria, VA. To purchase tickets ($36, reserved seating), go online or contact the Box Office via phone (703-683-0496) or email (boxoffice@thelittletheatre.com).
The program for Grease is online here.
LTA is holding a 1950s costume contest with prizes for the October 31 Halloween performance. Patrons are invited to come dressed to impress in their best 1950s threads and enjoy a night of music, dancing, and Halloween fun.
Grease
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey
Producer: Kadira Coley
Director: Frank D. Shutts II
Music Director: Mark Deal
Choreographer: Suzy Alden
