'Grease' brings '50s nostalgia to PAC stage

Break out the leather jackets and dust off your poodle skirts because it's back to the 1950s this weekend as South Milwaukee High School presents the hit musical "Grease."

The musical follows the ups and downs of high school love and friendships at Rydell High in 1959.

"We always try to do something unique," said Adam Lang, a junior who plays the cool, tough guy Danny Zuko. "We have a lot of small touches that set (our production) apart from what a different school might do."

One of those touches is the use of a 1939 Plymouth as "Greased Lightning," the car the high school boys imagine as a super-slick hot rod as they refurbish it.

Director Bill Jackson said the car is from Candela, a local theater supply company. The car has been gutted, making it light-weight and easy for the students to move. It also has working lights.

Jackson said the cast and crew have put in a lot of time to learn the music, dialogue and blocking, and to create the lighting and sets.

"It's an incredible physical feat," Jackson said.

The cast of more than 40 students, the largest cast ever in a South Milwaukee High School production, has proved to be a challenge to manage, but, Jackson said, the students have pulled the show together and created their own characters.

Anyone interested in seeing "Grease" should hurry up and get their tickets. Jackson said the show is almost sold out, and on average, about 100 people buy tickets the day of a performance.

"We work really hard," said Jenny Hoffman, a sophomore who plays Sandy Dumbrowski, the "good girl" who falls for Danny. "It feels good to have so many people want to come."

If the show sells out, it will be the first high school musical held in the 786-seat Performing Arts Center to do so.

Julie Ann Marra can be reached at (262) 446-6634.

If you go

WHAT: South Milwaukee High School production of "Grease"

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14; 2 p.m. Sunday, March 15

WHERE: South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, 901 15th Ave.

COST: $10 for adults, $8 for students and seniors

CONTACT: the box office, (414) 766-5049

Cast:

The Burger Palace Boys:

Danny Zuko – Adam Lang

Kenickie – Daniel Miles

Roger – Rovonne Hammond

Sonny Latierri – Rob Anderson

Doody – John Russell Campbell Jr.

The Pink Ladies:

Betty Rizzo – Sara Albrecht

Jan – Sara Honadel

Marty – Amanda Mather

Frenchy – Morgan Koscielniak

Sandy Dumbrowski – Jenny Hoffman

Patty Simcox – Amanda Tomczak

Miss Lynch – Stephanie Whitmore

Eugene Florczyk – Leng Vang

Vince Fontaine – Giovanny Miranda

Johnny Casino – April Gross

Teen Angel – Evan Sweet

Teenage Frankenstein – Evan Sweet

Rock 'n' Roll Party Queen – Emily Pietraszewski

The Company:

Justin Anderson

Cydra Bitz

Ryan Blochowicz

Megan Blochowicz

Briana Bucholtz

Denae Doberstein

Nate Gartner

Samantha Gasparov

Jeff Herzog

Megan Jewett

Sarah Joneth

John Krenzer

Ian Larson

Adrieann McCray

Brianna Moczynski

Stephanie Perry

Ashley Ratajski

Alyssa Rodman

Isabel Rosas

Taylor Schill

Ashley Schmeling

Chuck Scott

Naomi Seboldt

Kirk Severson

Chelsee Skinner

Nazareth Vazquez

Scott Wawrzyniak

Laura West

Emily Wolf

Shannon Ziolkowski