'Grease' you'll want to wallow in

If the University of West Florida’s spring production of the classic American ‘50s musical was the “pure ‘Grease,’” then the production playing through Saturday night at Northwest Florida State College is the “hybrid ‘Grease.’” Both are exuberantly fun celebrations of high school life in a decade now 60 years old, and I loved each version of the show, generally for many of the same reasons.

The UWF production stuck to the original Broadway script. The NWFSC show featured songs slipped into the production from the successful 1978 Golden Globe-winning John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John film version. They’re not bad songs, per se. “Grease is the Word” by Barry Gibb has become the show’s unofficial anthem and “Hopelessly Devoted to You” was a huge hit for Newton-John. They just lack the ‘50s “purity” of the original production.

I have to say, though, that the stunning vocals of NWFSC’s cast outshone those of their neighboring institution to the west, so extra tunes to showcase that vocal talent even more is certainly welcome. The UWF production, however, had the advantage of a more intimate house that allowed the set designer the opportunity to delve into details that would be lost on the vast expanse of the Mattie Kelley Performing Arts center stage.

That’s not to say NWFSC’s set designer, Clint Mahle, slacked off. Far from it. When the curtain went up, the two-level set with staircases curving down each flank received a burst of audience applause that would rival many of the vocals, and I was clapping as vigorously as anyone else.

How a production of “Grease” looks is as important as how it sounds, and the NWFSC Humanities, Fine and Performing Arts Division excelled at both, and clearly, they had a blast producing this stellar blast from the past. The joyful cast of 27 thespians bursts on the stage singing “Grease is the Word” and you know immediately you’re in for a fun evening.

Near-perfect casting drew from a wide regional talent pool, landing Crestview resident Rita Dailey as female lead Sandy Dumbrowski and Cameron Daniels, from Niceville, as her summer love interest and leader of the T-Birds greaser gang, Danny Zuko.

Given their respective vocal prowess, it’s no wonder Dailey and Daniels practically brought down the house every time they started belting out a number, whether as a duet (“Summer Nights,” “You’re the One That I Want,” another film tune added to the stage version) or in solos (Sandy’s “It’s Raining on Prom Night,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee” reprise; and Danny’s “Sandy,” another addition from the film).

Casting nerdy Eugene Florczyk unleashed the seemingly unlimited energy of Crestview High rising senior Jesse Hinton onto the Mattie Kelly stage, who, in mismatched plaid pants, red suspenders, yellow shirt and red bow tie, elevated dweebdum to new artistic levels. His spazzy, goofy dance solo in “We Go Together” earned deserved audience accolades.

Hinton and fellow CHS alumni Hannah Teal and George Frye, both of whom anchor the show’s excellent chorus ensemble, each had opportunity in the spotlight to showcase their vocal talents in the pre-show “mini-concert” with the pit band. Get there a half hour early so as not to miss this fun performance of popular ‘50s and ‘60s tunes performed by various cast members. It's MC’d by witty commentary from actor Stephen Shouse, whose character Roger Hare is Rydell High’s engaging champion mooner.

A highlight of any production of “Grease” is its portrayal of the Teen Angel. Productions traditionally vie for most creative and original staging of the Act 2 number, “Beauty School Dropout.” At UWF, for example, the Teen Angel was a fabulously flamboyant roller-skating drag queen. NWFSC went a more dignified but no less dazzling route, casting its gifted faculty vocalist Jeremy Ribando as a gospel belter version of the role and turning the number into an old time revival.

Choreographers Joseph A. Taylor and Kelly Murdock managed to corral the spirited cast into a slick-moving ensemble of well regimented dancers, looking sharp in costume designer Jennifer Boudette’s outfits. She had particular fun with the Teen Angel and his back-up performers!

My only criticism isn’t really anyone’s fault, and it’s an understandably consistent problem when producing “Grease.” It’s how to construct Kenickie’s beat up jalopy he lovingly calls “Greased Lightin’.” No matter how they try, unless they can get hold of an actual hulk of an old car, most productions end up cobbling together a plywood facsimile. Fortunately, the NWFSC production succeeds better than most—especially at the end.

We may have oil on the beaches, but thank goodness NWFSC gave us “Grease” on the stage. This summer, it’s just the dazzlingly fun distraction we need. Don’t miss it.

Tickets to “Grease” are $20 adults/ $15 youth, and free to currently enrolled NWFSC students with ID at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center Box Office 729-6000, or online at www.mattiekellyartscenter.org.