Cast for the Oakcrest High School Drama Club’s production of “Grease” to be performed Feb. 16-18 at the high school.

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP - The Oakcrest High School drama club will turn back the clock nearly 60 years next week when the group presents the musical “Grease.”

“It as a fun time, a more innocent time,” says director Kim Tunney, who has produced Oakcrest plays for the past nine years.

“The cast likes ‘Grease’ because they get to dance and wear the clothes,” she said. “The girls get to wear  poodle skirts and the boys get to wear leather jackets. We’re going to let the guys experiment with (hair) grease and fix their up their hair in a D.A.”

Last year the group performed “Les Miserables,” she said, a dark production that tells of the struggles of the poor and lower classes in France during the early part of the 19th century.

But “Grease” is much different, Tunney said. “It‘s lively, fun and entertaining for both the cast and the audience, Tunney said.

“Everybody was excited about it as soon as I announced the musical would be ‘Grease,’ she said.

Though “Grease” deals with grownup issues that some late teens may face, Tunney decided to do the musical because it fit the needs of her drama club.

“We have a lot of guys this year,” she said, “and I needed to find something that they all could perform in.”

The musical, “Grease” was penned by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey in 1971 and was named after a 1950s teen subculture called “Greasers.” The musical follows 10 working class teens struggling with life as they become adults in 1959.

“Grease” ran on Broadway until 1980, and ended after a record-setting 3,388-performance run. Though other shows have gone on to post higher performance numbers, “Grease” remains the 13th-longest running show on Broadway.

The movie, “Grease” was released in 1978.

“Grease tells the story of the coming of age in a more innocent time,” Tunney said. “We aren’t that innocent now. It’s about a group of teens trying to find themselves and they know a little bit more about themselves when the summer ends.”

Olivia Regan portrays Sandy, who falls in love with Danny, a greaser and a member of the ‘T-birds.”

“She is goody-goody,” Regan said, “but not in a bad way but in an innocent naïve kind of way.”

And as Sandy goes through time, “she becomes less like herself and more like the people around her. I’ve kind of grown with the role as well,” Regan said.

But the role also presents challenges for Regan, who starred as Cosette in last year’s “Les Miserables.”

“The range of some of the songs can be a challenge for me,” she said. “Some of the notes are a little hard for me to reach but I rise up to the challenge.”

Aaron Downs, a 17-year-old senior, stars as Danny.

“It was a challenge because I’m not really like him,” said Downs, who played Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables.”

“I get to play a big and tough guy in “Grease,’” he said.

Downs doesn’t consider himself big and tough, however.

“You have to think and act big,” he said while raising his shoulders and hanging his arms out to his side like body builders do. “I’m - you know - ‘awkward,’ and it’s my comfort zone. This role is a challenge.”

Still, Downs sees some similarities between himself and Zuko.

“He’s a player,” Downs said with a laugh, “and I’m kind of a player.”

Regan says the best part of “Grease” is the energy found in the dances, the songs and the action on stage.

Early this week, the cast was putting on the final touches while the set was receiving a coat of paint.

Tunney was impressed about how the members of the drama club eagerly learned their lines, songs and dances.

“It fun because I have a good group if kids,” she said, “that are dedicated to theater. They were eager to learn their lines and toe choreography.”

Tunney hopes a large amount of people from the community comes out to see “Grease,” which should appeal to people of ages.

It’s incredible to sit back and hear the booming sounds of a full cast singing and dancing across the stage, she said.

“It’s a great show and a good family show,” she said. “Just the dancing alone is worth coming to see. I hope the community will come out to see it. This is as good as it gets.”

The actors and their characters are: Aaron Downs, who plays Danny; Oliva Regan, Sandy; John Berchtold, Kenickie; Juliana Costantini, Rizzo; Julia Weiss, Marty; Mark Perkins, Doody; Shannon Adams, Frenchy; Nick Murphy, Roger; Meredith Laubert, Jan; Michael Giovinco, Sonny; Molly Huber, Patty Simcox; Michael Warrener, Eugene Florczyk; Kerry Scallenn, Miss Lynch; Jeff Hughes, Johnny Casino; Yu’seph Cornish, teen angel; Schuyuler DeVos, Vince Fontaine; Gabby Villamor, Cha Cha DeGregorio.

The Pink Ladies are Andrea Bocanegra, Brittany Connelly, Jessica Coventree, Ciera Dattolo, and Maggie Madamba.

The T-birds are: Michael Black, Kerwin Gonzales, Jeffrey Hughes, Thomas Smith, Matt Cowley, Tim Hurbute, Kerwin Gonzales, Rich Evans.

The dancers are: La’Nise Ambrose, Gabrielle Cruz, Bria Dorn, Margaret Erickson, Samatha Finnegan, Kelley Groh, Alexis Guzman, Khushbu Patel, Heather Resto, Mikaela Riley, Gloriellies Rosario, Trina Van, and Brianna Weber.

The ensemble is comprised of Eryka Arroyo, Erin Foster, Allie Francz, Tara Fresh, Madison Fruend, Tessa Heitz, Nicole Monroe, Amber Richardson, and Gabby Johnson.

If You Go
The Oakcrest High School Drama Club production of “Grease”
7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 16-17; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18.
Oakcrest High School, 1824 Dr. Dennis Foreman Dr., Hamilton Township
Tickets: $10

At left, Olivia Regan and Aaron Downs, get ready for their production of “Grease.”   Aaron Downs, left, who stars as Danny and Mike Giovinco, who stars as Sonny, push out the car, “Greased Lightning,” that will be used as a prop in the Oakcrest High School production of “Grease.”   Warming up for “Grease,” from left, vocal director Colleen Kennedy, Yu’seph Cornish, and Mark Perkins.   Oakcrest High School English teacher Ed Clark volunteers his time, helping prepare the set for “Grease.”