All voices are great, and several of the guys put Frankie Valli to shame with their soaring falsettos. Music Director Dave Wendelberger conducts and plays keyboard in a rockin’ 7-piece combo. The set (Lex Van Blommenstein) is somewhat dingy and vacant, suggesting a high school that could use a rise in tax millage, but versatile with rolling pieces that make plenty of room for dancing, and the coveted car “Greased Lightning.”
Highlights included an energetic, acrobatic, tough-yet-vulnerable Danny played by Lukas Jacob. Sandy (Shelby Antel) was appropriately prim and dreamy, before she absorbed the gospel according to Rizzo (a powerful Katlyn Wilson “There Are Worse Things I Could Do”) and makes her transformation. A high point was the FABulous Blaine Mizer as an unexpected version of Teen Angel that foreshadowed a dash of David Bowie. He ruled the stage for his “Beauty School Dropout” number.
GREASE continues on the Pasant Stage at MSU’s Wharton Center:
Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 2:00pm
Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 8:00pm
*Sunday, April 17, 2016 at 2:00pm
Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at 7:30pm
**Thursday, April 21, 2016 at 7:30pm
Friday, April 22, 2016 at 8:00pm
Saturday, April 23, 2016 at 2:00pm
Saturday, April 23, 2016 at 8:00pm
Sunday, April 24, 2016 at 2:00pm
* Director Pre-Show Discussion, Sunday, April 17, 2016, 1:15.
** Post-Show Discussion on Thursday, April 21, 2016. (Following the performance)
Tickets are available from the Wharton Center Box Office; 1.800.WHARTON; www.whartoncenter.com.