Still a beloved classic decades later, fans of the musical Grease can catch a performance at the Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre in Camrose between Feb. 6 to 16.
"Get ready for a blast from the past with Grease," the synopsis of the iconic play on the Churchmice Player's website reads.
"This electrifying musical brings the 1950s to life as rebellious Danny and sweet Sandy navigate love, friendship, and high school drama at Rydell High. With iconic songs, high-energy dance numbers, and unforgettable characters, Grease is the ultimate feel-good show you won’t want to miss!"
Put on by the Churchmice Players, a nonprofit community theatre group based in Camrose, the production is directed by Scot Lorenson and produced by David Downey.
Auditions were held in September and the cast of almost 50 has been busy rehearsing ever since, said Lorenson.
The whole ensemble as well as the crew have spent the last few days preparing at the centre and holding a tech rehearsal. The dress rehearsal will be tonight, Feb. 5, and tomorrow evening the curtain rises on opening night.
The lead roles - Sandy, Danny, Rizzo, Frenchy, Marty and Jan - are 'double-cast' meaning two different people are playing those roles, depending on which performance you watch.
The two main stars, Sandy and Danny, are played by Ashley Kambeitz and Kate Down, and Isaac Weimer and Josh Wade.
"One of the reasons to double cast is because we have so many people come out to audition," said Lorenson, saying there were about 60 hopefuls back in the fall.
"You have the opportunity to highlight more people and showcase their talents."
During rehearsal, they went through a scene with one cast and then the other, so all cast members got equal stage time, he explained.
Another reason is being able to hold more performances. The Churchmice Player's production of Grease will have a total of 10 shows.
This is Lorenson's second time directing a production with the Churchmice Players after his debut with Chicago in 2020.
He initially started with the Churchmice on stage, then as a director and was the stage manager for their last couple of productions.
"The thing about directing, is you have an idea in your head and you get to see it come to life," said Lorenson.
From an audience perspective, while he saw Grease on tour, he's most familiar with the movie - as most people are, he said.
What drew him to the show is everyone knows the songs and the characters and it's relatable.
"It's a fun musical," he said.
But not one without logistical challenges to put on.
One of the hardest scenes for the main cast and ensemble to master was the opening of Act 2, where everyone's at the high school dance.
"It's quite a long scene and there's just so many moving parts," said Lorenson, adding while it was the most difficult to pull together, it's looking great.
"You really do feel like you're at a high school dance."
All considered, Grease is a massive production, with it's large cast and crew, and, as community theatre has a tendency to do, drew together a large cross section of people from in and around Camrose.
Auditions were open to the community, bringing in a wide net of talent from the area.
Some of the cast are from Wetaskiwin, Forestburg and Toefield and range from high school and university students to older adults.
"There's a significant amount of community members involved in the production. It's quite far-reaching," said Lorenson.
"Community theatre is one of those things that I find will act to bridge a bunch of ages groups and even different socio-economic backgrounds," he said.
"Theatre is very welcoming."
Evening shows are Feb. 6 to 8 and Feb. 13 to 15, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Matinee performances are Feb. 8 and 9, 15 and 16, starting at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets are $43 per person or $39 for students and seniors.
They can be purchased through the box office at the Peter Lougheed Centre or online at camroselive.ca. Some tickets may also be available at the door.
"If people want to come out and have a good time and support community theatre, this is one of the ways to do it," said Lorenson.
Based on the book, with music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company.
The first Broadway production of Grease opened on June 7, 1972, enjoying a dazzling 3,388-performance run, the longest run in Broadway history at the time.
