Review: ‘Energy’ Is The Word In Wagon Wheel’s Production Of ‘Grease’
Review: ‘Energy’ Is The Word In Wagon Wheel’s Production Of ‘Grease’
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Review: ‘Energy’ Is The Word In Wagon Wheel’s Production Of ‘Grease’Every morning I have to have a cold Mountain Dew® to give me energy to get through the day. My dentist hates it, but I need the caffeine and I abhor coffee. If someone could find a way to bottle the energy of the young actors in Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts’ production of “Grease,” I’d probably be able to get through a week without a single can of a Pepsi® product. It’s just electrifying how full of pep they seemed to be on stage for opening night Wednesday. Their adrenaline had to be in high gear. The company started the musical on full throttle with the number “Grease,” moved through almost two dozen songs like they were afraid they’d get hit by lightning if they stopped, and ended on high speed like they began with two quick-paced songs, “You’re the One That I Want” and a reprise of “We Go Together.” Perhaps the actors fed off the energy of opening night’s audience as the hundreds of people in the seats applauded enthusiastically after every number. And it was not a polite applause, but one that felt like the crowd was eating the show up and couldn’t wait for more. Having seen the movie version of “Grease” more times than I can remember, I was looking for those special moments, those standout performances that would make me take notice. I found a few. In Act I, the characters of Rodger (Noah Kieserman) and Jan (Ruby Gibbs) sing a tongue-in-cheek song titled “Mooning” exactly about that - mooning. Gibbs and especially Kieserman not only sing it well, but the way Artistic Director Scott Michaels staged it, it’s hilarious. It really was the first moment of this production of “Grease” where I had to look down and take notes so I wouldn’t forget to mention it. And that’s another thing about this production of “Grease” that separates it for me from the film version. I just don’t remember the John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John flick being half as funny as the Wagon Wheel version being offered now through Aug. 20. I smiled and laughed out loud at times during Wednesday night’s show, but never laughed once while ever watching the film version. For a show based on high school stereotypes where most of the students are sex crazed, there should be lots of laughter or it should be an intense drama. Luckily, Wagon Wheel offers a high-energy musical with plenty of laughs. There are several couples in “Grease,” but the main one is that of bad boy and school “gang” leader – and I’m using the word gang here very loosely – Danny (Sean Watkinson) and uptight, virginal, good girl Sandy (Kayla Eilers) who goes to the “dark side” by show’s end. It’s very important that whoever plays the two roles have good chemistry or the whole show suffers. Luckily, Eilers and Watkinson have a spark that keeps lit through the show. That was most evident for me in their duet of “You’re the One That I Want” toward the end of Act II. Watkinson looks very much the part of Danny in his costume with his hair all greased up, and he’s a pretty good singer. His best song, in my book anyway, was “Alone at a Drive-In Movie” in Act II. He not only sang it well, but Watkinson seemed to give the number more of an emotional charge. As for Eilers as Sandy, she released her most emotions on the song “Hopelessly Devoted to You.” While some of the other songs only glossed over Sandy’s feelings, “Hopelessly Devoted” actually let the audiences in to her state of mind thanks to Eilers’ performance. While Sandy is, to quote Rihanna, the “good girl gone bad,” Rizzo is the good girl hiding her feelings behind a tough exterior and her fears behind a bad attitude. It takes a special actress to play Rizzo, and Lexi Carter nails it. She not only owns it with her look and swagger, but just her overall delivery of the vixen. Carter unveils Rizzo’s vulnerability with the song “There Are Worse Things I Could Do,” and it’s a beautiful thing. Rizzo has a pregnancy scare with her on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again boyfriend Kenickie (Keaton Eckhoff). Watching Eckhoff in show after show for the past two years, it’s just interesting to see how he brings each of his characters to life. In “Grease,” he gets to sing the song “Greased Lightning,” and Eckhoff really lights the number on fire with the energy he brings. Mountain Dew® might want to bottle his brand of pump. There was one number in the stage musical that I hadn’t recalled seeing anywhere else and that was “Rock ’N’ Roll Party Queen” sung by the characters of Doody (Barrett Riggins) and Rodger (Kieserman). The way they presented the number and sang it together, I thought the two had good chemistry together musically. It was a little on the Jimmy Buffett side, but it worked and it stood out to me. As Frenchy, Elaine Cotter reminded me the most of the “Grease” film version of the characters, and I mean that in the best possible way. It was almost like she was channeling Didi Conn – the actress who played Frenchy in the 1978 movie and the 1982 sequel. She not only had the look down, but also the mannerisms and voice. When Frenchy quits beauty school after quitting high school, she is visited by her own teen angel (Chuckie Benson). For the role, Benson embodies Little Richard, the self-proclaimed “Architect of Rock ’N’ Roll.” Benson not only looks fabulous in his sparkling jacket with pink trimming – to match Frenchy’s hair - but he also brings some soul, R&B, crooning and a burst of pop to the song “Beauty School Dropout.” Benson has been standing out with his performances all summer season at the Wagon Wheel, and his too-brief appearance in “Grease” is no exception. Overall, I think fans of “Grease” will enjoy this production, and people who think they’ve seen the show enough will still find moments to enjoy. My rating of the show (out of four): 3. Tickets are on sale at the box office, over the phone at 574-267-8041, and online at wagonwheelcenter.org. Prices range from $14 for children to $34 for adults.
