Dartmouth High Theater Company presents ‘Grease’ the musical

Following the success of last year’s “Mamma Mia,” Dartmouth High Theater Company is delivering another classic mucical, “Grease,” which will premiere on Thursday, May 2.

Set in the 1950s, “Grease” follows a group of rowdy teenagers who experience love, heartbreak and gang rivalries at Rydell High School.

Fans of “Grease” will no doubt be familiar with the hotrod Greased Lightning, a 1948 Ford De Luxe convertible that the character Kenickie fixes up to impress the ladies. Pulling out all the stops, Dartmouth High Theatre Company has rented an actual 1948 Ford De Luxe that will be driven onto the stage and that the actors will be dancing on top of during one of the musical numbers.

Fitting the car into the high school auditorium will be a tight fit. If the measurements are correct, the car should clear the theater doors by a mere two inches, according to technical co-director Jay Breault, who said that special care went into measuring all the hallways and doorways before they rented the car that will be driven up from Atlantic City. 

“We had to measure everything,” Breault said. 

The two and a half hour performance will feature several choreographed dance routines taken from both the original play and the film adaptations. But Dartmouth High Theater Company is adding some personal touches. Instead of being confined to an orchestra pit, the musicians will be dressed in ‘50s-style costumes and performing in the background. 

The theater company is also innovating with the set design. Sticking to the show’s 1950s setting, the performance will take place inside a two story tall, 50-foot-wide jukebox that a team of students and parent volunteers are building for the play. In total, the play will feature about ten different sets including the iconic Burger Palace and, of course, Rydell High School. 

Sophomore Rowan Desautels is playing the female lead role of Sandy Olsson, who over the course of the show falls in love with Danny Zuko, the leader of a high school greaser gang called the T-Birds. 

Desautel has performed in other musicals such as “The Little Mermaid” and “Mamma Mia”, but she said that “Grease” has a special place in her heart. 

“It’s a staple in musical theater,” she said. “I’ve always dreamed of being in ‘Grease’ because it’s such an important show.”

Desautel said that “Grease” is a favorite in her family, many of whom will be attending the performance. She said that her late grandfather enjoyed both “Mamma Mia” and “Grease”.

“I’m really doing this for him,” she said of her decision to audition for “Grease”. 

The actors auditioned in December and have been rehearsing their roles since they returned from Christmas break in January. Senior Robbie Sioch is playing the male lead of Danny Zuko, whom Sioch describes as a “wannabe tough guy” and a bit of a push-over. 

“It wasn’t too hard getting into the roll,” Sioch said. “I feel like I’m a push-over, too.”

Sioch has been acting since he was 8 years old when he began in South Coast Children’s Theater. 

“I couldn’t even count on my hands how many shows I’ve been in,” he said. 

While Sioch said he has a talent for dancing, singing is new to him. To prepare for the musical, he’s been working with a vocal team, taking weekly voice lessons, and  singing along to the “Grease” soundtrack in his car.

“It’s been a process trying to build my voice, a lot of hard work,” he said.

Junior Nadia Franco plays the role of the competitive and cunning Cha Cha DiGregorio. Franco performed in her first play in the sixth grade and has been dancing competitively since she was 5 years old. During the pandemic, Franco said that popular musicals like “Hairspray” and “Grease” were her comfort movies. 

After high school, Franco plans to pursue a career in nursing. She said “Grease” makes her reflect on the importance of enjoying high school while it lasts. 

“What will I be doing when my 10-year reunion happens?” Franco said. “High school is really important and you really gotta make the most of it with all your friends.” 

Fresh off the heels of winning the title as Dartmouth’s Finest last month, senior Hadley Fitton is playing the role of Betty Rizzo, the leader of the gang of girls called the Pink Ladies. For the seniors performing in “Grease,” Fitton said that this play is a special send-off for the senior Class of 2024. 

“We’ve all been friends for a really long time,” Fitton said of her senior classmates. “This show, for us, is going to be the highlight of our high school experience. And it’s a way for us to all be together one last time before we have to say goodbye.”

Tickets are quickly running out for Dartmouth High Theatre Company’s May performances of the beloved musical “Grease.” The show on Friday, May 3 is already completely sold out. 

The other performances are quickly filling up. There’s one showing on Thursday, May 2 at 7 p.m. and two performances on Saturday, May 4 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 at the door, but it’s highly recommended that people get their tickets now before they’re gone. 

Shirley Byers, a music director and co-advisor at Dartmouth High Theatre Company, said musicals like “Grease” are a crowd pleaser in Dartmouth. 

“It’s a tribute to how much our community enjoys this type of show,” Byers said of how quickly the shows are selling out. “It’s one of those shows that people are going to be tapping their toes and singing along to.”