?Grease?-ed lightning rocks onstage at Petaluma High

The Troy Performers Drama Club will return audiences to the 1950s days of greased hair on guys and beehives on gals with its continued performances of ?Grease? this week.

?Grease? opened to enthusiastic reviews last week and continues with performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee Saturday at 2 p.m. in the multipurpose room at Petaluma High.

The local production of the popular movie and stage hit boasts more than 40 students in two casts. It is one of the most ambitious productions the school has seen in over five years, according to Kathy Warren, one half of the directing team with Jonathan Knox. ?It?s definitely bigger than your average bear,? she says.

Last year?s show, ?Anything Goes,? another popular musical, was a big success, so it made sense to try and go bigger with more sets, more costumes, big musical numbers and choreography, according to Warren.

The reason for such a big cast is to give everyone a place in the show because Warren?s philosophy is, ?If you want to be in this, we?ll make a spot for you.?

She explains the participants don?t even have to be actors to find a place in the show because there are so many other ways to be a part of the experience ? constructing sets, doing the lighting, and doing the set up in between acts.

Warren hopes the production will rejuvenate the school?s drama program as well as entertain the public.

Warren says the previous show was a way to ?test the waters? and this year she hopes to draw an even bigger audience, and a well-known musical is the way to do it.

?Last year?s show was kind of thrown together at the last minute, so this year there are 10 to 12 people working hard around the clock to make sure this show goes extremely well,? says Warren.

Aside from the huge popularity of ?Grease,? another reason for doing the show is Petaluma?s rich history with the 1950s. ?We had the greasers, we had the strip,? Warren explains. ?There is a natural connection between this city and that era.?

Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door for $8 for adults and $3 to $6 for students. For more information, call 778-4651 or e-mail dramaboosters@comcast.net.

(Contact Matthew Williams at argus@arguscourier.com)

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