Laura's screening with Laura Weaser

GREASE (Tauranga Boys' an Girls' College)

Directed: Andrew McKenzie

STARRING: Tauranga Boy's and Girls' College

The four leads of the combined colleges' production of Grease.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say Grease is one of the most popular musicals/movies of my generation. You'd be hard pressed to find someone that doesn't know the words or hand actions to Grease Lightning or remember Olivia Newton-John in those OH SO TIGHT leather pants (seriously).

So taking Grease on is no easy task. The movie alone has created memorable characters and memorable dance numbers. Producer Shay Hulsebosch, muscle director Brenda Oakley and director Andrew McKenize obviously knew this, and from set, to cast to costume they nailed bringing Grease to the stage.

Every time I go to a school production I am blown away by the talent that these young students have, especially when you have to be a triple threat of acting, dancing and singing.

In term of the main leads, Stephanie Adams as Sandy had the tricky task of taking on memorable solos such as ‘Hopelessly Devoted to You', requiring a delicacy of Sandy's character but a heart-wrenchingly powerful voice, and she nailed it. Andre Willis was fantastic as the smooth-talking Danny and as well as being a great singer, he brought just the right amount of comic timing to the piece.

All six main T-Birds and Pink Ladies were outstanding. My particular favourite was Rizzo, played by Dyllan Martin. Stockard Channing is a hard act to beat, as street-tough, loose Rizzo but Dyllan really brought something else to the character. She was the perfect balance of loudness, crass attitude and a certain sensitivity underneath.

Played out on The Graham Young Youth Theatre, newly revamped with curtains, meant the cast and crew had a dynamic stage set to work with, and weren't limited by their surrounds. I don't want to give anything away, but the whole set looked incredibly real down to the last detail, and I was drawn into the world of Rydell High students.

It is clear the whole cast has worked hard to perfect this act, and I was hooked. Sitting second row from the front, I feel embarrassed that the cast could potentially see me sitting there with this dorky grin on my face. It brought back the classic musical of my generation, and in fact as I write this I am watching Grease again. Grease really is the word.

See Grease at The Graham Young Youth Theatre, beginning Friday June 17. Show starts at 7pm each night. See Tauranga Boys' College website for more details www.tbc.school.nz.