Small Town, Big City Theatre

“Grease is the word, is the word that you heard
It’s got groove it’s got meaning
Grease is the time, is the place is the motion
Grease is the way we are feeling...”

The cast of Small Town Theatrics production of Grease is certainly feeling the message of the show as it’s set to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the classic musical written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey who earned a Tony nomination for their work.

Set in 1959 at the fictional Rydell High School, Grease is a musical that follows a group of teenagers in a coming of age tale set in a time of rock n roll, bobby socks, malt shops, and saddle shoes.

Inspired by his alma mater—William Howard Taft School in Chicago’s Norwood Park neighborhood—Jacobs teamed with Casey on the original musical that debuted in 1971 at the former Kingston Mines nightclub in Chicago.

A year later, the show moved to Broadway making this the 50th Anniversary year of its original New York run. At the time of its closing in 1980 it was the longest running Broadway show with 3,388 performances. And, it remains one of Broadway’s longest running shows.

Grease earned seven Tony nominations. There have been U.S. tours, West End productions, Broadway revivals and even a live TV musical.

Now, 50 years later, the story is played out in regional and community theaters across the country with a school version taking the stage at
multiple middle and high schools.

The story’s popularity was bolstered by the 1978 film of the same name featuring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta who had played Doody on Broadway and the national tour.

The movie and musical have their similarities and their differences.

This production will feature some of the unknown vocal tracks, as well as popular songs such as Greased Lightning, Summer Nights and We Go Together.

When it came time to select Small Town Theatrics summer musical there were a few titles on the table. Grease was a hands down choice for the creative team led by the company’s founder, producer and director Jack Micetich.

The production schedule for a summer show is rather short with a group of 25 actors and actresses meeting an average of three to four days a week over a five-week period.

As Micetich points out, it takes dedication to put a musical together, especially in such a short time frame and this group has shown it in their work.

Cast members range in age from 14-47, a handful of them college students studying musical theatre and dance.

The cast represents seven communities across three counties, and includes a father and son, mother and daughter and two sets of siblings.

As a group they consider themselves family as most have worked together on previous productions with Small Town Theatrics or through school theatre experiences.

Grace Preboy, of Minooka, returns this summer in the role of Sandy Dumbrowski. She made her Small Town debut as Jane Banks in the company’s 2015 production of Mary Poppins and was most recently seen as Maureen Johnson in Rent.

Delighted to take on this next role, Grace said, “Sandy is such a timeless character. I am honored to be able to reimagine Olivia Newton-John’s stellar 1978 performance.”

Grease is a show that takes on a multitude of issues that face teenagers—peer pressure, gang violence, teen pregnancy, rebellion and class conflict.

The stage version opens as the class of 1959 gathers for a reunion with a speech by class valedictorian Eugene Florczyk [played by Mason Natyshok] and with mention of those missing from the gathering the scene segues to the T-Birds and Pink Ladies on the first day of school 1959.

Sandy the new girl in school is introduced to the Pink Ladies—Marty, Rizzo, Frenchy and Jan.

Danny comes in to reconnect with his pals the T-Birds—Kenickie, Roger, Doody and Sonny [aka LaTierri].

Catching up on their summer adventures the ladies discover the new girl in school met a boy that is cute as can be and one they know all too well, and just outside the lunchroom where they have gathered, that boy tells his friends about his summer nights with a girl who’s crazy for him.

The show takes the audience back to the 1950s, days of growing up and discovering oneself and friendships that last the test of time.

Taking on the role of Danny Zuko is Trevor Shingler, of Lockport, who said he’s excited to be performing once again this summer. Grease marks his fifth season with Small Town Theatrics.

Taking the stage along side of him as T-Birds are Kevin Soto, as Kenickie; Joey Fatigante, as Sonny; Riley Nevin, as Roger, and Stephen Byers as Doody. All four are from Coal City and members of previous Small Town casts.

Soto started with the company in 2012 and this marks his eighth appearance with the group.

As for this company’s Pink Ladies, they include Maggie Komes, as Rizzo; Hailey Rose Kasky, as Marty; Kaylee Groves, as Jan and Zoe Smith, as the Frenchy—the beauty school drop out.

Smith and Groves are both from Coal City and performed during their high school years. Komes, hails from Newark, IL and Kasky, who is also serving as assistant choreographer for the show, is a resident of Shorewood.

Matt Nevin, of Coal City, said he is living a long-time dream of performing in Grease. Ecstatic to be in his first musical, Nevin takes the stage in a white sequined suit as Teen Angel.

Although he’s performed with a number of rock n roll bands, this is his first time acting on stage.

“These kids [cast] showed me not only how to sing, but to truly entertain,” Nevin said.

Rounding out the cast are Emma Kenney, as Patty Simcox; Landen Selio, as Vince Fontaine; Madison Holcomb, as Cha-Cha DiGregorio and Dana Eisenach, as Miss Lynch, the old-maid English teacher.

The outstanding ensemble is comprised of Bryce Henderson, Elaina Patten, Isabella Byers, Mae Connor, Kilen Davidson, McKenna Patten, Mackenzie Ortega, Courtney Meyer and Victoria Eisenach.

The show is based on the original script and lyrics crafted by Jacobs and Casey with adaptations that integrate what people recall from the movie.

“It’s incredible to see the songs we know and love come to life on stage,” Preboy said.

There will likely be a few surprises in the show that will have audience members talking, as will the costumes and lighting.

Small Town Theatrics was established in 2010 to provide individuals of all ages with opportunities to showcase their talents, while exposing them to the diversity of the performing arts.

The mission has stayed the same since Micetich’s first community production 13 seasons ago.

A non-for-profit, Small Town operates on donations and ticket sales. No one pays to perform and no one is paid to participate, it is strictly a volunteer organization that operates on the motto of, Small Town, Big City Theatre.

Grease will take the stage for three performances in the Coal City Performing Arts Center starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 29 with additional shows at 7 p.m., Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31 at 2 p.m.

Reserved seat tickets are available at smalltowntheatrics.org with any remaining seats available for purchase [$15 cash only] at the door beginning one hour prior to each scheduled performance.