District Five announces 2015 musical production of Grease, School Version

IRMO, SC – Grease is the word for high school students performing in this year’s Lexington-Richland School District Five musical.

Performances for the district’s school version of Grease will be held at the Harbison Theatre Wednesday, April 22 throughThursday, April 25.  Tickets for the show are $10 and can be purchased at any District Five high school or online on the district’s website (lexrich5.org).

“This is our fourth year of providing a district-wide musical, and we’re excited to show the community how talented our students really are,” said Tami Richardson, District Five Gifted and Visual and Performing Arts Programs coordinator. “It’s an opportunity for us to showcase our students and staff from all four of our high schools, but it also provides an important stage for our students to hone their artistic skills and pursue their passions for art. We are thankful for all the sponsors that make this possible and for the community that supports our students each year.”

Set in 1959, Grease was written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Cassey and debuted on Broadway in 1972. Borrowing from its 1993 revival, the current version of the American theater classic recreates the sounds of 1950s rock and roll while adding flair-filled, upbeat tunes from the film. The district’s school version features music and content that’s been adapted for general audiences, and performances are packed with finger-snapping Grease fan-favorites like “You’re the One That I Want” and “Greased Lightening.”

“It’s hard to compare anyone to John Travolta or Olivia Newton-John…the characters that people love from the movie, but our students do not disappoint and have outstanding voices,” said Lyle Brown, an Irmo High School drama teacher who is directing the district’s musical. “We challenge our students to perform as professionals would, and we’ve been impressed with their abilities and skills. I would encourage everyone to come see the performance for themselves.”

During an early April rehearsal, students worked on perfecting lines and fine-tuning scenes from the musical. For students like Dexter Weathers and Logan Baldwin performing in the district musical has given them a chance to discover new talents and interests.

“I always loved to sing and didn’t think I could act until I was in the musical last year,” said Weathers, who is playing the part of Kenickie in Grease. “For me, the musical has given me a lot of opportunities to expand beyond music into acting … For me, it’s something I would have probably never considered before.”

Baldwin, who is playing the part of Danny, said: “The musical has been a good way for me to be more comfortable on stage and learn the basics of acting. I also did the musical last year, and it’s been a learning experience and a lot of fun.”

More information on the musical, including performance times and dates, can be found online at www.lexrich5.org.