“This building and community, it’s really nostalgic,” said Kelly Hendrix, who shares production and directing duties with Laura Hagler. “What a cool show to do in a really cool theater.”
The musical, which inspired the classic movie of the same name, will be staged by a cast and crew of roughly three dozen, many of them students at Tracy schools who have grown up as part of the local theater scene. Hendrix said some started out with summer drama groups at the Grand Theatre in elementary or middle school and then kept in touch through the Tracy Performing Arts Foundation website and Facebook.
“They really want the opportunity to show their stuff,” she said.
The production took shape in late July and early August, and the cast of “Grease” has rehearsed three or four days a week since then. Besides learning lines and dance numbers, the crew also built and painted sets and then tackled the task of marketing from a particularly modern angle.
“They’re all pushing it on their Facebooks — seriously!” Hendrix said. “They’ve purposefully worn their makeup and hairstyles out to the mall or the farmers market.”
With the television show “Glee” stirring up interest in music and performance, Hendrix said the moment is right for a place like the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, where her group is the resident theater company.
“It’s not just for people to come and watch stuff, but for people to be patrons and participants,” she said.
At a glance
WHAT: “Grease” by Tracy Performing Arts Foundation
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday; repeats at 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, 715 Central Ave.
COST: $18
INFO: www.atthegrand.org or 831-6858
Post a Comment
