Grease cast combines focus with fun

Sophomore+Joia+Putnoi+and+junior+Megha+Shrivastava+learn+dance+moves+for+the+upcoming+musical%2C+Grease.+The+cast+of+actors%2C+singers+and+dancers+are+already+hard+at+work+during+rehearsals+for+the+show.+ANI+MATHISON%2FSAGAMORE+STAFF

Sophomore Joia Putnoi and junior Megha Shrivastava learn dance moves for the upcoming musical, Grease. The cast of actors, singers and dancers are already hard at work during rehearsals for the show. ANI MATHISON/SAGAMORE STAFF

Yuen Ting Chow, Staff Writer

The music stops, the actors complete their dance, and the cast immediately bursts into laughter. For some productions, rehearsals are serious, but for the cast of Grease, the element of fun is equally significant.

Although organizing a musical requires a great deal of hard work, the cast and crew of Grease aim to put on a unique production, and have a lot of fun during the process.

Grease tells the love story of the greaser Danny Zuko and new student Sandy Olsson. After falling in love over the summer, they both surprised when Sandy becomes a new student at Danny’s school.

Danny struggles between his role as the leader of the greaser group “T-Birds” and his feelings for Sandy, treating her harshly around his friends but nicely when they are alone. Meanwhile, Sandy joins a tight-knit group of friends known as the Pink Ladies.

Sophomore Diego Echeverria De Cordova, who plays Danny, said that that he appreciates the way the students are making Grease come alive.

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Junior Megha Shrivastava rehearses a number from the upcoming Grease musical. Director Christien Polos said he aims for all rehearsals to e enjoyable and entertaining. ANI MATHISON/SAGAMROE STAFF

“This is our version of the very famous movie, and a bunch of adults grew up with this movie,” Echeverria De Cordova said. “We’re reliving it and making it our own.”

Polos said that the school’s production will have a minimal set.

“It is going to be a lot of visual projection of places,” Polos said. “You’ll see the outside of a burger palace, but it will be a projection of a photograph, rather than the set.”

In addition, Polos plans to make all the background photos black and white, giving the pictures color when the music starts.

“The reality is black and white, like a black and white T.V. in the ’50s, but then the musical numbers, everything goes technicolor,” Polos said.

According to Echeverria De Cordova, the casting was color blind, and students of all races are playing characters who were White in the movie.

“I am Latino, and I am playing Danny Zuko, a Caucasian male. There are people in the cast who are Asian, Middle Eastern and African-American,” Echeverria De Cordova said.

Rehearsals start around 3-6 p.m. and eventually start to increase as the show date comes closer. Sophomore Kaelen Woodward, who plays Doody, said that the long hours are worth it.

“Every hour is used effectively and leads up to a great show,” Woodward said.

Echeverria De Cordova’s goal for the cast is to form a close bond.

“There are freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors, and I think not a lot of us know each other that well,” Echeverria De Cordova said. “I think we are a really fun group.”

Similarly, Polos’ goal is that all his students in the show enjoy the time spent in it and have a positive experience.

“Every night, they have to feel good about what they do. I want a great production, but my most important thing is that they have a good time learning it, working it, creating it, and performing it,” Polos said.

Polos said that he tends to push the cast very hard, but everyone helps each other. The students help each other learn the dance and lines, and generally support each other.

Despite the hard work, Polos said that he enjoys rehearsals very much.

“I have a great time,” Polos said.  “I laugh. I laugh at rehearsals probably more than everyone else does because it is just fun.”

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Grease debuts on Feb. 1 at 3:30 and runs from Feb. 2 to Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Roberts/Dubbs Auditorium.