Jay High School to present 'Grease' beginning on April 8

No cost to enter, but donations accepted to help drama department

Join the Pink Ladies and the T Birds as Jay High School Drama Club presents its production of the hit Broadway musical, 'Grease: The School Version' this and next week.

Showtimes are at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 8, Saturday, April 10, and Sunday, 11. Matinee shows will be at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18.

No tickets are being sold and entrance is free, but donations are encouraged as COVID-19 restricted fundraising this past year.

Concessions will be available at each show. There will be limited capacity in the auditorium due to COVID restrictions.

The cast includes: Isaac Black as Danny Zuko, Kinsley Cook as Sandy Dumbrowski, Taylor Hendricks as Betty Rizzo, Emily Salter as Frenchie, Makayla Thompson and Alyssa McKinley as Jan, Victoria Bledsoe as Marty, Devin Sauls as Kenickie, Jarren Tripepi as Roger, Stone Griffin as Doody, Joshua Sanders as Sonny Latierri, Megan Bethea as Miss Lynch, Lael Peterson as Patty Simcox, Evan Barrow as Eugene Florczyk, Presley Smith as Cha-Cha Digregoria, Kyle Ellette as Vince Fontaine and Major Rowell as Johnny Casino and many others. A program will highlight the entire cast.

The two-hour play is directed by Jay High School instructors Bayleigh Upton and Hannah Laney. Upton, a teacher at Jay Elementary School, has been helping the theater department for the last few years. This is Laney's second year teaching language arts and theater. She said the boys usually build most of the set and the girls paint it. Students will be dressed today in 1950's dress to promote the show opening this week.

Laney said they've been working on the production since the first day of school and the COVID pandemic put many restrictions for the first semester, but they got permission to put it on in the spring.

All proceeds will benefit Jay High School theater department for royalties, materials and props for future productions.

Laney said the most challenging aspect of putting on the show was finding enough cast members.

"There are so many lead roles, with all the T-Birds and The Pink Ladies," said Laney. "We needed really special kids to fill these roles. We have FFA kids, band kids, athletes, we have a little bit of everybody."

Laney said they had to work around the students' schedules and practiced at night, on weekends and whenever they could to make it happen. Laney said the school version is a more youth and family-friendly version.

"Our kids have put a lot into this," said Laney. "Grease was something that was challenging. We thought we might have bitten off more than we can chew. But I think that we have nailed it and now we're just so excited."

 
 
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