Columbia High School will continue its once-a-decade tradition of performing “Grease” as its annual musical.
Shows will be Feb. 28 and Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Crystelle Ford Auditorium.
This will be the 42nd CHS musical, and the school previously did “Grease” in 1990, 2000 and 2010.
As per tradition, there are two casts who will each put on the show one night.
Garrett Hillman will play Danny, the lead role made famous by John Travolta, in both productions.
Adriane Arinder takes Olivia Newton John’s place as Sandy as part of the Blue Cast, and Julia Johnson will be Sandy for the Gold Cast.
The rest of the cast includes:
Rizzo: Kennedy Newson (blue) and Olivia Carney (gold)
Kenickie: Jonathan Jimenez (blue) and Brennan Wells (gold)
Doody: Paxton Waters (blue) and Colby Williamson (gold)
Roger: Nic Jones (blue) and Elijah Quinn (gold)
Sonny: Christian Spears (blue) and Cort Stephens (gold)
Jan: Hannah Watts (blue) and Sawyer McDowell (gold)
Marty: Jade Thompson (blue) and Carson Lawley (gold)
Frenchie: Grayce Purvis (blue) and Kayla Hammond (gold)
Eugene: Hunter Cooper (blue) and Oliver Jones (gold)
Patty: Abby King (blue) and Myers Foxworth (gold)
Miss Lynch: Dahnia Sheikh (blue) and Layla Hebert (gold)
Cha-Cha: Kathlynn Davis (blue and gold)
Vince Fontaine: Mr. Thomas Watts (blue and gold)
Johnny Casino: Mr. Mitchell Crawford (blue and gold)
Teen Angel: Mr. Braxton Stowe (blue and gold)
The CHS Grease Dancers will be Elizabeth Knight, Abby Morris, Carley Davis, Joy Magee, Jalaysia Everett, Tana Hobgood, Shania Martin, Amiah Oatis and Leah Nolan.
CHS Choral Director Kim Walley said this week that they're already practicting three times a week. She said the students like "Grease" because they've seen the movie, know the tunes and can relate to its high school themes.
Walley said they'll be performing the school version, which has been cleaned up a little from the original Broadway show.
As always, it's a full community effort to put on the musical.
Walley, Mitchell Crawford and Ellen Hawkins are doing the musical directing, and Connie Ward and Melissa Jordan are leading the drama portion. Stephanie Guidroz is in charge of choreography, and Gail Curtis, who lives in Maryland, came down for the auditions and will be returning to help with the lights and sound, Walley said. Saradel Berry will be contributing the artistic design on the sets. Parents and community members will also be helping with construction and set design.
An interesting twist this year will be three roles played by adults. That includes Walley's assistant, Crawford, as well as CHS Principal Braxton Stowe and Thomas Watts.
Tickets will again be sold online, and Walley said more information about ticket sales will be forthcoming.
