We're hearing it all over the South Sound these days: "We're gonna bring you a season of the classics!" As one troupe after another announces its 2011-2012 schedule, that cry of fiscal desperation, always delivered by the house manager with insincere enthusiasm, is ominous music to a theater critic's ears. Board logic insists people only come to material they know. Comparing the houses of Sweeney Todd and the newer, more obscure Proof in Tacoma lends support to this dictum. I haven't seen Sweeney Todd; it might be great. What I know is, lighting issues aside, Proof's a well-acted show that deserves to be seen. But choosing a season from the few dozen straight plays and musicals known to every American brings definite risks, all of which haunt Paradise Theatre's production of Grease.
The problem isn't Stephen Anastasia (Danny Zuko), known to Capital Playhouse fans as one of the most reliable stage performers in Oly. He's a strong singer and acrobatic dancer. Sara Claflin (Frenchy), Thomas Haley (Johnny Casino/Teen Angel) and Brittany Johnson (Rizzo) find moments on stage. But the show never takes off, and some of it is comically weak.
The thing is: It's not entirely their fault.
As I write this, my wife is listening to a CD of the most recent Broadway revival. It's pretty obnoxious (Rosie O'Donnell was stunt cast as Rizzo)-yet it's light-years better than what we saw Saturday night. The four-person combo at Paradise can't compete. I reviewed Grease a year ago at South Puget Sound Community College, and that production was better, as was a high school production I saw in rural Oklahoma. And all those productions vie with a movie we know chapter and verse. Paradise responds by quoting it verbatim, especially Vicki Richards' choreography. But these folks aren't dancers, so we're left with a homage that stomps around the stage like a circus parade. Meanwhile, the cast honks through uneven New York accents (Rydell's based on a school in Chicago), there are sound and articulation issues throughout, and the hazing scene comes off like a prison rape.
An unbiased potential patron can't help but ask, "Should I go see the live version, or rent the movie again on Netflix?" I'm not Sun Tzu, local theaters, but if you can't answer that question satisfactorily, then it might be wiser to wage wars you have a chance of winning.
[Paradise Theatre, Grease, $10-$22, 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday through July 3, 9911 Burnham Dr. NW, Gig Harbor, 253.851.7529]
Comments for "Not exactly “Greased Lightnin’”" (1)
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Cassidy said on Jun. 25, 2011 at 11:31pm
I disagree. I saw this show the first Saturday and it was the best version of Grease I've seen in my life. (out of 3). The actors were great, dancing was awesome, and singing was phenomenal. In my opinion you are not qualified to review theatre and I'm sure many others feel the same way I do. They went from doing WSS to having to re-cast the whole show and less time to rehearse. To anyone in the cast of "Grease" who read this so called "review" just know, you had a great show and this "critic" is out of his mind. I plan to see the show again!
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