GREASE IS THE WORD!
Picture the scene… sat at a wedding reception halfway through the night: the dance floor starts to get quieter… the office Christmas Party: everyone a bit worse for wear and the energy of the night starting to dip.. or the school disco: no-one dancing together and needing a musical device that will get everyone on the floor. Just then it kicks in. That all too familiar base line of Summer loving, the voice of John Travolta introducing Greased Lightning then straight into the riff of “You’re The One That I Want” – kids, adults, sober, drunk (the adults I mean!!) EVERYONE knows what’s coming and they are all on the floor and know ALL the moves. The megamix of ALL megamixes…
GREASE IS (still and remains) THE WORD.
Only the macarena, YMCA and Mr Travolta’s ‘other’ arm choreography in Saturday Night Fever can rank with Grease as having universally known moves, now culturally iconic the world over. Who has never howled and belted the end of “those Suuuuummer – niiiiiiiiights!” or could easily quote numerous famous lines from the movie; “one of my diamonds fell in the macaroni..” “tell me about it STUD!”?
GREASE remains as fresh and loved as it was when it first burst onto the stage with a young, fresh faced Richard Gere in the lead role of Danny Zuko not Mr Travolta as the musical started life on the stage long before it was turned into a film version and not the other way around.
Limelight Productions have already once enjoyed a HUGE success with a production of GREASE. Excitement is now building for a new production of the show and that’s what this will be.
From the outset, one must recognise the special elements that have allowed GREASE to stand the test of time and attain its legendary yet timeless status. One factor at the heart of this longevity is it’s familiarity. People know it. They know the songs, they know the story, they know the characters – they know the words! It’s still the one that they want. The people love and want GREASE and it is our job to give it to them – in abundance. This production will feel like stepping into a 50s movie where you can smell the mix of hair gel mixed with malt milkshakes.
Like West Side Story, these ‘kids’ are the first teens to come of age beyond the darkness of two World Wars. They are living their life in colour and America is on top of the world. They are out for fun in a finger snapping world where you have to be too cool for school to fit in.. (not a lot of room for morality tales here!) Although there is plenty to play with in the show there are some things in GREASE that are sacred and can’t be messed around with too much. With GREASE what the audience want, the audience get – and we plan to give them even more of it!
We will use initial workshops to set the scene for our show and explain the parts of the production we intend to really play into and have creative fun with. There are sequences we intend giving a fresh look and new presentation to and promise a few surprise for the audience (and cast) along the way!
GREASE is very energetic both in scenes and in musical numbers. We will use the initial workshops to understand the physicality, pace and rhythm of the show and explore some of the choreography. There is a lot of dancing and everyone will move. As well as a lead cohort of dancers (M&F) a number of the principal characters are also required to dance in featured sections e.g. Danny, Kenickie, Cha Cha and Sandy. Everyone looking to take part in GREASE will need to show us what they’ve got along with superb vocals able to deliver the iconic songs.
Workshops and auditions will help us to find our 2025 company for GREASE before we start rehearsals. Mondays will predominantly be used for principals with the wider company work being covered on a Wednesday. Nearer the time we will hold Sunday rehearsals. We will work to a rehearsal schedule for best use of everyone’s time and to support production planning.
This will be my fourth time working on the show, with each one of the previous productions holding lots of great memories for me. I can’t wait to start working on GREASE with Limelight Productions knowing the incredible cast and creative team we will be assembling to produce the show to packed crowds at the beautiful Alhambra Theatre this October.
It has already been said that we will not place ‘ages’ on performers or characters. Many of the lead characters are teenagers in an American High School in the 1950s. This is a playing age only not at entry requirement! Rizzo in the first West End revival in 1992 was in her thirties and played by Sally Ann Triplett. Shane Richie played Kenickie in the same run and wasn’t 17 neither was Tamzin Outhwaite as Patty Simcox. We want to create a cast and company of convincing characters played by strong and all rounders. Most importantly they will require the right amount of confidence and heighted performance to portray these iconic roles in a musical/at times semi-concert style BIG production.
I am really looking forward to going back to Rydell High and I hope you are too!
Let’s have fun with it.
Kenny Christie
Director & Choreographer
GREASE 2025
The All Important Dates for Your Diaries
– Wednesday, March 19th, from 7:30pm to 9:30pm – Limelight Welcome Night and Singing Workshop …………….. Crossgates British Legion
– Wednesday, March 26th, from 7:30pm to 9:30pm – Limelight Movement Workshop……………………………………..….. Crossgates British Legion
– Saturday, April 5th – Limelight Grease Auditions ………………………………………………………………………………………………. Dunfermline British Legion
– 10am – 12:30pm – Movement and Ensemble Auditions
– 1pm – 5pm – Principal Auditions
– Sunday, April 6th – Limelight Grease Auditions…………………………………………………………………………………………………..Limelight Studio
– 10am – 12:30pm – Movement and Ensemble Auditions
– 1pm – 6pm – Principal Auditions
Anyone wishing to participate requires to attend the movement audition whether auditioning for ensemble or principal parts.
Auditions will be in 10 minute slots.
Participation in the audition day costs £5, payable to Limelight Productions – bank account number 00242684, sort code 83-33-00 (Royal Bank of Scotland). Please use your name as the payment reference.
In addition to the production team, Fiona Mitchell (Production Manager) will also be part of the selection panel. There may also be a member of the Limelight Productions Committee in attendance reading in for other parts.
Rehearsal Information
Rehearsals for the show will take place as follows:
– Company Rehearsals – Wednesday evenings from 7:30pm until 10pm at Limelight Studio.
– Principal Rehearsals – Monday evenings from 7:30pm until 10pm at Crossgates British Legion.
Additional company rehearsals on Sunday afternoons will be scheduled closer to the show.