Mary Cipperman ‘21:
This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Episcopal’s first production of Grease, which was the first show on its new campus. On April 27th and 28th, The Domino Board will present Grease again, commemorating this milestone in Episcopal’s history and emphasizing universal themes that continue to be relevant to students today.
The show, written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, depicts 1950s working-class culture through the romance of two high schoolers, Sandy Dumbrowski, played by Grace Hennigan ‘19, and Danny Zuko, played by Jacob Viscusi ‘19. Peer pressure, cliques, and struggles to discover true identity threaten to tear their relationship apart.
Although Episcopal’s production adapts the original movie script to balance gender roles, the musical remains the same: it follows each character’s personal journey navigating high school.
Phoebe Barr ‘19, a Domino Board and cast member, explains why they chose the musical. “A big reason was the tenth anniversary. But high school students like the musical Grease and it’s not just the kids who are really into theatre. It’s a universally enjoyed musical.”
Daniel Clay, Theatre Department Chair and director, says that audiences generally find the story relatable. He says, “It’s exciting because I can learn about the teenage experience with the students. They relate to the characters; there isn’t that layer of discovering someone with far-off experiences. We want our audiences to think about some of the dynamics playing out in the musical.”
Clay explains that although the plot seems relativity simple, clique dynamics provide underlying truths. He says, “All these characters are trying to show one personality, but underneath is something else. There’s a lot of pressure in school and at EA. Students try to put on an identity and, being concerned about what peers think, are more careful about how they behave. We can fall into this tendency of constructing a personality.” Will Hopkins ‘21, a participant in the show, cites an example, “There is Danny who tries to fit in with his group, even though he feels like he needs to express who he really is. He has this internal conflict.” Clay builds on this idea, adding that even minor characters, like Marty, played by Brynn Doyle ‘18, and Sonny, played by Josh Wang ‘18, demonstrate this dynamic.
Leana Knight ‘21 adds, “In Grease, everyone felt the need to stick to their social groups and change for other people, even though they really liked that person. The friend groups are defined and exclusive.” Laura Patterson ‘21, on tech crew, adds insight, “If you dress a certain way, you need to act a certain way and be a certain way, which is the negative side of that.”
The Pink Ladies and T-Birds, two distinct social powers, demonstrate this division. Clay explains that the bully-victim dynamic between Rizzo and Sandy happens “all the time.” Barr comments, “Kids should be who they are and not think about stereotypes they should fit into — like being a nerd or a jock. That’s the sort of thing we’re going to go for with the relationship between Danny and Sandy and the characters of the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds.
James Erwin, Music Department Chair and Director of Choral Activities, comments on the positive facade of the teenage condition in the show. The themes and characters drive the universality of the show, but music does as well. “Rock-and-roll was a rebellion from the more complicated bebop jazz of the time. It broke down music into its simplest form — five-note melodies and driving rhythms — and really captured the hopefulness and wild-abandonment of high-schoolers. Grease is a time capsule of that universal youthful exuberance.”
Grease runs on Friday, April 27th and Saturday, April 28th. Clay concludes, “The cast loves this show and we hope the EA community will too.”