Review: BEAR GREASE Electrifies Edmonton

When Bear Grease premiered at the 2021 Edmonton International Fringe Festival, its tickets sold out in just 15 minutes. This staggering success paved the way not only for future runs in Edmonton but tours through Canada and the United States. Now, in 2024, Bear Grease returns home, this time playing at The Citadel’s Shoctor Theatre. 

An Indigenous re-imagining of the 1971 Broadway blockbuster, Grease, the production takes place in an alternate universe unscathed by colonialism. Tipis adorn the lawn of Louis Riel High School, diabetes and drugs are nonexistent, and there is nary a white person in sight. Sparks fly when bad boy Danny (Bryce Morin) and goody-two-shoes Sandy (Melody McArthur) meet at the annual summer powwow. They lose touch only to cross paths weeks later on the first day of school. Danny’s friends tease him for crushing on the timid new girl while Sandy’s newfound clique, The Pink Aunties, are in disbelief. However, it’s undeniable that Danny and Sandy do, in fact, go together. 

There is much to love about Bear Grease: the cast is stellar, the choreography is top-notch, and the costumes are eye-catching. Danny and his pals- all of whom share the last name, Cardinal- are a hoot, especially during the showstopper Bear Grease Lightning. Other standout moments include Pink Auntie Marty’s (Teneil Whiskeyjack’s) intricate solo dance number and and Brusha, a goofy ensemble number led by fellow Pink Auntie, Jan (Skylene Gladue, a.k.a. Nipîy Iskwew). The minimal set design features a towering video screen backdrop conveying scenes from a 1950s diner to Rezzo’s (Tammy Rae’s) boho chic bedroom. The costumes range from glittery dresses to slick black leather jackets to traditional Indigenous attire such as Sandy’s sunset-coloured ribbon skirt. 

Bear Grease is an unforgettable joyride, albeit with some bumps in the road. The cast performs classics including Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow and Twilight Time, and the show’s creators, husband and wife Henry Cloud Andrade and Crystle Lightning, take the stage. While entertaining, Cloud Andrade’s freestyle rap number (much like the preceding performances and videos), feel like padding instead of part of the show’s narrative. Though it contains the key elements of Grease- Danny and Sandy’s romance, quirky friends, and plenty of teen angst- Bear Grease doesn’t explore the obstacles facing Danny and Sandy’s relationship. Despite being polar opposites- a greaser and a shy girl-, Danny and Sandy experience very little opposition or ridicule from their respective friend groups. Also missing from Bear Grease is the romance between Danny’s best pal Canuckie (Rodney Mcleod) and Rezzo.  

Despite its flaws, Bear Grease is still great entertainment and a wonderful ode to Indigenous culture. The cast and directors’ joy is palpable, as is the audience’s excitement. After the opening night’s curtain call, this bliss only heightened upon Lightning’s announcement of Bear Grease’s shiny new Off-Broadway deal- which was just secured earlier that day.  

Edmonton audiences only have until October 27 to catch this electrifying production! 

Photo by Nanc Price for The Citadel Theatre’s production of Bear Grease (2024). A LightningCloud production. Featuring the Cast of Bear Grease. 

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