GREASE Comes to Chanhassen Dinner Theatres

GREASE, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres' most popular show, will return to the Main Stage for the first time in eight years. The original Rock ‘n’ Roll musical, GREASE, opens to a week of preview performances from January 31 through February 6, with opening night festivities on Friday, Feb 7. 

A popular favorite, GREASE is also one of CDT’s most requested productions. When it last played, it filled in at nearly 96% capacity. Resident Artistic Director Michael Brindisi has a particular fondness for GREASE as he was cast in the 1977 National Tour in the memorable role of “Kenickie,” touring the country for 56 weeks.

Brindisi and his Production Team will stage the show as it was originally done on Broadway with additional music made popular from the 1978 film, which was included in the more recent Broadway revivals. There will be a greater emphasis on the characters and the simplicity of the era. Brindisi stated, “It’s an affectionate look at high school life in the fifties with the focus on a particular group of teens. In the past it’s been produced as a satire, but we’re attacking this production rooted more in reality – these are real kids.”

GREASE is a super-nostalgic evening chock full of sideburns, jukebox jingles and bobby socks in a day when Rock ‘n’ Roll tunes and putting grease in your hair were among the most important things in life to a teenager. The most popular musical in Rock ‘n’ Roll history is packed with energy, vibrant 1950’s pop culture and unforgettable tunes, including: “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “Beauty School Dropout,” “Grease Is The Word,” “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” “We Go Together,” “You’re The One That I Want” and many more. 

GREASE had its Broadway debut in 1972 and has since triumphed around the globe on acclaimed theatre stages and in countless school productions. At the time that it closed in 1980, GREASE’s 3,388-performance run was the longest in Broadway history (surpassed by A Chorus Line a few years later) and enjoyed two popular Broadway revivals in 1994 and 2007. The 1978 hit film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John proved to be the highest-grossing movie musical ever, until it was surpassed by Mamma Mia! and Wicked.

The exuberant and colorful, GREASE teens are comprised of groovy Burger Palace Boys, sassy Pink Ladies and more: Sam Stoll (Danny Zuko), Dayle Theisen (Sandy Dumbrowski), Anna Hashizume (Betty Rizzo), Rush Benson (Kenickie), KateMarie Andrews (Frenchy), Evan Tyler Wilson (Roger), Suzie Juul (Jan), Angela Steele (Marty), Alan Bach (Sonny Latierri), Renee Guittar (Patty Simcox), Eric Romero (Eugene), Maureen Sherman-Mendez (Cha-Cha Di Gregorio), Kasano Mwanza (Teen Angel), Adam Moen (Doody), Tommy McCarthy (Swing) and Audrey Parker (Swing).  And, a few responsible adults: Kim Kivens (Miss Lynch), Tony Vierling (Johnny Casino), and Michael Gruber (Vince Fontaine), Mark King, Laura Rudolph, Tommy Benson and Cody C. Carlson round out the ensemble.

To post a comment, you must register and login.