Summer Lovin': "Grease" at Toby's in Baltimore

◊◊◊ 1/2 out of five. 

Grease, that indestructible force of nature, was at one time the longest running show in Broadway history, is about to be revived for the second time (the current version set to open this summer), is the most popular movie musical of all time, and has even been the subject of a reality TV series.  It is the ultimate crowd-pleaser, and leaves audiences smiling everywhere it goes.  The show, which opened last night at Toby's Dinner Theatre in Baltimore, is no exception – the sold out house roared with approval from start to finish.  But Grease, to me, has always been an enigma.  I always enjoy it as I'm watching it, but always leave thinking I should love it more.  The current local production, directed and choreographed by Mark Minnick, doesn't really change that personal opinion of the show.  But it does offer some great entertainment for these dog days of summer.

But what makes this Grease slick, adult fun is the entirely winning cast.  Without exception, they are all very talented singer-actor-dancers, fully committed to their task and even looking like they are having the time of their lives.  This is no small fete and really translates to all of the joy to be had.  You will, I promise, have a good time in spite of any shortcomings in the script or direction.  It is rock n' roll loud, laugh out loud funny, and even charming, and all of it has to do with the people on the stage. 

The company includes many of Baltimore's best young talents (and my personal favorites), seen regularly on Toby's stages.  Among them is the endlessly talented Tina Marie DeSimone as wise-cracking Rizzo.  Her rendition of one of the greatest show tunes of all time, "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" is thrilling.  Jamie Eacker, as Patty Simcox, shows again that the depths of her abilities are enormous.  I have to admit, this is a Patty I've not seen before – she isn't the annoying goody-goody, but is rather subversively trampy-bitchy.  Under Eacker's guidance this interpretation works and adds a nice layer to the somewhat one-dimensional nature of the character.  The always terrific Kate Williams is funny as the pseudo-trashy Marty, and shows some terrifically subtle vulnerability in "Freddy, My Love." 

 

Matthew Schleigh, one of my all-time favorite local actors, does the absolute best that he can with Kenickie.  But, ultimately, he proves to be the one really miscast actor in the show.  And it isn't really his fault.  He looks the part – youthful, wiry, and pouty in the James Dean kind of way.  But nothing can mask the fact that he sings too well for "Greased Lightnin'", and no amount of macho posturing can erase the fact that he absolutely exudes a sincere wholesomeness.  It was perfect for his stints in Buddy and It's a Wonderful Life, but not so here.  If Toby ever gets around to presenting The Will Rogers Follies, he would be perfect for the title role.  All of that said, my respect for him as a performer remains undiminished.

Jessica Ball (Sandy) might just be the most versatile actress in the Toby's family.  Could this really be the same young woman who cursed her way through The Full Monty, peeing standing up at a urinal, AND who played the sweet Hodel in Fiddler?  Indeed it is, and what a perfect Sandy she is!  This girl is pure, but not sickening, and still completely believable as her more, um, "worldly" self.  She has a great voice and is a terrific dancer.  Most of all she has the perfect chemistry with her Danny – more on him in a bit.  I wonder what she'll do next.  I can't wait to find out!

Finally, of all of Toby's "regulars", I found Matthew Moore to be the most pleasant surprise.  Actually, it was no surprise.  Regular readers may recall my plea for giving this talented kid more stage time in my review of Fiddler on the Roof.  As Roger, the mooning champ of Rydell High, Moore practically bursts with energy and an overall air of the fun silliness that Grease should really be about.  He has finally come into his own as a triple threat.  And, I might add, he is an excellent waiter, too!

  Tamarin K. Lawler (Jan) and Jordan Klein (Sonny) apparently have previous Toby's credits, though I believe this is my first time reviewing either in significant roles.  Ms. Lawler is really good with comic timing and is quite the eater!  I wondered throughout how she continually eats and doesn't get sick when she dances up a storm.  Mr. Klein, save for the poor direction of his unvaried sexual gestures (see below), is a funny addition to the Burger Palace Boys.

 No less than seven young actors are making their Toby's debuts with Grease, and each are assured of long term careers at this venue, I'd bet.  Demargio House is a cool mix of Elvis, Little Richard and a smidge of James Brown as Johnny Casino.  Ben Gibson is at his smarmy, nerdy best as the schleppy Eugene, and Heather Scheeler makes the most of her stage time as Cha-Cha.

 Jasaira Glover is a funny Miss Lynch – starchy and authoritative – with excellent comic timing.  She is also Teen Angel, an inspired bit of double casting.  She belts out "Beauty School Dropout" as a Mahalia Jackson-style gospel singer.  She does not need the hand held microphone she is using, and the director might wish to reconsider its use – it actually diminishes the quality of her vocal prowess.  And though the whole gospel slant doesn't really work, she and the ensemble sell it like lives depend on it.

Jesse Palmer as Frenchy is an exciting little ball of energy.  Whenever she's the focus of a scene, you almost wan t to squirm in your seat, so convincing and endearing her energy is.  She also really seems to have a grasp on what she's saying – she sells lines about Shelley Fabares and other 50's teen idols like she knows them personally.  Brandon Ambrosino as Doody is another real find in this show.  He finds a real balance between the cartoonish aspects of the character as written and a genuine youthful exuberance.  He is both good guy charming and greaser-macho, creating a well-rounded character you can't help but like.  His "Those Magic Changes" is a real highlight of Act One.

Finally, making his Toby's debut as Danny Zuko is the simply amazing Jake Odmark.  Remember his name – he joins an ever-growing list of young talent in Baltimore with a real future.  Mr. Odmark has created a completely original Danny, not a trace of John Travolta here, to be sure.  And that works for him and for the production.  Nowhere is it more apparent why he was cast in the role than when he shares the stage with Miss Ball.  They have charisma and chemistry to spare, and he looks so thrilled to be doing the part you can't help but root for him.  He sings great, without a trace of "Broadway" styling, and really acts the role, bringing both the required broad strokes to the character and the subtle nuances that give his performance subtext to the stage.  He is never better than when he croons the funny "Alone at a Drive-In Movie".  I look forward to seeing this talented guy in the future.

 The live band is, as always quite good, though, as I mentioned both songs from the film version are considerably flat compared to the others.  Not typically, David A. Hopkins' set and lighting designs are not all that attractive.  It looks like it might have been put together from remnants of sets past, though the mounted Burger Palace sign is stylized in a fun way that hints at what might have been an interesting design concept.  The multicolored proscenium, designed, I think, to resemble a jukebox, looks more like stacks of crooked marshmallows.  Also disappointing are Samn Huffer's costume designs.  They are relatively authentic looking, but many are ill-fitting, and others are falling apart. 

Those attending familiar only with the film version will recognize the characters and most of the plot, but may be surprised at the differences.  For better or for worse, Minnick has made changes to the script of the play version aplenty, including adding two songs from the film ("Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "You're the one That I Want") which do up the overall quality of the score, though, surprisingly, both provide the flattest moments of the show, as both songs are clumsily orchestrated and boringly staged.  Scenes have been rearranged, lines altered, and vocal arrangements have been tinkered with.  One wonders why, for example, he uses altered lyrics for "Greased Lightnin'", yet keeps several other expletives and the rather choice "The chicks'll cream", always accompanied, I might add, with pelvic thrusts.  The unaltered lyrics for that song still only got the film a PG rating, while this production might be rated PG-13.  So why change anything?  Mr. Minnick has also kept the original script's scene where the "new" Sandy punches Patty in the eye, which does not seem in keeping with the fundamental girl that Sandy is - the sweet girl Danny fell for to begin with.  In the balance, most of the director's changes are for the better or at least for the familiar, though some only point up the relatively poor quality of the book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.  

As staged by Minnick, he pays homage to the film, including several bits taken right from it – Rizzo laying on the cafeteria table and kicking Sandy off the end during "Summer Nights", much of the choreography from the "Born to Hand-Jive" dance, and even some of the blocking from "You're the One That I Want".  Other places, his choreography is fun if not exactly blazing new trails – "Summer Nights", "Greased Lightnin", "Freddy, My Love" and "Mooning".  And there are a couple of bits that are funny, maybe once, but wear dangerously thin as the night goes on – the lights flash and thunder rolls each and every time someone says "Greased Lightning!", and Sonny (Jordan Klein is not at fault here), the horn ball of the Burger Palace Boys might benefit from a little variety in his feverish dry humping shtick and self-gratification hand gestures.  No wonder he doesn't have a date to the dance.  Ick.  

Still, there are times when the book gets in the way of his other more creative attempts.  For example, the first several scenes move by very smoothly, with an almost cinematic quality.  His use of the ensemble to shift scenery is inspired, giving them a purpose to be there, get the job done and get off stage, then long comes the clunky Vince Fontaine bits – he's the radio DJ who makes announcements between scenes.  They range from the funny and nostalgic (an ad for face cream is spot on) to silly "in jokes", dedicating songs to actual people in the audience and a dopey allusion to Baltimore, getting a hearty laugh from one table while the rest of us feel left out.  Each of these bits actually stop the flow, where the other scene changes kept things going.  It is of much credit to the actor playing Fontaine (Darren McDonnell) that he makes the most of his entire role, and he is pretty funny and always engaging.  It isn't his fault the script stinks.  Ultimately, that is the real root of any problems with Grease (in general, not this production), and probably why it is one of the most continually revised shows done today.

The biggest difference between the stage version and the film, though, is the crudeness of many parts.  There is plenty of appropriate though salty language, several finger gestures, sexual groping, menstrual jokes, dry humping, a mooning and a pregnancy scare.  I say this is "appropriate" because all of it is done with the understanding that these are high school kids bent on saying "F You!" to adult authority, but maybe not something you'd like to have to explain to a youngster, though this might be a great way to introduce "the talk" to your 12 year-old.  (And save the REALLY heavy stuff for a trip to Spring Awakening!)  I sat next to two nine year-old girls and they had plenty to say throughout, from commenting on every deviation from the movie to "I've got 'my friend!' I've got 'my friend'!", which they squealed loudly as we exited after the curtain call.  One can only imagine the ride home for those parents.   

I have always wondered why people think of Grease as wholesome.  Nostalgic for a more innocent time, sure.  But wholesome?  Heck, no.  I mean, one need look no further than that pregnancy scare, where the poor Rizzo is unsure of who the father is. At least she admits they used condoms, which I suppose scores points for moral responsibility in the age of AIDS.  But who is she, chewing out the sweet Sandy for having standards?  Of course this causes Sandy to realize that she needs to be a slut to get a guy to like her.  Interesting message for the future Lindsay Lohans of the world.   

My advice?  Leave the little kids at home and have a fun date night with your spouse or other adult friends!  An awesome dinner buffet AND a talent-filled show for under $50 a person?  You can't beat it!  For sheer value, not to mention incredible talent, Grease is the word at Toby's Baltimore.

 

PHOTOS: By Kristine Christiansen.  TOP to BOTTOM: "You're the One That I Want" – Company; The Pink Ladies – Kate Williams (Marty), Tamarin Lawler (Jan), Tina Marie DeSimone (Rizzo) and Jesse Palmer (Frenchy); "Greased Lightnin'" – Matthew Schleigh (Center) as Kenickie, with The Burger Palace Boys; Jessica Ball as Sandy; Danny Meets Sandy – (L to R) Matthew Moore (Roger), Brandon Ambrosino (Doody), Jake Odmark (Danny), Jessica Ball (Sandy), and Jordan Klein (Sonny); At the Hop – Heather Scheeler as Cha-Cha and Demargio House as Johnny Casino; "Beauty School Drop Out" – Jesse Palmer (Frenchy) and Jasaira Glover (Teen Angel); Jake Odmark as Danny; At the Park - Matthew Moore and Tamarin Lawler; At the Drive-In Movie – Jessica Ball and Jake Odmark.

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