‘Grease’ revived by Cabrillo





RETRO GROOVE—From left, Natalie MacDonald, Barry Pearl, Katherine Malak, Harley Jay and Michael Cusimano rev up the nostalgia in Cabrillo Music Theatre’s “Grease” at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

RETRO GROOVE—From left, Natalie MacDonald, Barry Pearl, Katherine Malak, Harley Jay and Michael Cusimano rev up the nostalgia in Cabrillo Music Theatre’s “Grease” at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

In perfecting her stage role as an affably ditzy, temporarily pinkhaired high school student named Frenchy, Thousand Oaks resident Tessa Grady has become a bubblegum aficionado.

“Hubba Bubba is the ultimate bubble-blowing gum,” she said with authority. “During one song, I have to blow a big enough bubble to have it pop onto my face. . . . It’s difficult but so funny.”

Through April 21, the 19-yearold actress will be onstage in the Cabrillo Music Theatre’s firstever production of “Grease” at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

At one time the longest-running Broadway musical in history, the 1950s-era tale follows a good girl named Sandy and a renegade named Danny as they try to reignite their summer romance while maintaining their very different images.

“We’re going back to the classic ‘Grease,’” said Lewis Wilkenfeld,

Cabrillo’s artistic director. “Before the movie, before the revivals, this is what caught audiences by surprise and took their breath away.”

Don’t expect a carbon copy of the film, Wilkenfeld said.

The show has songs that are not in the movie and vice versa.

“This is the show that launched the movie,” Wilkenfeld said. “These songs have more of a real rock-and-roll edge to them . . . it’s really cool.”

At the production’s helm are two “Grease” alumni, Barry Pearl and Kelly Ward.

In the smash hit 1978 film adaptation starring Olivia Newton- John and John Travolta, Pearl, who is directing the Cabrillo production, played Doody and Ward, the choreographer, played Putzie. Both characters were members of the T-Birds, Danny’s gang of greasers.

Adrian Zmed, a veteran of the original “Grease” on Broadway and of the film “Grease 2,” will play the teen angel during the song “Beauty School Dropout.”

The show’s cast features talented actors and actresses from the Conejo Valley and beyond.

A former student of the Young Artists’ Ensemble, Cabrillo’s acting school, Simi Valley resident Natalie MacDonald will play the part of Sandy, the sweet but honest newcomer who steals the heart of Danny Zuko, the rowdy but wellmeaning greaser.

Enjoying every minute of her first professional production, the 21-year-old actress said she is honored to be working with Pearl and Ward.

“I’m on cloud nine,” she said. “They know exactly how each scene should be done and how each line should be said. We’re getting fantastic input to make this show exactly what it should be.”

MacDonald said the cast’s onstage banter makes the show worthwhile.

“Everyone is hilarious,” she said. “You have the girls who are catty and the boys are raucous. They’re throwing comebacks at each other but at the same time, they’re all comrades.”

MacDonald said she is most looking forward to letting her hair down in the play’s closing number, “All Choked Up.”

“It’s the alternative to the movie’s ‘You’re the One That I Want,’” she said. “It’s this gritty rock ’n’ roll song where I get to rock out.”

Francesca Barletta, Another Young Artists’ Ensemble alumna, will play the role of Cha-Cha.

“In the movie she was kind of a sex bomb and was a very good dancer,” said the 19-year-old Thousand Oaks resident. “But in the musical, the guys call her a gorilla. She’s pretty tacky and has no manners.”

Barletta said the show is a can’t-miss event.

“Everyone in our show is so extremely talented,” she said. “There are a lot of great moments where the audience will be buckling over in laughter.”

Grady, who’s stocking up on her bubble-gum brand of choice, said she looks forward to seeing everything come together.

“On opening night, every piece of the puzzle is in place,” she said. “The lights, the costumes, the wigs . . . with everyone completely dedicated, you are all of a sudden immersed into the world that you can’t get as close to in rehearsals. It pushes the show to a whole new level.”

Recommended for audiences ages 12 and older, performances are Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. A signed performance for the deaf and hardof hearing will be Fri., April 19.

Tickets may be purchased at the Civic Arts Plaza box office at 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., through any Ticketmaster location, or by phone at (800) 745-3000.

For groups of 10 or more, call Cabrillo Music Theatre at (805) 497-8613. Ticket prices are $30 to $65. For ticket and theatre information, call (805) 449-2787.


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