By Hope Bowser
Western Sun staff writer
In our current stress filled nuclear age recession, any opportunity to relive a simpler time is welcome. This sentiment is exactly what led director Martie Ramm to choose “Grease” as Golden West College’s spring musical after a plethora of more serious works.
GWC’s theatre department will be performing the stage musical “Grease,” which differs from the iconic movie adaptation starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. The Broadway play is the 13th longest running show in Broadway history, in part due to its at once provocatively progressive, yet almost innocent dichotomy.
The movie, while based off of the original 1971 show, was cleaned up quite a bit.
But fans of the movie won’t be disappointed – the stage version promises to be more provocative and aggressive with a raunchy look at important issues that faced teenagers at Rydell High in the 1950’s, as well as in the modern era.
In her director notes, Ramm elaborates how “‘Grease’ follows ten working-class kids as they navigate the complexities of love, cars, and drive-ins, while tackling such social issues as teenage pregnancy, gang violence, friendship, teenage rebellion, sexual exploration during adolescence and, to some extent, class consciousness and conflict.”
“Grease” promises to be a night reminiscent of a simpler time long past. A night that, as Ramm describes, “evokes the music of Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley, of Hostess Sno-Balls, Sandra Dee, and the Mickey Mouse Club, … when the worst thing a gang member could do was to outrace a rival’s car…”
Opening night is April 30 with shows running until May 9. Show times are April 30 and May 1, 6, 7, 8 at 7:30 p.m. and May 1, 2, 8, 9 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $20 for general admission, $18 for student/senior/child under 12, and can be purchased online at gwctheater.com, or at the ticket box outside Main Stage Theatre on campus.
