Written by orange• October 19, 2024• 12:05 am• Costa Mesa, Musical, Review, Uncategorized, Vanguard Uni

Grease @ Vanguard University – Review

Photo credit: Natalia Elizalde

Written by Patrick Chavis

Grease the Musical is now playing at Vanguard University from October 17 to November 3, 2024.

Vanguard University’s Grease is well-staged, with some nods to the iconic film, absorbing video inserts, and choreography. Grease, a play that originally came out in the early 1970s, has undergone plenty of alterations over the years, but it’s debatable whether it has maintained its goal of highlighting 1950s greaser, teenage culture.

The musical follows Danny Zuko (Matthew Barge), a greaser and a ladies’ man who plays by his own rules until he meets Sandy Dombrowski (Leilani Munck). She is, by all appearances, his exact opposite — a preppy, good girl who barely has a drink of alcohol. However, these love things happen. I couldn’t tell you how they happen. I’m pretty sure I got lucky on that front.

These two opposites meet over the summer and hit it off. Unbeknownst to both of them, Sandy enrolls in the same high school as Zuko and discovers a different side of him when he’s around his social circle at school, which makes her question their relationship. Will love blossom between these two, or are their differences too much? This and more in Grease the Musical.

As far as boy-meets-girl musicals go, Grease has a lot of charm and style. It’s incredibly distinctive, one of those shows that helps define a specific time and place. At the same time, I struggle with some of the messaging in this musical. It appears to be saying we need to conform to others’ standards to fit in. Once you conform, you’ll fit in and get to do a fun dance at the end.

While peer pressure is not a great reason to try and change who you are, it is something that happens in high school. It’s a real thing. However, this show doesn’t highlight how bad this can be because that’s not what Grease is about. The other message about compromise in a relationship is apt. As we watch, we see both try to be a little more like the other person. This show may be a little greasy in the message department, but so is life, sometimes.

It is a small space on the Ed & Dixie Arnold Stage. Still, the actors move smoothly on the dance floor. The choreography from Hannah Simmons and Susan K. Berkompas incorporates some of the dances of the era, and these students can move like nobody’s business.

Acting:

Kendra Barnhart plays Rizzo. You might call her the girl version of Zuko in some ways. She’s the tough leader of the Pink Ladies. Barnhart fits this role like a glove, and her singing is lovely. A highlight from Barnhart definitely is “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee.” Her singing perfectly matches the song’s attitude.

While Frenchy is a minor role, there’s nothing minor about Chrastina’s performance as Frenchy, the beauty school dropout. She captures the bubbly and optimistic essence of the character in her performance and, most importantly, that high-pitched, grating voice.

With bright blonde hair and curls to boot, Leilani Munck, wholly embraces the part of Sandy and leaves a memorable impression. Her performance of “Hopelessly Devoted To You” was outstanding!

Lastly, Isaac Yescas (Doody) is electric in “Those Magic Changes.”

There are some strong standout vocalists, with minor inconsistencies, but not enough to hamper the sound direction from Susan K. Berkompas.