Written by orange• June 23, 2025• 3:32 am• Garden Grove, Gem Theater, Musical, Review, Uncategorized

One More Productions Presents: Grease @ The Gem Theatre – Review

photo credit: Ron Lyon Photo

Written by Diana M. Robles

Grease is a story we all know and love. It has a long, successful history on the stage but is more widely known for its box office success in the 1978 film rendition, which has left a fandom hopelessly devoted all these years later.

Little was changed in One More Production’s latest version of Grease. Which was just fine with me and likely most of the audience. The show has gained its long-lasting success through its ability to have Sandy, Danny, and friends captivate audiences over and over again.

You know the story, Danny and Sandy share an amazing summer on the beach. But when she starts attending his school, social expectations get in the way of the once-earnest romance. This lovers to enemies to lovers story is always welcome.

Acting:

The young cast hit all of the marks for the story’s beloved characters, especially the Pink Ladies’ Jan (played by Evie Becerra) and Rizzo (played by Sasha Baker). Trevin Stephenson has a feisty approach to the character of Teen Angel. In his angry, seemingly never-ending, yet fun, rendition of “Beauty School Dropout”, Stephenson managed to get most of the audience out of their seats to intimidate Frenchie back into high school.

Other classics, like Greased Lightnin’ by Kenickie (played by Myles Williamson), the Burger Palace Boys, and Hopelessly Devoted to You by Sandy Dee (played by Alli Gainer), are performed beautifully.

Costumes:

When Grease first took the stage in 1971, it was intended to be both a period piece and a parody of 1950s American film. Wardrobe and hair are extremely important to fully immerse the audience in that era. Alexis Jewell (costume) and Kelly Schlueter (wigs) were all very cutesy and closely matched both the era and what we’re familiar with from the film, aside from Patty and Sandy’s cheer uniforms.

Set:

While it’s a small area, their lifted panels make full use of what they have. The cast would often slide down poles to get from top to bottom. Props, such as bleachers and lunch tables, were used to give us the feeling of Rydell High. Greased Lightnin’, the car that the song’s named after, was very compact, but impressive. In terms of lighting, I really appreciated the use of single spotlights during the shifts between the Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies’ parts in “Summer Nights.”

Entertainment:

One More Production’s version of Grease made for a fun night out. The music, coordinated by Jeff Segal, did the original justice, but made room for their own takes on the tunes. It’s a familiar show with a campy twist (thank you, Teen Angel)