Farmington High School Troupe 381 Presents Grease

Farmington High School Troupe 381 takes us back to Rydell High for a '50s joy ride through one of musical theater's favorite high school love stories. "Grease" runs from March 29th through April 6th at Farmington High School's Spotlight Theater. You're watching the Local News Network, brought to you by Boone's Family Thai Barbecue, and Home2 Suites. I'm Connor Shreve. "Grease" is directed by Farmington High School theater teacher, Dallas Padoven. It features a large ensemble cast of ninth through 12th graders, starring as the iconic teenagers and faculty members of Rydell High.

"Grease" is about a girl who moves to a new school and she fell in love with this boy over the summer. They meet, they realize they're coming to the same school now, and there's high school drama. There's a fight, there's a cool car.

So "Grease" is about a bad boy and a good girl, and they fall in love and they try to be in love together, but their friends kind of get in the way and they have to struggle between love and their social life with their friends.

My favorite has to be the love-hate relationship between Danny and Sandy. And then Danny's starting to change himself to be the perfect guy for Sandy. And then Sandy's figuring everything out about Danny and turning herself into one of the bad chicks of, you know, following Rizzo's line. And it's just, it's a beautiful line and it's just, it's just, it's fun to watch. It's just, the story, it's different than anything you see nowadays.

The drama is just about the same in regular high school as it is in "Grease". And it's very interesting to see how well it is played into a show just like it is in real life. It is set in the 1950s. Of course, being in the 2000s, We have new technology, different style. But if you look back at it, it's all the same. You hang out with your friends. There's nothing really different, even though it's decades apart.

[Connor Shreve} With an aesthetic inspired by the comic books of the era and a large donation of pink paint, FHS's Rydell High showcases a fresh perspective on the classic musical.

We wanted to make "Grease" kind of contemporary, more after the Me Too movement, a little bit more accepting of everybody. And then there's a little bit of different tone that we take in this version to make it more acceptable for everyone to be a part of the high school world that is "Grease". It might be a little bit different than the "Grease" that you are used to, but it still has a very fun message with the same music and stories that you love.

"Grease" is one of my favorite musicals, and so all of the songs are just nostalgic in a way. We have our own jazz band playing in our orchestra pit, so we're going to have live music and just, everybody has put in so much work. I mean, we spent two weeks just practicing on vocals and making sure everything was perfect. I think we sound really good and it's turning out to be a great show.

In addition to developing their skills in performance and technical design, Padoven hopes his students find inspiration and a sense of community in the FHS theater program.

I think the most exciting part about this production here at Farmington High School is just the willingness and readiness of every single student that has come to be a part of this production. To be able to be a part of a group that is so gung-ho, and excited to be a part of something has really brought a breath of fresh air to me and the program itself.

My favorite part about being involved with everybody in Troupe 381 is that I get to meet different personalities that I do get along with, and they bring out the best in me. They bring out my crazy side, my calm side. I've made some really great best friends throughout my years in high school.

It's so cool 'cause the connection's there, the energy's there. There's no awkwardness, we're all connected. We're trying to make this the best "Grease" ever.

Theater, it just uplifts your soul. It makes you happier. People should come see "Grease" if they want to have a good laugh, or if they want to see some amazing actors perform in an amazing musical.

Troupe 391 continues to grow and expand its community outreach in Farmington and the Four Corners area. If you're interested in finding out more about how you can get involved, contact Dallas Padoven at Farmington High School. For more information about this and other stories, visit farmingtonlocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the Local News Network. I'm Connor Shreve.