Smooth performance

Suzie Harrison

It’s 1959 at Rydell High where letter sweaters, leather jackets,

poodle skirts and saddle shoes are hip to boys coifed with ducktails

and girls’ bopping in ponytails.

“Grease” is making its way back to the stage with the help of the

Junior Park Avenue Players this weekend.

“The reason we chose to do ‘Grease’ is that it’s very musical,”

drama teacher and director Mark Dressler said. “It has catchy songs,

colorful characters and great costumes.”

Dressler said, as trite as the story is, it relates students to

the ‘50s.

“It connects them to a piece of American history,” Dressler said.

Both third and fourth period advanced drama classes will be doing

individual productions in the new state-of-the-art Black Box Theater

at Thurston Middle School.

“The theater will be used as it was designed to be used. It will

be a fully customized, magnificent show,” Dressler said.

Sophia Tupy, 12 plays one of the pink ladies, Marty.

“They’re a gang of girls, five of them,” Sophia said. “They are

the popular clique and they know it.”

As for her character, she’s a bit devious.

“Marty is a liar,” Sophia said. “She makes boys think that she

likes them, but she doesn’t. She just likes getting presents.”

The production has been cleaned up a bit to suit the audience.

“Our version, they are good,” Sophia said. “In the real version,

they are really bad and smoke and drink. I think it’s important to do

the ‘school version.’ A lot of kids come to the show. We don’t want a

message to smoke and drink because it’s not good to do that.”

Erika Tang, 14, is playing Sandy, the female lead.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s really fun,” Erika said. “My

character drastically changes. In the beginning she’s a very sweet

and innocent girl, then she becomes a very bad girl. It’s definitely

two different worlds.”

Austin Giangeruso, 12, is the lead male character, Danny.

“Danny is trying to be the leader in the pack, but he’s falling

for Sandy and changing his ways to make her happy.

“My favorite part of the play is the very last scene,” Austin

said. “I changed for Sandy and she changed for me.”

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. today; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday

and Sunday at 2100 Park Ave. Tickets are $8 for students and $10

adults. For information, call (949) 497-7769.