The Argyle Theater Department’s rendition of Grease, billed as the largest production they have ever attempted, is unexpectedly excellent. In all candor, I walked into the auditorium with my expectations set lower than they should have been. The show had all the markings of being a great success, but the stigma of “high school play” cast a misleading shadow over the final product. However, I am happy to report that nearly every aspect of the show, from the choreography to the acting to the set pieces and production, outshined my preconceived notions about what a high school production should look like. For much of the show’s duration, I forgot I was watching a performance by high schoolers, and I certainly regretted expecting it to adhere to a stereotype.  

Every performer deserves to be lauded for their exceptional work. A large part of what made Grease look so professional and sound so good was the precision with which every musical number was executed. The choreography was uniform and appeared to go off without a hitch – a sign of meticulous practice. It wasn’t just good, it was surprising and inventive. Every song featured an array of high caliber vocals, and the solos were uniquely powerful. Katie Haynes’s rendition of “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” which left the audience breathless, was probably the paramount highlight of the show. Additionally, freshman Avery Winter absolutely killed it with a version of “Beauty School Dropout” that notably received two rounds of applause – once toward the end when the audience mistakenly thought it was over and again at the official end of the set.

The acting also broke through the bounds of the high school archetype. Alex Peters’s Danny Zuko was a worthy tribute to the character played by both John Travolta and Aaron Tveit respectively, while Reign Bach’s Betty Rizzo was every bit as engaging and edgy as one could hope for.

From top to bottom, aside from a few microphone issues that occurred at the beginning of the play and were largely fixed, Grease is a fun, innovative rendition of a classic show that knocks down stereotypes about what one should expect from a high school production. It is important to mention that the highlights mentioned above do not do justice to the seamless and powerful contributions made by every single cast member. The set looked looked terrific, the live band was wonderful, and the actors showed inexorably that the Theater Department deserves much more recognition and celebration than they currently receive. Saturday night at 7:00 PM is your last chance to see the show, and I highly recommend that you take the opportunity.

Update 1/21/17: Due to the overwhelming positive response and feedback, the Theater Department will add a matinee performance of Grease Sunday the 22nd, at 2:30 p.m. All tickets will be $5 and you may purchase them online or at the door.