Grease

The Community Players in Pawtucket kick off their season with "Grease," the fifties-era musical that everybody knows and loves. It's impossible not to be reminded of the 1978 movie phenomenon starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, and while the original 1971 stage version is less popular and hasn't aged as well as the film, this crowd-pleasing production has style, nostalgia and heart.

English teacher Miss Lynch (Sonya Joyner) introduces the seniors of Rydell High School class of 1959, including cheerleader Patty Simcox (Emma Locke), geek Eugene Florczyk (Jose A. Lantigua S.), and the goody two-shoes new girl, Sandy Dumbrowski (Kiki Maples).

But it soon becomes clear Rydell is ruled by the leather-clad T-Birds, Danny Zuko (Ed Benjamin, III), Kenickie (Kenneth Densmore), Sonny (David Ghioni), Roger (Ryan Leverone) and Doody (Chris Margadonna), and their "Pink Ladies" chicks, Betty Rizzo (Bethany Giammarco), Marty (Courtney Contente), Jan (Heather Vieira) and Frenchy (Aubrie Bagdasarian).

Danny and Sandy separately reminisce about the time they spent together on the beach in the show-stopper, "Summer Nights," yet when they meet again, an embarrassed Danny feels pressured to play it cool in front of his boys and dismisses her. Sandy, who has little in common with her new friends, later rejects an apologetic Danny in return. Nevertheless, the two want to be together ("It's Raining on Prom Night" and "Alone at a Drive in Movie") and the audiences knows all along how this story will end.

Select soundtrack favorites created for the film are absent ("You're the One that I Want," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," and the title track), but there are plenty of familiar tunes to feast upon, including "Greased Lightnin," Kenickie's heated, heartfelt tribute to his hot rod, "Beauty School Dropout," sang suavely by Michael Maio's Teen Angel, and Rizzo's unapologetic assertion, "There are Worse Things I Could Do," beautifully delivered by Giammarco.

Kudos, as well, to crooners Margadonna and Leverone for their renditions of "Those Magic Changes," and "Mooning," but the standout highlights of this production are the group numbers (under the superb musical direction of Ron Procopio), starting with "Summer Nights," followed by "We Go Together," leaving the audience wanting more at the end of the first act, and "Born to Hand Jive," where the song and dance energy is festive and infectious.

The cast's enjoyment of the party on stage is genuine, and the audience shares their enthusiasm in this rollicking production.

"Grease" runs through Oct. 25 at Jenks Auditorium, 350 Division Street in Pawtucket. For tickets and information, call 401-726-6860 or visit www.TheCommunityPlayers.org.