Rotorua Lakes High School students have put on their first school production in seven years with the showing of Grease this week. Photo / Supplied
Rotorua Lakes High School students have put on their first school production in seven years with the showing of Grease this week. Photo / Supplied
Review
It’s been a seven-year hiatus, but Rotorua Lakes High School has successfully returned its students to the musical theatre stage.
And if ever there was a reason to drag yourself out on a chilly autumn night, it’s got to be to hear and see the familiar tunes, jokes anddance moves that make up the iconic Grease musical.
The school’s delivery of Grease can only be described as hearty.
A heap of talent has been unearthed in this production and, for some, this will only be the beginning.
From the get-go, you got the sense these teens enjoyed their roles and were having a blast along the way.
There were some 10-out-of-10s for casting - including the hilarious Jenny O’Malley as Miss Lynch, who made herself the main character simply from her hilarious dance moves.
Lillie Warren was a perfect Jan - right down to the Pink Ladies’ jacket worn slightly off her shoulders - and alongside her on-stage love interest, Blake Gillard-Kake as Roger, the pair had the audience in stitches.
Mokia Raethel as T-Bird Kenickie Murdoch deserves a mention for his obvious musicality - taking on a solo singing role in several scenes.
The T-Birds gang from the Grease production as played by Rotorua Lakes High School students. Photo / Supplied
The cast speakers could learn from Year 13 student Oscar Burns, who played Vince Fontaine, for the clear, well-projected way he said his lines, showing his obvious ease in a speech and drama setting.
Paige Mills made a suitably salty Rizzo and I enjoyed the low notes of Jessica Martin as Marty Maraschino whenever she took the mic.
Now on to our lead couple. Year 12 student Grace Gainsford was a natural pick for Sandy Dumbrowski. While borderline shy, the role of Sandy was never meant to be bolshy.
We saw exactly why she was picked when she belted out her upper register notes in the Grease classic, Hopelessly Devoted To You (which is, just quietly, this reviewer’s favourite karaoke number).
But rightfully, the biggest applause of the night was saved for Year 11 student Storm Yorke in the role of Danny Zuko after his solo performance of Sandy.
His vocal ability, tone and attack of his notes put him on another level.
The appreciative audience was forgiving of the scratchy - possibly sulphur-damaged - radio mics that on occasions throughout the show threatened to drown out the lines - but to the students’ credit, they ploughed through without blinking an eye.
The cast numbers were the favourites, namely Greased Lightnin’ and Hand Jive, where you got to scan the stage and see the concentration and dedication put in by every single performer.
A quick mention must be made of the standouts during such items - including the wowing acrobatics of Kristin Conradie as Cha-Cha DiGregorio and the slick and beautiful-to-watch dancing of Charlotte Hodge.
Those after-school, evening and weekend practices have all paid off, and the cast members of Grease can hold their heads high.
The show runs until Saturday night at the Rotorua Lakes High School auditorium. Tickets are at Humanitix and are $25 for adults, $15 for students and $10 for children under 12. A family pass is $60.
Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
