Colony students charged up to perform ‘Grease’

PALMER — It’s soundcheck time Monday and as Brian Mead works the dials on the soundboard, actors on the Colony High School stage can’t contain themselves.

One kid’s soundcheck rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” elicits stomps and dance moves. Another tests her mic with “Ain’t no Mountain High Enough” and gets her classmates clapping in unison, hands swinging wide and up over their heads like a gospel tent revival.

Enthusiasm is apparently not in short supply around here. These kids are performing “Grease” and they clearly love it.

Enthusiasm aside, opening night is Friday. Are they prepared?

“We need two more weeks,” Mead jokes. “We always need two more weeks.”

In addition to enthusiasm, Mead said he’s got a standout cast. In fact, the kids are so good he had trouble picking some to name.

Of course the leads, he said, are great. D.J. Mutini is playing Danny and Denali Thomas has the role of Sandra Dee.

“She is such a dynamic actress. I would cast her in anything we have,” Mead said. And Mutini? “He’s so talented and he just has stage presence.”

And then there’s Thomas Soto, who plays Sonny and Mead described as “pretty amazing.”

The lead pianist has to skip a couple of the shows, Mead said, and Soto plans to fill in on those nights, ducking back stage to play piano parts. They happen to come at times when Sonny isn’t on stage.

Oh, and don’t forget Kenickie, whose character wants to build a hot rod and call it Grease Lightning. At Colony, Erik Miller is playing that role. He has been in stage productions outside of school and in Anchorage.

“He wants to do this for a living and he does a lot of theater,” Mead said.

Speaking of being on stage — the Colony stage is apparently unable to contain the performance. Opening scenes were done in the aisles with kids moving in from the wings and then down from the doors at the back of the theater.

“It’s extremely high-energy and I really have to give credit to Kristy Johnston,” Mead said.

Johnston teaches physical education, aerobics, dance and tumbling. She did the choreography for “Grease.” A couple days ago, Mead said, Johnston was watching YouTube videos of other high school productions of “Grease.”

“Those other productions, they don’t do much. Are we doing too much?” Mead recalls her asking.

“That’s what sets us apart,” he told her.

Mead said a musical can be a lot more work than your standard stage production. The first two weeks are for learning the songs, the next two for the dances. The staging comes after that.

Mead said he put the choice of which musical Colony would do to a vote and “Grease” was the winner.

“The kids voted this over ‘Phantom of the Opera,’” he said.

What: Grease

Where: Colony High School

When: 7 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Feb. 8-13 with Saturday matinees Feb. 16 and 23 at 2 p.m.

Cost: $10 students, $15 adults