Greasers hoppin’ and do-woppin’ at Colony High Feb. 8 to 23

PALMER — “Grease” is the word that you heard. It’s got groove, it’s got feeling and now it’s playing at the Colony High School theatre. Colony drama will present 10 performances of “Grease” from Feb. 8 to 23.

With a cast of 40 students and a multiethnic take on the characters, “Grease” promises to be another top performance from Colony drama. “Grease” is about those magic changes when teens begin to grow out of their childish youth into young adults, complete with all the trials and troubles of being an adult. The story revolves around bad boy greaser Danny and his summertime sweetheart goody two-shoes, Sandy. While Danny must face his more mature feelings for Sandy against his childish need to “e cool among his buddies, Sandy must face that growing up takes some risks.

“This is going to be big,” said director Brian Mead. “We’ve already extended our normal run of six performances for musicals to 10.”

Typically, Colony drama shows perform on Friday and Saturday nights for three weekends, but presale tickets and general hype have led Mead to add two Thursday night performances and Saturday matinees, he said. “We haven’t added performances to a show since ‘Les Mis’ five years ago.”

“Les Miserables” started a little slower than expected, but they had to turn people away at the door by closing night.

“We’re encouraging people to come early to avoid being shut out,” Mead said.

The cast has been promoting the show throughout the Valley.

They created a medley of four top “Grease” songs and have already performed it at a school assembly and at the Machetanz Elementary Sock Hop last Friday night. Wednesday, they performed one more time at North Bowl as hosts of a ’50s bowling night. From 6 to 9 p.m., the “Grease” crew has half of the bowling alley’s lanes for $10 per person, including shoes.

“The people at North Bowl have been really great with their support of us,” Mead said.

“Grease” will be performed Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m., Feb. 8 to 23 in the Colony High School theater. Additional performances are Thursdays, Feb. 14 and 21, and Saturday matinees on Feb. 16 and 23 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $15 adults or $10 students, seniors and military, and are available online at matsuk12.us/CHS.