'Grease' is a big winner for students at Offaly school
THE ever popular musical Grease had them rocking in the aisles at St Brendan's Community School, Birr last week as the students once again produced a rousing and riveting performance for their annual show.
This was the 40th musical the school has produced since their initial offering in 1981 and it certainly matched the high standards set by the school over the years. It is the third time they have staged Grease in that time and this production was up there with the best and a very appreciative audience lapped it up.
It was a show packed with energy from start to finish, it featured some wonderful dance sequences, terrific acting and showcased some great singers. By the end the auditorium was buzzing from the energy emanating from the stage as the young cast put everything into a performance that was top quality from start to finish.
Most people are familiar with the story and music from Grease. It is set in an American High School Rydell High in the 1950s as the students return from their Summer holidays. Danny Zuko leader of the T-Birds had a Summer romance with Sandy but it looked like it came to an end at the end of the holidays. However Sandy's family have decided to move and she goes to school at Rydell High not knowing Danny is a student there also. When they meet at school things aren't as sweet as they were during the Summer as Danny bows to peer pressure and turns his back on Sandy to preserve his image as leader of the T-Birds. From there the story unfolds . .
Grease always reminds me of my own Leaving Cert year as that was the year the film hit the cinemas and I remember going to see it with a group of school friends in the local cinema. John Travolta and Olivia Newton John lit up the screen and it seemed a far cry from our own school!
One of the the beauties of performing Grease for a school musical is that the students are playing characters of their own age and it is probably easier for them to associate with those characters. The themes is the show are probably something many of them are experiencing in school every week.
Paul Norton has been directing the musicals at St Brendan's Community School for many years now and he certainly knows how to get the best out of the students. This cast was really spot on, their acting and movement was excellent and there wasn't a blip to be noticed anywhere and they were certainly well tutored by the director.
Musical Director Enda O'Connor is the man who gets the credit for being the driving force behind the school musicals and it is very well deserved. He knows the standard set in the past and ensures there is no slippage from that. Backed by a wonderful orchestra, they create a terrific sound.
Choreography is in the capable hands of Julieanne McNamara and what a terrific job she did. There were some wonderfully slick and eyecatching numbers involving the bulk of the cast, which took a lot of preparation but they were performed excellently. 'We Go Together', 'You're The One That I Want', 'Born to Hand Jive' and 'Greased Lighnin' ' in particularly spring to mind.
The cast was very strong throughout and featured a lot of good acting and some fine singing. One of the features of Grease is that the musical numbers aren't particularly dominated by the main characters and a lot of different characters get to sing solos and that highlighted the depth of singing talent here.
Caelum Larkin played the role of Danny Zuko and he captured the true spirit of the role. He looked the part, he acted well and he displayed a fine singing voice as well. The part of Sandy Dumbrowski was filled by Caitlin O'Neill. Sandy had a more demure nature compared to some of the other extrovert characters and Caitlin displayed that perfectly, before transforming into a different character for the final scenes, in an all round strong performance.
They were backed up by two strong groups in the T-Birds and The Pink Ladies.
The T-Birds are the 'cool dudes' of the school and the boys certainly depicted that, combining very well together. Evan McEvoy was very good as Doody, who always backed out of asking Frenchy out, while Fionn Hassett gave a wholehearted performance as Sonny Latierri and came across very well.
Sebastian Lagace was a confident and assured Kenickie and his performance of Greased Lightnin' was among the show's highlights. Kayode Agboola gave a terrific portrayal of Roger and brought plenty of laughs with his performance, particularly in the fight scene.
Among the French Ladies, Eabha McDowall was excellent as Betty Rizzo. Rizzo is a feisty character and none too impressed with Sandy and Eabha displayed those characteristics well, with good acting skills and a fine singing voice.
Lori Coughlan gave a lovely quirky depiction of Frenchy, who leaves high school to go to Beauty School, and she came across very well. Siofra McDermott was confident and convincing in her role as Marty, while Ava O'Toole was assured in the role of Jan and also acted very well.
There was a terrific performance in the role of Vince Fontaine by Oran Molloy, who really got into the part. His appearances went down very well with the audience.
Margaret McCarthy did a fine job portraying Patty Simcox. Patty is a bit of a goody two shoes (think Jenny Joyce in The Derry Girls) and Margaret played that role to a T. Damian Nowicki played the role of Eugene, probably the school nerd, and he did so with assurance, helped by the 'look' he had for the role.
Rachael Ryan did a convincing job in the role of the teacher Miss Lynch, while Lucy Crowley caught the eye with her performance as Cha-Cha Digregorio for the Jive competition and danced very well. Leo Shannon as Johnny Casino and Caoimhe Keogh as Teen Angel were among those who showed the depth of the singing talent available with strong performances.
The chorus work was excellent throughout and the big stage, which was very well designed, is a huge asset for those big musical numbers.
There were also a huge amount of other people who played their parts in the success of the show, and who didn't feature on stage. They included those working backstage, the people who built and designed the set and those outside helping out with parking and everything else and the number of people listed in the programme shows the extent of that. They are all an important component also in ensuring the show is a success.
And a success it certainly was. It was a hugely entertaining night and everyone went home with the songs of Grease ringing in their ears. After 40 shows St Brendan's Community School is still maintaining the high standards it has set itself and long may that continue.
Cast
Danny Zuko – Caelum Larkin; Sandy Dumbrowski – Caitlin O'Neill; Doody – Evan McEvoy; Sonny Latierri – Fionn Hassett; Betty Rizzo – Eabha McDowall; Kenicke – Sebastian Lagace; Roger – Kayode Agboola; Frenchy – Lori Coughlan; Marty – Siofra McDermott; Jan – Ava O'Toole; Vince Fontaine – Oran Molloy; Miss Lynch – Rachael Ryan; Cha-Cha Digregorio – Lucy Crowley; Patty Simcox – Margaret McCarthy; Eugene – Damian Nowicki; Johnny Casino – Leo Shannon; Teen Angel – Caoimhe Keogh.
Senior Chorus – Lauren Ayres, Lucy Bailey, Ciara Barnett McCann, Jasmine Bennett, Sabrina Camon, Aoibhe Carroll, Avril Conmy, Rian Conway, Sarah Delahunty, Oisin Dolan, Michael Dooley, Eoghan Fallon, Aoibhe Flanagan, Caitlin Fogarty, Emma Gallagher, Moya Guinan, Odhran Hensey, Shanna Hogan, Tom Holmes, Darragh Hoyne, Chloe Hynes, Cillian Hynes, Clodagh J. Loughnane, Conor Kelly, Grace Kelly, Caitlin Kennedy, Sadbh King, Saoirse Liffey, Kate Maher, Linda Mannion, Micheal McAteer, Carmina Mulcahy Viegas, Leah Murray, Kate O'Connor, Eabha O'Hare, Caleb O'Meara, Eleanor O'Meara, Toby Pardy, James Purcell, Harry Reynolds, Hannah Robinson, Hannah Ryan, Matthew Ryan, Oksana Shpuryk, Jack Smyth, Leah Smyth, Aoife Stokes, Ace Thekkan, Ella Thompson, Barry Tierney, Sorcha Tierney, Rhiannon Treacy.
Junior Chorus – Katelyn Canham, Sara D'Arcy, Isobel de Forge, Emma Forster, Millie Grennan, Cathy Harding, Rachel Hoare, Kate O'Brien, Eleanor O'Keeffe, Beatrix O'Neill, Ruby Oakley, Eve Pey, Keela Ryan, Katelyn Spillane, Ella Stokes.
Production Credits
Director - Mr P. Norton; Musical Director - Mr E. O'Connor; Choreographer - Ms J. McNamara; Assistant Musical Director - Ms V. Greer; Production Co-Ordinator - Mr E. O'Connor, Production Assistants – Ms R. Corboy, Ms A O'Hara.