It’s been a long time since greasers ruled the earth as its coolest cats. Ask kids to identify James Dean nowadays and they’ll tell you he was breakfast sausage.
And yet Grease lives eternal, because it’s about so much more than greasers goosing screamers down the LA River and the beautiful women who love them. It’s about friendship. Rebellion. Finding your identity within the unrelenting pressures of society. It’s also inspirational, because it shows that a guy can still get a girlfriend even if he isn’t as handsome, charismatic, or good a dancer as me.
“I know you’d never expect a musical theater kid to be a weird dork during high school. But believe it or not, I was, which meant I grew up thinking I’d never be cool enough to play Danny Zuko in Grease,” said Sam Stoll, who is now playing Danny Zuko in Chanhassen Dinner Theatres’ electrifying production of Grease. “I was afraid of what people might think if they came to the show expecting a heartthrob like Travolta but got me instead.”
Had adolescence dealt Sam a tough hand in the looks department, then he still would have had the talent to land a lead role in Cyrano de Bergerac or The Elephant Man. But wouldn’t you know it? The boy just so happened to turn out alright.
“As I started getting into character, I realized Danny’s kind of a dork, too. All the T-Birds and Pink Ladies are, in their way: each a different high school archetype trying to navigate the same complex social landscape as the rest of us. That’s why they’ve stayed so relatable more than 50 years after the musical’s original debut.
“And do my costars ever do a marvelous job of making them all relatable! One reason I love Grease is that it’s a true ensemble, where every character has their moment. Dayle Theisen is just as wonderful as Sandy as she is in real life. Rush Benson practically flies across the stage as Kenickie. Anna Hashizume gives Rizzo that bite and sass which make her the real main character in so many fans’ eyes. And I’m jealous of Adam Moen, who sings my favorite song in the whole show as Doody (which will be totally new to you if you’ve only ever watched the movie).
“Really, the whole cast perfectly unites to bring this period piece to life. Every element – the musical direction, the set design, the hairstyles, and each costume right down to the last poodle skirt – flows together as a glowing love letter to the era of rock and rockabilly.
“This production owes so much of its authenticity to Michael Brindisi, who grew up in Philly back when guys like Danny were considered the pinnacle of cool, and who once worked on Grease’s national tour … and who we were blessed to call our director until his sudden, tragic passing last February. Michael was a city-wide source of joy, who did so much for actors by championing to secure them not just gigs, but careers. It’s largely thanks to him that my husband Brad and I get to call a neighborhood as beautiful as Eden Prairie our home.
“If you see me driving home from a show in my Prius – with my hair still pommaded into a jelly roll – be sure to wave hello!”
Grease will play at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres until closing night on October 4th. Seats are already filling up fast (like some sort of heavily lubricated atmospheric electrical discharge, no less), so make sure to book your tickets today at ChanhassenDT.com.
"A glowing love letter to the era of rock and rockabilly"