Photo Flash: GREASE Opens May 9 At GP Theatre

The all-American ‘50s musical Grease, Grosse Pointe Theatre's last show of the season, opens Sunday, May 9th with a 2:00 p.m. matinee. Additional performances are May 13-15 at 8:00 p.m., May 16 at 2:00 p.m., May 19-22 at 8:00 p.m. and May 23 .4:00 p.m. Tickets are $22.00. Call 313-881-4004 or go to www.gpt.org for tickets or more information. Some discounts and group rates may be available. Advanced ticket purchase is advised since tickets are going fast for this popular show. Availability of seats on performance nights may be limited or non-existent.

Grease will be performed in the Grosse Pointe War Memorial's Fries Auditorium, 32 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236.

Relive teen life in this rollicking musical, based on the subculture of Rydell High School in the 1950s. Greaser Danny Zuko is leader of the duck-tailed, hot-rodding T-Birds, who romance their female equivalents, the gum-snapping, hip-shaking Pink Ladies. When "good girl" Sandy Dumbrowski arrives on the scene, the Pink Ladies take her under their collective wing. Sandy is still lovelorn over her summer affair with Danny, then she bumps into him at school and the romance is reignited. Meet the whole crew of guys and chicks (Rizzo, Frenchy, Marty, Doody, Jan, Kenickie, Sonny and Cha-Cha) as they sing and dance to the Broadway and film hits that make this high voltage rock and roll musical a blockbuster.

Grease credits include book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and WarRen Casey with additional music from the film by Barry Gibb, John Farrar, Scott Simon and Louis St. Louis.

Grosse Pointe Theatre is proud to introduce several up-and-coming young actors from throughout the Metro Detroit area, along with many experienced actors. The cast includes Luke Rose of Harrison Township as Danny Zuko, Stephanie Rinderknecht of Grosse Pointe Woods as Sandy Dumbrowski, Danielle Caralis of Grosse Pointe Shores as Betty Rizzo, Rebekah Tiefenbach of St. Clair Shores as Frenchy, Kristin Schultes of Grosse Pointe Park as Marty, Janine Lozon of St. Clair Shores as Jan, Dante Bufalini of Grosse Pointe as Kenicke, Dan Clair of Canton as Doody, F. Scott Davis of Birmingham as Roger, Matt Listrom of Clinton Township as Sonny LaTierri, Emma Kruse of Grosse Pointe as Patty Simcox, Rob Weber of Grosse Pointe Farms as Eugene Florczyk, Michele Karl of St. Clair Shores as Miss Lynch, Dennis Martell of Livonia as Vince Fontaine, Nate Cedroni of Chesterfield Twp. as Teen Angel; Melissa Schroeder of Sterling Heights as Cha-cha/Gertrude, Joanna DelPaz of Macomb as Jean, Angelica Baker and Josiah Baker of Eastpointe as Margaret and Gerald, Kevin Fitzhenry of Warren as James and Brendan Marshall of Harper Woods as Gordon.

The sparkling cast of Grease is directed and choreographed by Timothy P. Higgins of Birmingham, with musical and vocal direction by Marie Reinman, of Grosse Pointe Farms. Two St. Clair shores residents include Lois Bendler, who designed the set, and Dennis McGiness who is the show's technical director.

Theatre goers can enhance their outings by taking advantage of the Grosse Pointe War Memorial's theatre buffets held in the Fries Crystal Ballroom overlooking beautiful Lake St. Clair. Tickets for the buffets are sold by the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. Call 313-881-7511.

Grosse Pointe Theatre, a community theatre founded in 1947, has a tradition of great entertainment and high production values. Membership in Grosse Pointe Theatre is open to all persons, age 18 and above who have an interest in theatre. Call 313-881-4004 or visit the web site at www.gpt.org for more information.

Photo credit: Larry Peplin

Rebekah Tiefenbach, Matt Listrom, Janine Lozon, Kristin Schultes, Dante Bufalini, Dan Clair, Stephanie Rinderknecht, and Luke Rose.

 Josiah Baker, Brendan Marshall, Michele Karl, Joanna DelPaz, Angelica Baker, Matt Listrom, Stephanie Rinderknecht, Rebekah Tiefenbach, Dan Clair, Emma Kruse, Kevin Fitzhenry, Janine Lozon, Dante Bufalini, Luke Rose, and Kristin Schultes.

Luke Rose and Stephanie Rinderknecht