Originally published on Daily Citizen – July 18th, 2024
Students from seven area middle schools have been working together this summer and will hit the stage Thursday in the Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre production of “Grease.”
“Definitely come see the show,” said Amy Friedl, who directs the production. “We have 45 kids from seven different schools who have come together to be part of this production. We have a production team made entirely of teenagers who are working together to bring up the next generation. It is middle school energy just like people want to see it.”
Deanna Feil was one of the teens who helped with the show’s choreography.
“Most of the dances we came up with ourselves,” Feil said. “There are a couple of moves that people will probably recognize from the movie or the musical, especially in ‘Greased Lightnin’.’”
Feil said they tried to stay true to the period of the show and give the dances a 1950s feel.
Morgan Dejager, who worked on creating the costumes from clothes available at the theater, said her favorite costume is the one worn by the Frankie Avalon character in the “Beauty School Dropout” scene.
“He has a matching leather scarf with Frenchy for the song,” Dejager said.
While many of the items were chosen from supplies in the theater, Dejager said the Pink Ladies jackets were ordered special for the show.
The students are from Beaver Dam Middle School, St. Katharine Drexel School in Beaver Dam, St. Stephens Lutheran School in Beaver Dam, St. John’s School in Mayville, Prairie View in Sun Prairie, Riverside Middle School in Watertown and Wisconsin Virtual Academy.
Ensemble member Mala Prudent said she has done theater most of her life.
“It is like a part of me,” Prudent said.
Working with students from other schools, Prudent said, she has learned there are different types of other acting, but they have learned to blend those together for the show.
The show will be performed in the Kamps Auditorium of the BDACT Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $5 for youths ages 12 and younger, and $10 for adults.
Tickets can be purchased on the BDACT website at bdact.org/grease.
To learn more about Wisconsin Virtual Academy please visit, https://wiva.k12.com/.
