{"id":12572,"date":"2014-06-22T17:36:17","date_gmt":"2014-06-23T00:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/?p=12572"},"modified":"2014-07-09T05:28:29","modified_gmt":"2014-07-09T12:28:29","slug":"grease-at-6th-street-playhouse-santa-rosa-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forallevents.com\/reviews\/grease-at-6th-street-playhouse-santa-rosa-ca\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cGrease\u201d at 6th Street Playhouse, Santa Rosa CA"},"content":{"rendered":"

Run Extended Through July 13<\/span><\/h1>\n

Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Members, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle<\/p>\n

Photos by Eric Chazankin<\/em><\/p>\n

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(Back) Kayla Kearney,Trevor Hoffmann (Front) Amanda Pedersen, Anthony Guzman<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0Love That Greasy Kid Stuff<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Comparing 1950s street gangs with the gangs onstage in \u201cGrease\u201d is like comparing a Siberian tiger with Tigger in Winnie the Pooh. One could cause you trouble, the other is harmless and adorable.\u00a0And like Tigger, \u201cGrease\u201d at 6th<\/sup> Street Playhouse is cheerful and full of delightful bounce.<\/p>\n

Chicago composers Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey created \u201cGrease\u201d based on high school life and love in the age of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll. It was first produced in Chicago in 1971 as a play with threatening characters and little music, but found new life on Broadway in 1972 when it was re-written as a full-bore musical. The tiger was tamed; the sharp edges were shaved off and the characters made into a bunch of raunchy, loveable kids. It was a smash hit, with over 3380 performances, garnering several Tony nominations.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrease\u201d tells the story of the budding romance between Danny, the leader of the Burger Palace Boys gang, and \u201cgood girl\u201d Sandy, who\u2019s the new kid in town. Peer pressure exerts itself when they go back to school at the end of summer, especially when Sandy joins the girl-gang Pink Ladies. Sandy\u2019s true love Danny is performed by Anthony Guzman.<\/strong> He takes command of the stage and is at the top of his game. Though he holds back in front of his buddies to maintain his tough-guy image, Guzman ably presents Danny\u2019s softer side.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Kayla Kearney, Trevor Hoffmann<\/p><\/div>\n

Kayla Kearney<\/strong> is Rizzo, the smokin\u2019 leader of the Pink Ladies. Rizzo is street-wise and cracks wise, but Kearney lets her girlish vulnerability show in her relationship with Danny\u2019s buddy Kenickie. Kearney is outstanding in every number, especially two solos, \u201cLook at Me, I\u2019m Sandra Dee\u201d and \u201cThere are Worse Things I Could Do\u201d. Played with nonstop energy by Trevor Hoffmann<\/strong>, Kenickie is all rough edges but very protective of Rizzo. Hoffmann skillfully walks the high-wire between comic and romantic in a superb feature performance.Amanda Pedersen<\/strong> is notable as the wholesome and awkward Sandy. A show-stopping singer, Pedersen really shines and displays her character\u2019s emotions best in the musical numbers, like \u201cHopelessly Devoted to You\u201d. But when Sandy finally decides to let it all hang out and goes from flats to stilettos, she needs to change more than her shoes. Raw, uninhibited energy is needed to take it to the next level, and generate that new blast of explosive chemistry between her and Danny.\u00a0<\/strong>Boy-crazy Marty, one of the Pink Ladies, is played by the consistently remarkable April Krautner<\/strong>. Marty is the kind of girl who keeps a cache of photos and love letters in shoeboxes under her bed, carefully organized and labeled with the names of her many romantic conquests. While performing her pajama party song \u201cFreddy My Love\u201d,\u00a0Krautner manages to sing and chew gum at the same time, a remarkable feat and one of the best numbers in the show.<\/p>\n

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Amanda Pedersen, Anthony Guzman<\/p><\/div>\n

The frisky ensemble players provide excellent support in song and dance, keeping the energy high and the fun non-stop. Staci Arriaga<\/strong> as director\/choreographer does a commendable job staging \u00a0the large cast. The strong opening sequence as groups come onstage one by one to establish their characters, and the little bits of business throughout lend very nice touches. She may have borrowed too much from the film in some places and it would have been nice to see a little more originality, like in the final scene that includes the dazzling number \u201cYou\u2019re the One That I Want\u201d. The choreography worked here but it was safe and could use a little innovation. Fabulous period costumes are by Barb Beatie.<\/strong> Somewhere she found a trunkful of poodle skirts, saddle shoes and Sir Guy shirts and made the show look late-1950s authentic. If you want a sure thing, this is it. You can\u2019t go wrong with this lively, sweet and funny show.<\/p>\n

When: Now through July 13, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

8:00 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday<\/strong><\/p>\n

2:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tickets: $15 to $35 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Location: GK Hardt Theater at 6th<\/sup> Street Playhouse<\/strong><\/p>\n

52 West 6th<\/sup> Street<\/strong>, Santa Rosa CA<\/strong>
\nPhone: 707-523-4185 <\/strong><\/p>\n

Website: <\/strong>www.6thstreetplayhouse.com<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Run Extended Through July 13 Reviewed by Suzanne and Greg Angeo Members, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Photos by Eric Chazankin \u00a0Love That Greasy Kid Stuff Comparing 1950s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-12572","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-greg-suzanne-angeo"},"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":true,"span_bottom":"