Put on your dancing shoes, slick back your hair and dust off your old bomber jacket because “Grease,” the popular and beloved musical, takes the stage at the Prior Lake High School Auditorium June 16-19. November.
Dylan Berthiaune Kaercher, artistic director of the PLHS Theater Department, said he and the group of high school students are excited to show their performance and rendition of “Grease.”
“We’re super excited for an audience to come and the students are super prepared,” Berthiaune Kaercher said. “The skill sets that they have learned over the last few months are way beyond what we expected. We are happy that parents, family and friends come and see them because sometimes you forget that you watching high school students and not watching professional actors and dancers put on this wonderful musical.”
Berthiaune Kaercher, who started directing at the high school last year, said he’s directed “Grease” a few times and it’s one of his favorite shows to do.
“This is the first show I wanted to produce in high school,” Berthiaune Kaercher said. “I’ve worked at Prior Lake High School for the past six years as a choreographer and then I started directing last year, so this is my first full year as artistic director at PLHS.”
The show is a rock n’ roll celebration of teenage angst, fast cars and first loves – all set in the 1950s. According to the district, the show will be packed with explosive and electrifying choreography as it features dazzling costumes and all the unforgettable songs.
Berthiaune Kaercher added that there is a cast of 40 students in grades 9-12 and an equal number of students working behind the scenes. He said there are 37 students who work in set design, stage management, costumes, props, lighting, sound and publicity. There will also be another eight students who will play live music in the pit orchestra.
“‘Grease’ is just a well-known and beloved musical across the board, and we’ve taken things from the movie, the Broadway show and from ‘Grease: Live’ and taken all of that and put our own spin on it as well, so there’s something for everyone,” said Berthiaune Kaercher. “We auditioned in early September, their first week back at school, and we rehearsed four to five days a week. There are 50s dances and costumes, humor and musical ability.”
