More than 50 amateur musical theater enthusiasts have dusted off their leather jackets, slicked back their hair, tuned up their voices, and put on their dancin' shoes to star in Victory Gardens Theater's Casting Auction production of "Grease." Performances are two nights only: Friday, Feb. 20, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m., at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. Tickets are $35. For tickets and information, call the Victory Gardens box office, (773) 871-3000.
This production of the quintessential 1950s Rock and Roll musical stars a quasi-talented, all-ages cast of lawyers, doctors, small business owners, educators, company presidents, retirees, and kids. Each was the high bidder at Victory Gardens' 22nd Annual Casting Auction last November, at which celebrity auctioneer Aaron Freeman helped sell the show's leading, supporting and backstage roles, raising $53,000 to support Victory Gardens' mission of bringing new work to the stage.
Since then, Artistic Director Dennis Zacek, with choreographer Suzanne Thompson, assisted by Beki Snyder, and musical director Jack Short, have overseen intense evening and weekend rehearsals, coaching the cast towards their 15 minutes of fame, a fabulous time, and the thrill of performing in "Grease."
"Grease," with music, lyrics and book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey (one of the founders of Victory Gardens), was originally staged as a five-hour amateur production in 1971 in a Chicago trolley barn. The show took a satirical look at the dress, manners, morals, and music of teenagers of the 1950s. The plot revolves around the on-off relationship between Rydell High's number one greaser Danny Zuko and the virtuous Sandy Dumbrowski. The story is anchored by terrific, sing-along tunes, including "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightning," and "Beauty School Dropout."
Of course, talent wasn't all that was required to win a part in Victory Gardens' all-amateur production. Cast members competed with their checkbooks against more than 100 other Victory Gardens supporters who gathered at the theater's 22nd Annual Casting Auction fund-raiser last November. Principal cast members include Diane Brady of Glenview as Sandy; Suzanne Mahoney of Lake Forest as Rizzo; Steve Miller of downtown Chicago, whose top bid on Nov. 7 won him the role of Danny; Shari Goldman of Ravenswood as Frenchy; Chana Zelig of Uptown as ChaCha; Ron Feinstein of River West as Eugene; and Nancy Breseke of Old Town as Miss Lynch.
Also going on stage Feb. 20 and 21 are Victory Gardens board members and Co-Chairs of Victory Gardens' 2003/04 Casting Auction: Stuart Burstein, President, Burstein Associates, Inc., and a resident of Lincoln Park, as Teen Angel; Lew Karp, a community leader and resident of Streeterville, as Sonny; and Lincoln Park resident Dr. Fred A. Zar, MD, FACP, Professor of Medicine University of Illinois at Chicago, and Chief of In-Patient Medical Services, University of Illinois Hospital, as Kenicki.
Proceeds from the Feb. 20 and 21 performances will benefit Victory Gardens, recipient of the 2001 Tony Award for Regional Theatre for "displaying a continuous level of artistic achievement contributing to the growth of theater nationally." For more information on Victory Gardens Theater, visit victorygardens.org.
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