The musical Grease, Directed by Mr. Bush and the Directors Guild, Alyvia Kurth, Alexa PeraltaAstorga, Sarah Tankersley, and Erika Miller, was a phenomenal performance and had been in the works for months. Lately, the theater group has been rapidly growing in both size and talent. One person in particular, Derek Sanchez, who is in three elite groups, played a leading role as Kenickie Murdochall as a sophomore. Many other talented and experienced people helped make this musical one of the best in North Canyon history.
Despite all the nerves, they all knew that they were prepared and that the musical would be amazing. The performance was fantastic, thanks to people like Joseph Sandoval and Alexa Peralta Astorga, playing the leading roles of Danny Zuko and Sandy Dumbrowski, both doing an excellent job. However, one of the most impressive parts of the entire play by a mile was all the songs and choreography that gave everyone a chance to show off everything they practiced, leading role or not. Overall, Grease was an expertly produced and choreographed musical that gave the North Canyon Theater Group a big chance to shine.
The following is an interview between 4 people who had big roles in the play
Has preparing for this play been different than preparing for other plays?
“It’s been different because there are a lot of new people this year and a big change in the way things are run. Grease is something we are all familiar with so you have too disconnect the movie from the show, especially for my character because she is not very “family friendly”. I had to learn new lyrics to one of the songs. I have had to leave rehearsal early because I have had a different workload this year. Additionally people have been more dedicated and prepared this year” – Alyvia
“It’s been very different for me because I didn’t do theater until my junior year and my role is much bigger than any of my previous years. The biggest difference however is the difference in my progression. Detaching my character from the grease everyone knows and the grease that is this play is very hard for me especially since I don’t feel I physically embody her as she is an white blonde very girly girl and I am a Mexican girl and more rugged than Sandy. At the start I didn’t feel like I would be able to do it but after seeing all the work I put in I’m feeling much more confident” – Alexa
“For me specifically yes because this is the first time I am a lead ever. When I saw my name on the cast ballet I couldn’t believe it and had to look closer. Now that we are going through it more and we are getting closer I feel like I can do it. At first I had no confidence because it felt so unreal but as performances and rehearsals went on I felt I could actually be my character” – Joseph
“This is only my second musical, the biggest change is that I’m doing it with different people and all the different experiences that come with, I’m putting my best foot forward and giving my all with singing and acting” – Derek
How do you feel going into the play now that it is only a few days away?
“I’m starting to feel much more confident since we are moving into the auditorium and everyone is getting a lot more prepared and into their characters. The feeling sets in more on show week and show night because I start too realize that we are going too have an audience and everyone needs too be in character. I’m feeling very sad because it’s my senior year and last main stage musical. Other than that feeling ready!” – Alyvia
“I feel emotional in every way. I am very nostalgic and kinda sad because as I am going through the rehearsal all that’s going through my mind is that the seniors I’m doing Newsies with are going too watch me doing their role. And it makes me emotional knowing next year I’m going to be in the same position as the seniors. Overall I’m proud of myself because like I said before I never had the full theater experience, before it was soccer but I got too many injuries. Going into theater I was able to find my thing and it’s something I really want to pursue. I’m ready to go out there and give it my all.” – Alexa
“Right now I am feeling confident. I feel like this is my time too show everyone what I can do. I’ve been working really hard and pushed through everyone who doubted me to be the best I can for the people who believe in me.” – Joseph
“Right now because it’s 4 days away I feel good and I know that the performance is gonna be great but I feel like the day before I’m going to be an lot more nervous but everyone will now what they are doing and it will all come together” – Derek
Why did you pick grease out of any play? What is the history behind it and the significance of it?
“Each year, I choose a show based on the talent pool that we have available – meaning do we have the range of talent needed for the show. I also consider what kind of educational and creative journey I want to take with the students, in contrast to the journeys of the musical in the previous year or years. It also needs to be a show that I enjoy, because I start working on it months before we have auditions and rehearsals. We’re lucky in that we have a large group of talented, dedicated students, so we have a lot of options. We’ve done other versions of Grease in previous years (the most recent was 10 years ago), so this fun-filled, family-friend school version of the show has felt like a new experience for me and the creative team.” – Mr. Bush
How did you feel you did in the play, do you think you did a good performance?
“I felt I did an amazing job and I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to do it with amazing people and an amazing director.” – Joseph
“I feel like I’m satisfied with how the performance went and how smooth we were all able to pull it together by the time it came to show night” – Alyvia
“I feel proud of myself and satisfied with my work” – Alexa
“I feel I did good, not super good but not super bad either. I feel mostly like everyone did well together which is what elevated the whole play” – Derek
What is your favorite part of the play?
“My favorite part was the prom because I was able to dance a lot” – Joseph
“My favorite part was watching Kim and Ross perform mooning because it was my favorite song and they both did well together” – Alyvia
“My favorite part of the play was bows because after “We go together” me and Alyvia gave an look too each other and it was bittersweet because it was last bows for a musical” – Alexa
“All of it was my favorite” – Derek
What part of the play would you consider the highlight of your performance?
“When I sung sandy, I put my feelings into the song and I felt like I was really living” – Joseph
“The Handrive was the highlight of my performance” – Alyvia
“My performance with Hopelessly Devoted” – Alexa
“The dancing scenes were the highlight” – Derek
