Production of

Grease is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals Company. www.concordtheatricals.com

JIM JACOBS (Book, Music and Lyrics). Jacobs, who created Grease (in 1970) with Warren Casey, was born and raised on the mean streets of Chicago’s far northwest side. During the golden era of rock ‘n’ roll (1956-1960) he was a guitar-playing “greaser” student at Taft High School. In 1963, Jacobs met Warren Casey when they were both cast in a local theatre production of A Shot in the Dark. Seven years later they wrote what was to become one of the greatest musicals of all time. Grease opened in 1971 in a former trolley barn called the Kingston Mines Theatre in Chicago. A year later, Grease made it to Broadway and “Greasemania” took off, resulting in one of the longest running shows in Broadway history. 

The 1978 movie became and remains the highest grossing movie musical of all time. Originally an actor, Jacobs has been seen on television, in motion pictures, regional theatre, national tours, and on Broadway. He is the co-author of several other plays and musicals including Island of Lost Coeds, a musical spoof of the low budget sci-fi/horror/jungle movies of the 1950s, which he wrote with Warren Casey. In May 2014, Mr. Jacobs was presented with an honorary doctorate degree from Columbia College in Chicago. He currently resides in Southern California and remains active in the theatre, especially with the American Theatre Company of Chicago.

WARREN CASEY (Author, Composer and Lyricist) was born in Yonkers, New York, and attended Syracuse University. During the late ‘50s, he learned all about “greasers” while working as an art teacher in upstate New York. He moved to Chicago in 1962, where he hoped to pursue an acting career. He appeared in dozens of productions, including creating the role of Bernie Litko in David Mamet’s Sexual Perversity in Chicago. He supported himself with jobs in retail, including working as an assistant manager of a chain of apparel stores, and as a record salesman. In the meantime, he taught himself how to play the guitar and began writing songs. 

Mr. Casey acted with the Chicago Stage Guild (where he met Jim Jacobs), the Old Town Players, and the Kingston Mines Theatre. The latter company staged the original production of GREASE which he wrote with Jim Jacobs. After the incredible success of both the musical and the movie, the two collaborated on Island of Lost Coeds, a musical satire of the B-movies of the 1950s. Mr. Casey died in 1988.

The Ramsey Theatre Company was formed through a generous gift from Robert P. Ramsey to produce professional-level musical theatre to serve the BRADD area. The Rita and Jim Scott Concert Hall at SKyPAC serves as its primary home. Principal roles are cast through nationwide auditions with supporting roles filled by other accomplished actors, some even local. Orchestra Kentucky takes the place of honor in the Robin and David Ciochetty orchestra pit.

Thank You for Making This Possible Mr. Ramsey!

Friday, November 22, 2024 & 

Saturday, November 23, 2024

7:30 PM

Show Summary: Here is Rydell High’s senior class of 1959: duck-tailed, hot-rodding “Burger Palace Boys’ and their gum-snapping, hip-shaking “Pink Ladies” in bobby sox and pedal pushers, evoking the look and sound of the 1950s in this rollicking musical. Head “greaser” Danny Zuko and new (good) girl Sandy Dumbrowski try to relive the high romance of their “Summer Nights” as the rest of the gang sings and dances its way through such songs as “Greased Lightnin’,” “It’s Raining on Prom Night” and “Alone at the Drive-In Movie,” recalling the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation. An eight-year run on Broadway and two subsequent revivals, along with innumerable school and community productions, place Grease among the world’s most popular musicals.

History: Grease debuted off-Broadway on February 14, 1972 at the Eden Theatre in New York City. The show transferred to Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre, and later to the Royale Theatre, closing on April 13, 1980 after a record-breaking 3,388 performances. The film adaptation of Grease premiered in 1978 and became the highest-grossing movie musical of all time. Grease returned to Broadway twice, in a 1994 revival directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun and in a 2007 revival directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall.

*Please be advised, this production may not be appropriate for audience members under the age of 12. Grease contains adult and sexual themes and language for mature audiences. Simulated smoking. Simulated alcohol consumption. Simulated violence.

THANK YOU SPONSORS!

Series Sponsor:

Co-Sponsor:

Bell, Orr, Ayers & Moore P.S.C

Set Sponsor:

Mickeye and Mike Murphy

CAST

Director- Diane DiCroce 

Music Director- Dick Tunney

Choreographer- Michelle Hale 

Stage Manager- Lea Schenk 

Assistant Stage Manager- Jett Oliver

Assistant Stage Manager- Kate Cox 

Costume Design- Elise Charny 

Props- Sebastian Tingle 

Set Design- Joshua Curtsinger  

Musicians-Orchestra Kentucky members

Fight Choreography Coordinator- Dillon Godolphin

Technical Director - Scott Gardner

Technical Assistant - Patrick Duncan

Sound Design – Jeff Petrocelli

Audio 2 – Natalia Bell

Audio 3 – Kim Bogdanovic

Lighting Design – Aaron Goodwin

Spot 1- Wyatt Dunning

Spot 2 – David Hall

Spot 3 - Gavin Dooley

 Head Flyrail  – Kevin Slusher

Deck Carp 1  – Rileigh Gossett

Deck Carp 2 – April Pearson

Deck Carp 3 - Nate Grayson

Deckhand 4 / Pit Car Tech – Micheal McElrath

US Car Tech - Matt Holderfeld

Pit Car Tech - Brian White

Head Car Tech - Barlow Harlin

Props 1 – Ruth Sowers

Props 2 - Teresa Meyle

Wardrobe Head – Claude Airell

Wardrobe 2  – Rachel Atkinson

Wardrobe 3 -–Aubri Montgomery

Dresser 3 – Mackenzie Muirhead

Seamstress On Call - Sharon Airell

Hair/Wigs/Makeup – Ms. Bea Dukes

A Deeper Dive- Check Out a few submitted crew highlights: 

A note from the Director

 At its core, Grease is a pop musical performed first on Broadway in 1971 (after running off-Broadway and originally in Chicago). Grease rode the big wave of nostalgia for the 1950's that was a huge part of the 1970's. By the early 70's the US was deep in the Vietnam War. The decade before, the 1960's, was perhaps the biggest cultural shift in US history and the WWII generation was craving a sense of the familiar, a way to understand teen counterculture and a return to a time of great prosperity.  In short, the 1950's nostalgia became a great escape. Romanticized versions of how good things used to be were presented to the public in the form of feature films, TV sit-coms and the first "oldies" radio station featuring songs of the 1950's.

 Now, my generation ("Gen X") is nostalgic for the nostalgia that surrounded us in the 1970's. We watched Happy Days or Sha-na-na on TV at the only time it was on during the week on one of only a few stations. We saw Grease in the movie theatre for the first (then second, third and fourth) time and looked at old photos of our parents and grandparents in leather and letter jackets with poodle skirts or perhaps images of them riding a motorcycle and smoking a cigarette. 

 Nostalgia brings us comfort and connection during uncertain times. With Grease it gives us an opportunity to look back and realize that teenagers are almost always rebellious in some way. But the connections that we form during those years become bonds that last a lifetime. 

 I want to thank every person involved with this production-our incredible cast, crew and musicians!  We tried many new things with our rehearsal and pre-production process with this production of Grease and I have had the support throughout this process from Dick Tunney (our Music Director) and Michelle Hale (our Choreographer) in addition to the entire Stage Management Team (Lea Shenk, Kate Cox and Jett Oliver). Thank you to Josh Curtsinger, our scenic designer, for supporting my vision for this production and to Sebastian Tingle, our props designer, for the many details you have added to bring us back to 1959.  Thanks to the entire crew of Arts or Southern Kentucky and Elise Charney and Denise Lubey for all your coordination and support of this production as well as Jeff Reed, Mr. Robert Ramsey and the ASK Board of Directors for supporting live professional theatre in Bowling Green!

 Sincerely, Diane DiCroce

 Director, Grease Producing Artistic Director, Ramsey Theatre Company

Aaron Goodwin: Lighting Designer

L.D. since 1996

" Lighting, for me, is where art meets technology, where every challenge is an opportunity to innovate. It's about solving problems on the fly, and yet, it's also about indulging in the colors and shadows that define our visual storytelling. None of this would be possible without the incredible support and collaboration from Pat and Scott. Together, we lead a team that thrives under pressure, always delivering spectacular results in the face of any obstacle."

Natalia Bell: Audio Visual Technician

Natalia is an Audio Visual Technician and Stagehand, specializing in live events, concerts, and theater productions. She honed her sound engineering and production skills through an audio apprenticeship at Power Station Recording Studios. With a background in running karaoke shows and DJing various events, she combines technical expertise with a passion for live entertainment, bringing energy and professionalism to every project. Her versatility and dedication ensure seamless, high-quality experiences for any production.

Jeff Petrocelli (Sound Designer)

Jeff Petrocelli is a sound designer and engineer with over 25 years of experience in theater and television. Throughout his career, he has been honored with six Emmy Awards for his achievements in audio production. His work is defined by a perfect balance of technical precision and creative design. Jeff is pleased to contribute his skills and expertise to Ramsey Theatre Company’s presentation of the classic musical Grease.