Inside and Out: Foran High School's Spring Production of "Grease: The Musical"

On Saturday March 2nd, I went to see Joseph A. Foran High School's spring production of the classic musical "Grease". Living in Milford, I do attend Foran High School, so it was an absolutely wonderful experience to see all of my peers up there on stage doing such a great job. And, I would know how much work went into it... because I helped choreograph it!

Since my teachers knew I was a dancer, they sought me out to choreograph the musical. I definitely couldn't do it alone, so I asked my friend Ellie Nolan to co-choreograph with me. Starting in December, we worked with all of the members of the play on all of the big dance numbers that "Grease" is famous for. Not having been involved in the music or drama department before, it was an eye-opening experience for me. I got to meet so many new people that I would have never gotten the chance to talk to before, and it was fun to see all of my new friends learn and grow as they attempted to tackle the dance moves we gave them. There wasn't one trained dancer in the program, so I am sure all of the choreography we threw at them was a challenge. However, by the time the curtain rose in March, they all looked as if they had been dancing for years! I was so proud of all of them for learning it so quickly and being able to make it look so good on stage with so little experience.

Now, for a critique of the show from an audience member's perspective, I would say that it was a terrific performance. I was actually a bit surprised at how well they did, as Foran High is not typically known to have an amazing theatre department. I congratulate the teachers who directed and produced the production, Theresa Voss, Jessica Shearer, and Emily Theodoseau, for putting together a really great show. They had a live jazz band playing all of the music, and I thought that was a really nice touch. I also appreciated the quality of the acting, because I felt that everyone got really into their roles and embraced their characters very nicely. Also, I thought that Sandy, played by Robin Patrick, completely stole the show! Her vocal and acting abilities were outstanding. The only negative comments I could make were that the scenery was not all that appealing to the eye, the pauses in between scenes were a bit long, and there was a little too much making out on stage! Overall, I thought that the play was wonderful and I am so proud of my friends for doing an amazing job.

For more information about Joseph A. Foran High School's drama department, visit http://www.milforded.org/page.cfm?p=9442.

- Shaina Arsenault, 15 years old
Joseph A. Foran High School