Reviewed by David-Edward Hughes

Village Theatre, 303 Front St. N., Issaquah, Wa. May 11-July 1, 2000. Also July 7-23 at Everett Performing Arts Center, Everett, Wa. Wed.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m., alternating Sat. and Sun. matinees at 2 p.m. (Sunday matinees only; no Sunday nights in Everett.) $28-35. (425) 392-2202

One need not be hopelessly devoted to the musical Grease-that hugely successful stage and screen hit-to appreciate what a peachy-keen job director/choreographer Steve Tomkins and a revved-up ensemble of splendid actor/singer/dancers do with it. The original stage Grease in 1972 may have had a bit harder edge (and a few more uncensored expletives) than this production, but at least it resists the over-produced bloat that marred the last Broadway revival version, and indeed, the Village cast is stronger and sharper than seen in the last touring version of the show that played Seattle.
 

The book, music, and lyrics, by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, have always seemed to me equal parts Archie comics, West Side Story, and Bye Bye Birdie tossed in a blender, as the tale of greaser Danny Zuko, his Gidget-meets-Doris-Day sweetie Sandy, and their assorted Burger Palace boys and Pink Ladies cronies unravels. Grease's thesis is that one must conform to the lowest common denominator to be popular in high school, but not to worry; none of Grease's hoods or teenage tramps are any more threatening than Fonzie or Laverne DeFazio (understandable, as Happy Days was created about the same time as Grease). Better not to ponder the dumbness or simplicity of the material when Tomkins and cast are only out to entertain, and do so in spades.
 

As Danny, Cheyenne Jackson has the Elvis twitch mixed with Sal Mineo poignancy down pat, and really cooks in his goofy "Alone at a Drive-In Movie" solo. Taryn Darr plays Sandy with a bit more sass and a bit less saccharine than some, which adds believability to her climactic trampsformation, and she belts baleful teen queen laments with sincerity. The real star of the outing has to be Kathy Henson's faux bad girl Betty Rizzo. Henson gets every bit of humor out of Rizzo's put-down comedy number "Sandra Dee," then manages to pluck the heartstrings a bit on her throaty ballad "There Are Worse Things I Could Do," and she's paired well with Mark Siano's pouty, swivel-hipped Kenickie. As flaky Frenchy, Mimi Rivinus is the spitting image of Didi Conn in the film version, which works just fine, and Art Anderson is hilarious and vocally solid as the Teen Angel who counsels her in the gleefully over-the-top "Beauty School Dropout" number. Carolyn Magoon as Marty scores with her perfect '50s pop vocal styling on "Freddy My Love," Garret Brown segues from nerdy Greaser Doody to Paul Anka wannabe on "Those Magic Changes," while Meg Woods' school lunch-loving Jan and Paul Levy's dorky Roger charm with "Mooning."
 

Standing out in smaller roles are Christina Naficy, who dances up a storm and works up sympathy for her brazen character Cha-Cha, and the never more ideally cast Joel Rene as the cloying cheerleader Patty.
 

Though the score has a certain sameness in many numbers, Tomkins' sprightly choreography manages more than a modicum of freshness, and the ensemble is always operating in high gear when performing it. The physical production has a bright, Technicolored gleam to it, from Craig B. Wollams kitschy and uncumbersome sets to Nanette Acosta's playfully campy costumes to Alex Berry's spiffy lighting. There is notably good balance between the vocalists and musical director R.J. Tancioco's small but satisfying band.