Grease: Rydell High Class of 1959 revisited Feb. 16-19

Published 5:04 am Thursday, February 9, 2006

By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Ramsay, a 2001 Niles graduate, returns to SMC each night for rehearsals after teaching all day.
She just bought a house in Niles after graduating in June 2005 from SMC with degrees in theater and early childhood development and teaches preschool as a family educator for Head Start in Benton Harbor.
Nichols, a second-year theater major, is also pursuing SMC's pre-nursing program.
He looks much younger than his previous part, the gray-haired grandpa in “You Can't Take It With You.”
Nichols played the dentist in “Little Shop of Horrors” and portrayed Gilbert with Ramsay in the title role of “Anne of Green Gables.”
Ramsay hasn't dashed her musical theater dreams entirely, either, despite the day job.
Of course, when many people picture Danny and Sandy, they conjure the 1978 movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.
Grease's popularity appealed to him. Neither lead has ever appeared in a production of it.
Nichols hoped to perform in “Grease” with Dowagiac's Beckwith Theatre, but a tour went through which prevented rights from being released and it never happened. “I was disappointed,” he said. “That was three or four years ago.”
The party begins even before the curtain rises. Greaser DJ extraordinaire, Vince Fontaine “the main brain” (Scot PJ MacDonald of South Bend, Ind.), will be spinning discs beginning at 7 p.m.
In addition to playing golden oldies such as “Runaround Sue” and “Rockin' Robin,” this over-the-top character will even announce birthdays and invite audience members to dance on stage.
Rydell kids are concerned mainly with being cool, dating and making it through senior year.
New kid Sandy is surprised to find out that the summer love she was “Hopelessly Devoted to,” Danny, attends Rydell, though Zuko shuns the goody-two-shoes in front of his friends to protect his rebel reputation.
Eventually, with the help of the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies, the respective “gangs,” the pair end up a couple.
Director Thom Cooper's cast also includes: Tiphfennie Lynn Lunk of Brandywine as Miss Lynch; Miss Blossomtime Kaylee Magro of Three Oaks as Patty Simcox; Dwayne Whitmeyer of Edwardsburg as Eugene Florczyk; Monica Granados of Berrien Springs as Jan; Lisa Chilton of Decatur as Marty; Jocelyne Tuszynski of New Buffalo as Betty Rizzo; Chris Scott of South Bend, Ind., as Doody; Andrew Stuver of Niles as Roger; Dustin Wilfert of Edwardsburg as Kenickie; Anthony Hernandez of St. Joseph as Sonny LaTierri; 2005 Miss Buchanan Chelsea Ghatoaura beneath cotton-candy pink tresses as Frenchy; Jerad Timmons of Decatur as Johnny Casino; Lauren Olson of St. Joseph as Cha-Cha DiGregorio; and David Ferrell of Niles as Teen Angel.