Back to the fifties with T Birds and Pink Ladies

Grease was the word as pupils at Fleet's Calthorpe Park School produced a polished performance of the hit musical.  They put on four sell-out nights in July, with a strong cast of young performers who had been rehearsing every lunchtime and three times a week after school since March.

As the Year 11 students had left school since their exams, the cast was mostly made up of younger students from Years 7 to 10.  Just five of the cast were from the top year, including Brad White, playing the part of Danny, who turned 16 on the day of the penultimate performance.  A cake was supplied after the final song and the audience sang Happy Birthday!

Sam Francis, last year's head boy, made a return guest appearance as Teen Angel, with a rendition of Beauty School Dropout along with Frenchy, played by Libby Brewer.

Solos were performed by a variety of the cast, including Brad White (Danny), Daisie Gentry (Sandy), Lucy Smith (Marty), Euan Hutton and Sameena Ramsden (Roger and Jan), and Giorgia Tilbury (Rizzo), ably assisted in some songs by the Greasettes and the chorus.  James Vaughan (Kenickie) enjoyed performing Greased Lightning and James Wheeler, playing Vince Fontaine, managed to put his own spin on the show.

The band was led by head of music Ross Walker and comprised various teachers, parents and pupils. The stage was managed by teacher Kathrine Lloyd and the show was directed by head of drama Charlotte Oram, who said she was very proud of all the students involved in the show.  "They gave up hours of their time for the production and their efforts really paid off," she added.  "Their dedication, enthusiasm and commitment is infectious and I feel so lucky to be working alongside so many very talented young performers, musicians and crew."

July 2013
Photo by Robert Oram