'Grease' the word for summer holidays

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 06/27/2007 10:15 AM  |  Jakarta

The British International School is bringing the classic movie and Broadway musical Grease to the school stage for two-day showing this month.

Ian Pierson, the director of this year's musical and several in the past, said it had taken six months for students to prepare for the show.

""The hardest thing when preparing for a musical is continuity and having to concentrate on each aspect of the musical such as dancing, acting and music,"" Pierson said.

Adam Gordon, the head of performing arts at the school, said the event gave students the opportunity to perform on a musical stage.

Grease centers on two main characters, Sandy Olsen and Danny Zuko, who meet during their summer holidays 'down under' and are forced to end their summer fling as their holidays draw to an end. Danny flies back to America not knowing he will soon be joined by Sandy, whose family had suddenly decided to move to America.

People often underestimate school musicals, thinking of them as mere excuses for parents to watch their children perform on stage.

But the British International School's cast of sixty has received more than just the praise of doting parents. Words such as, ""talented"", ""dedicated"" and ""enthusiastic"" have all been used by instructors to describe this year's crop.

All of the cast members had to undergo a thorough selection process to land a place in the production.

Pierson said a professional team had also been brought in for choreography.

""The lighting design is of a very high standard and there will be several guest singers,"" he said.

The musical will be performed on June 27 and 28. (JP/Mariana Kamarudin)

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