The Curtain Rises...

Rehearsals have begun for the 2026 school musical...Grease!

A buzzing new cast of students have begun preparing for the school musical following a week of tense auditions. Grease, initially proposed to Mr Jones (the director this year) by year 13 drama, is set to be Coopers' next hit show.

When it first hit theatres in 1971, the musical held a record 8 year run on Broadway and soon met movie screens in 1978 to huge response. The sixties-themed musical was a smash hit to audiences and a Tony nominee, it holds a lot of nostalgia for people today. The story follows a group of high-school age teenagers, focusing on the relationship of 'cool guy' Danny Zuko and 'new girl' Sandy Dumbrowski. Interest for the show is promising as both musical-loving students and their parents, old fans of the film, are sure to want to experience it live.

A few weeks earlier, the audition waiting room was filled with students both nervous and excited to perform. Over a hundred people tried out with songs from the award-winning show, with many of them showing promise for the big stage, there was even a surprise rendition of the school song! After that, the wait for casting began. Mr Jones and Mr Crouch deliberated over the perfect person for each role, a tough decision.

The cast list went up on Friday where people flocked to the drama studio to discover who this years T-Birds and Pink Ladies would be. Featuring the talented Alex Hopkins and Phoebe Bazzoni as Sandy alongside Hayden Boogard and Jae Callender playing Danny, the show is sure to stun. James Milner and Stephanie Dickinson are sharing the iconic role of the Teen Angel and we are all excited to sway along to Beauty School Dropout. Friends have now shared congratulations and a tense anticipation to begin.

Mr Jones and the Drama team have set off lightning fast with rehearsals, holding a dance and singing workshop already. Most rehearsals are in the school theatre, where the show will take place in March of next year. Until then, the space is sure to be busy as a dance studio, music hall and... car repair shop?

Talking of car repair, the question still remains- where is Mr Jones going to find his "greased lighting", and how is he getting it into the theatre? Last year we saw Mr Crouch manage to haul a giant, man-eating plant puppet up the steps of the theatre for the success show "Little Shop of Horrors", but a car might be a different story. We are keen to find out more plans for the show, watch as rehearsals progress and see the school theatre slowly transform into Rydell High.

Olivia Sumpton