We are Hopelessly Devoted to You
Reviewed by Mary Alderson
The singing, the dancing, the high energy! That’s what theatre-goers are saying as they leave Thousand Island Playhouse after seeing the just-opened production of Grease.
Grease, the musical, originally opened on Broadway in 1972. At that time, it was described as “a raunchy, raw, aggressive, vulgar show.” Set in the tough part of Chicago, the writers wanted to show what teens were really like, compared to all the goody-two-shoes movies that were made in the 1950s. It was considered a revival of 50s-style music to be enjoyed in the 70s, by those who had lived through the 50s.
In 1978, the toughness was toned down for the John Travolta/Olivia Newton-John movie. Eventually, the stage version had some of the bawdy language removed, and in this production some of the crude racist, sexist and homophobic language was left out, making it much more palatable for today’s audiences.
All that is to say that this production is, quite simply, fun. While it still bothers me that Sandy has to go through a makeover to get her man, let’s hope she can revert back to her nice girl wardrobe and Danny will still love her.
After meeting at the beach, and having a summer romance, Danny and Sandy (played by Will Lincoln-Gouett and Paige Foskett) surprise each other by going to the same high school. But Danny has to be a tough guy with his fellow Burger Palace Boys, while Sandy is considered too virtuous for the girls’ gang, The Pink Ladies. Lincoln-Gouett is a perfect Danny, belting the songs, sounding much like John Travolta. He breaks our heart with “Alone at the Drive-in”. Foskett is a very sweet Sandy, again perfect for the role, where she can belt the songs or sing the softer ballads. They open with an excellent rendition of “Summer Nights”. Later Foskett sings her heart out with “Hopelessly Devoted to You.”
All the great Grease songs are there, and each member of the two gangs gets their turn to shine. Luca McPhee as Doody sings “Those Magic Changes”, while Sierra Holder as Marty, along with the Pink Ladies, sings “Freddy my Love”. Of course, there’s the iconic rusty jalopy that is transformed into “Greased Lightnin’”, sung flawlessly by Alex Fellowes Smith as Kenickie, backed by the Burger Palace Boys.
Jameson Mosher as Roger and Acacia Roshel as Jan get some laughs with their rendition of “Mooning”. Amy Holden as Rizzo struts her stuff with a brilliant rendition of “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee” and later with her lament “There are Worse Things I Could Do”.
The great songs wonderfully sung continue in the second act. Tyler Pearse as Johnny Casino leads the cast in the enduring classic “Born to Hand-Jive”. Kade McCloud as Teen Angel offers an outstanding show-stopper with his “Beauty School Dropout”, along with Zoe O’Conner as Frenchy.
Michele Shuster is hilarious as Cha-Cha DiGregorio when she shows up as Danny’s date for the school dance, with the line “They call me Cha-Cha ’cause I’m the best dancer at St. Bernadette’s!” Megan Dallan is a delight as Patty, the perky and sometimes obnoxious cheerleader, and Ben Cameron as Sonny and Thomas Winiker as Eugene add to the comedy.
Costumes are classic late 50s styles, with the standout scene being the Beauty School Dropout number where the dancers wear towels on their heads, covered in bubbles, with white spotted dresses looking like more bubbles. The dancers show their versatility with a tap dance.
The set is well done with a giant jukebox serving as the back drop. The WAXX radio station is on the right and The Burger Palace on the left.
This show is a hit, and is sure to sell-out. The old Grease has been turned into a fun time, and the talent is quite evident. A well-cast show, where everyone has sound comedic timing, rich, powerful voices, and solid dance moves in a very fast paced production, ensures a long and loud standing ovation.
Grease continues at the Thousand Island Playhouse, Gananoque extended to August 15. Tickets are available by calling 613-382-7020 or visit www.1000islandsplayhouse.com/whats-on/
Photos: Sandy (Paige Foskett) with Jan (Acacia Roshel), Rizzo (Amy Holden), Frenchy (Zoe O’Connor) and Marty (Sierra Holder) at the Burger Palace.
Luca McPhee (Doody), Ben Cameron (Sonny), Jameson Mosher (Roger), Will Lincoln-Gouett (Danny), and Alex Fellowes Smith (Kenickie) with Greased Lightnin’.
Photos by Garrett Elliott Photography
Grease
By Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Directed by Thomas Alderson
Musical Direction by Rich Coburn
Choreography by Jesse Weafer
Performed by Will Lincoln-Gouett, Paige Foskett, Amy Holden, Alex Fellowes Smith, Zoe O’Connor, Sierra Holder, Michele Shuster, Kade McCloud, Acacia Roshel, Megan Dallan, Jameson Mosher, Luca McPhee, Ben Cameron, Thomas Winiker, Tyler Pearse, Robyn Esson.
Thousand Islands Playhouse, 185 South Street, Gananoque, ON
July 3 extended to August 15, 2026
Reviewed by Mary Alderson
Full Disclosure: The director is the reviewer’s son.