Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.

Nearly half a century ago, a little show opened in Chicago that took the town by storm. Based on Jim Jacobs’ memories of his high school years, it plugged into the softening view of the Fifties, those Eisenhower years between WWII and Vietnam, as a time of benign stability. Named for the guys who slicked their hair into greased ducktails, “Grease” became a musical phenomenon.

“Grease” is getting a whole lot of lovin’ this year. With a TV spinoff in the works and a vibrant production at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, this story about a group of teenagers living it up in small-town 1959 America continues to resonate.

 Today we’ll talk with Justine Verheul who portrays “Sandy” and Taylor Lloyd who stars as “Rizzo.” Producing Artistic Director Patrick A’Hearn and Musical Director and Keyboardist Garrett Jones also join us to share sneak peeks of this incredible performance of a hit movie made over 30 years ago and still popular today.

Grease is a musical that celebrates the changes born of the late 1950s era of rock n’ roll, drive-in movies, and James Dean–an era that sat on the cusp of the turbulent 1960s. Riverside Center for the Performing Arts served up a Broadway-quality show, thanks to Director and Choreographer Patti D’Beck (who assistant choreographed Tommy Tune’s1994 Broadway revival), music, lyrics, and book by Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs, and additional songs by John Farrar. This production offers a nostalgic afternoon for music lovers of all ages that strikes like “Greased Lightning.”

If you’ve been sticking with that New Year’s diet, you’ve probably avoided greasy things like the plague.Kudos to you.But there’s a totally fulfilling type of grease landing in the ’Burg that’s super-nourishing to the soul, is faced-paced entertainment goodness and won’t destroy your resolution. The musical “Grease” opened at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts on Wednesday and runs through March 15.

Listen to Tyler Michael Breeding (Danny Zuko), Justine Verheul (Sandy Dumbrowski), Theron Smith III (Kenickie), and Taylor Lloyd (Betty Rizzo) preview our upcoming production of Grease at Riverside alongside  Riverside Center's Producing Artistic Director, Patrick A'Hearn and Town Talk's Ted Schubel (NewsTalk 1230 WFVA). 

"Grease is the word" at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts from January 8th through March 15th! Travel back to the 50s and join Rydell High's senior class of 1959: duck-tailed, hot-rodding "Burger Palace Boys" and their gum-snapping, hip-shaking "Pink Ladies" in bobby sox and pedal pushers, evoking the look and sound of the 1950s in this rollicking musical. The incredible music, lyrics, and book were written by Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs. The production will also include some of your favorite songs from the movie, as special licensing has been arranged.