adolescence | The Sleepless Critic

REVIEW: North Shore Music Theatre’s ‘Grease’ hits a solid groove and then some

Posted on August 22 by The Sleepless Critic

As North Shore Music Theatre’s The Wizard of Oz took audiences inside a powerful tornado, this Grease takes place inside a multicolored lit jukebox.

Ambitiously directed with smooth choreography by Kevin P. Hill and lively music direction by Milton Granger, North Shore Music Theatre continues its 70^th season with the hit musical, Grease live and in person at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts through Sunday, August 24. This upbeat musical has some adult language and runs approximately two hours with one intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

Hank Santos (Kenickie) with Jeremiah Garcia (Roger), Nick Cortazzo (Danny Zuko), and Jayson Brown (Doody) in “Grease” at North Shore Music Theatre thru August 24, 2025. Photo©Paul Lyden

Director Kevin P. Hill creates a few cleverly presented magic changes in perspective that brings major themes of this musical heightened meaning. Don’t expect to see a retread of the hit 1978 film or the stage musical, but a balance of both while staying true to the show’s themes with a few surprises along the way. Themes like bullying, adolescence, peer pressure and fitting in take center stage and are as relevant as any of the musical’s love stories.

Caroline Siegrist (Sandy Dumbrowski) and Nick Cortazzo (Danny Zuko) in “Grease” at North Shore Music Theatre thru August 24, 2025. Photo©Paul Lyden

From oversized vinyl records to famous 50s dance moves including the hand jive to classic cartoons to a cherry red convertible to an epic floor featuring a gleaming tapestry of images including Marlboro cigarettes, lipstick, and vintage roadsters, Grease offers plenty of warm 50s nostalgia using Alex Berg’s polished sound design with scenic and lighting designer Jack Mehler. A peek into Mehler’s illumination includes a starlit floor and sparkling vinyl records. Costume coordinator Rebecca Glick also helms a trip down memory lane in the T-Birds and Pink Ladies jackets right out of the film, pastel gingham skirts and frilly crinoline gowns, silks, and colorful vintage Rydell High school uniforms.

The cast of “Grease” at North Shore Music Theatre thru August 24, 2025. Photo©Paul Lyden

Taking place in the late 50s and featuring an array of hit songs including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin, Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee, and We Go Together, Grease focuses on Caroline Siegrist as new Rydell High School student Sandy. Little does Sandy know that Nick Cortazzo as ladies man Danny in which they shared a fleeting summer romance, also attends the same school.

This well cast musical resembles their classic 1978 film counterparts and features songs that do not appear in the film in its entirety. Taking a cue from Stockard Channing in a short pixie cut and deep clipped vocals, Bailey Reese Greemon shares that frank, intimidating and guarded indifference as Betty Rizzo. The bullying seems more extreme and the T-Birds are depicted as macho juvenile delinquents albeit with plenty of comic relief touched upon in Hank Santos as Kenickie’s slick number, Greased Lightnin. Caroline Siegrist is a sweet Sandy with silvery soprano vocals that give off Olivia Newton-John vibes while Nick Cortazzo portrays Danny as a ladies’ man with comic zing. Hopelessly Devoted to You, a song written by the late great Olivia Newton-John for the Grease film, is perfection within Siegrist’s longing vocals.

Caroline Siegrist as Sandy Dumbrowski in “Grease” at North Shore Music Theatre thru August 24, 2025, 2025. Photo©Paul Lyden

Brittany Zeinstra steps more into the spotlight as Marty, a glamorous and flirty romantic and resourceful pen pal. Her path to romance is examined in her coy number, Freddy My Love and Jeremiah Garcia as Roger and Sunayna Smith as Jan share a goofy yet humorous duet in Mooning boasting compelling harmony.

In a vision of silver and white, Beauty School Drop Out, featuring dynamite vocals by Avionce Hoyles as Teen Angel, is lighthearted, comical and one of the best numbers of the production. However, Kathy St. George is a scene stealer as English teacher Miss Lynch. A skilled and avid dancer, expect the unexpected from spitfire Kathy St. George who is delightful, especially during the number, Born to Hand Jive.

Avionce Hoyles (Teen Angel) with Lily Kaufmann (Frenchy) and the cast of “Grease” at North Shore Music Theatre thru August 24, 2025. Photo©Paul Lyden

North Shore Music Theatre’s Grease remains slick and cool while still offering something new to this classic hit musical. North Shore Music Theatre continues its 70^th season with the hit musical, Grease live and in person at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts through Sunday, August 24. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Apollinaire Theatre Company’s ‘Dance Nation’ starts funny, then at times loses its footing

Posted on May 2, 2023 by The Sleepless Critic

Dance can be a cutthroat sport. This is especially true for a group of prepubescent, adolescent, and rambunctious preteens in a dance competition who are told the results will change their lives.

However, the twist here is these teens are not actually portrayed by age appropriate preteens, but by a wide age range. Therein lays comedy and the rub for the rest of this story.

Audrey Johnson as Amina, Schanaya Barrows as Ashlee, Katie Pickett as Zuzu (additional image below) Photos: Danielle Fauteux Jacques

Fervently directed by Danielle Fauteux Jacques with lively choreography by Audrey Johnson, Apollinaire Theatre Company presents Clare Barron’s Dance Nation live and in person at Apollinaire Theatre Company in Chelsea, Massachusetts through May 14. Dance Nation has mature themes. The show is 100 minutes with no intermission. Click here for more information and for tickets.

A lot is at stake at Liverpool Dance Works in Liverpool, Ohio. From dance moms to competing with a best friend, Dance Nation delves into the pressure of perfection and the discoveries of coming of age including and certainly not limited to the magic of black coffee. It starts out with some amusing moments and it excels in depicting some of the angst, uncertainty, heartache and anguish associated with growing up. It personifies the travesties in a young girl’s life, her changing body, the all or nothing attitude in just about everything, and the sensitivity of a young heart. Everything is a victory or an absolute disaster.

Schanaya Barrows as Ashlee (front), Alison Butts as Sofia, Paola Ferrer as Vanessa, Erik P. Kraft as Luke Photo by Danielle Fauteux Jacques

Joseph Lark-Riley boasts a heart thumping, catchy and memorable sound design. Elizabeth Rocha’s dynamic costumes range from delicate tutus to casual wear and Nathan Lee and Jennea Pillay’s realistic scenic design create an everyday teen dance studio complete with hanging coats, multilevel compartments for shoes and dance bags as well as metal trophies displayed like a pillar of excellence for every student to strive for.

Dance Nation is highlighted with some fascinating performances. Katie Pickett delicately portrays self conscious and sensitive Zuzu with a tangible anxiousness and discomfort in her own skin. Dev Luthra portrays occasionally testy, sketchy, manipulative and yet inspiring Dance Teacher Pat. Luthra’s rapport with the students is complicated, especially with Audrey Johnson’s complex and conflicted perfectionist Amina. Paola Ferrer impressively juggles not only depicting a dancer, but the supportive, not quite in touch, and competitive dance mom whose child should always be the star. Imagination sweetly runs wild with Ann Carpenter as Maeve while Schanaya Barrows savagely depicts a mix of ego, vanity and complicated uncertainty as Ashlee.

Then somehow, it starts to lose its way. Dance Nation was funny until it becomes what some might call “fierce.” Teens do speak like little adults which is part of the humor of the show, but they are not adults and the show contains some unnecessarily dark and absurd scenarios that become more frequent as the show progresses. It can be anguish and cringe worthy to be a preteen, but some avenues in which this show takes do not resemble the average teen and it becomes too farfetched and graphic. Perhaps the crazy scenarios are to show the kids building their wild natures and confidence, but there are several other ways to depict that without the shock value that does not lend to the progression of the story.

With that being said, Claire Barron’s Dance Nation has its share of powerful and sound moments that resonate on a child’s tumultuous journey into adulthood with humor, sweetness, and poignancy…but beware the cringe.

Apollinaire Theatre Company presents Clare Barron’s Dance Nation live and in person at Apollinaire Theatre Company in Chelsea, Massachusetts through May 14. Dance Nation has mature themes. Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW: Lively and insightful, Lyric Stage Company’s award-winning play, ‘The Wolves’ howls

Posted on February 1, 2019 by The Sleepless Critic

Woven into the lush, green indoor turf is a unique narrative with the clever earmarks of adolescence in Sara DeLappe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play finalist, The Wolves. Framed as a soccer match, this unconventional ensemble drama kicks off like a rocket, luring the audience into the tumultuous chattering of a competitive, all-girls soccer team who are about to learn a few valuable lessons about life and themselves in and out of the game.

Directed by A. Nora Long, Lyric Stage Company’s The Wolves continues through Sunday, February 3 at 140 Clarendon Street in Boston. The show is 90 minutes with no intermission and contains some mature themes. Click here for more information and tickets.

Photo courtesy of The Lyric Stage Company of Boston

Taking place entirely in an indoor soccer arena, Shelley Barish and Elizabeth Cahill’s exciting setting fits into the team’s boundless energy. Sports fans take note: Trained by soccer consultant Olivia Levine, The Wolves are the real deal, showing off authentic as well as physically complex moves throughout the performance.

What makes this show particularly interesting is the remarkable way the story is told. With a 90 minute running time matching the length of an average soccer match, a horn blaring not only kicks off the latest match within the performance, but sometimes humorously ties in to interrupt a heated conversation. As the audience as spectators peek into this team’s lives, the progressive nature in which they learn discipline, tolerance, and how to listen to each other is subtle, yet one of the most powerful parts of this compelling narrative.

Cast consists of Lydia Barnett-Mulligan, Sarah Elizabeth Bedard, Simone Black, Olivia Z. Cote, Chelsea Evered, Grace Experience, Julia Lennon, Valerie Terranova, and Jurielle Whitney Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage Company

These teammates have a natural and at times, rumbling chemistry in their uninhibited conversations. Whether they are delving into gossip around school, technology, getting their driver’s permits or scandalized by their maturing bodies, their viewpoints stay consistent with their level of maturity (right down to the abuse of the word, “like”) which can sometimes be insightful and other times, hilarious.

Though each cast member exhibits their own distinct personality in their matching uniforms, Valerie Terranova, who is making her debut on the Lyric Stage with this show, is a particular highlight as serious, optimistic player #25. The wise, unassuming way she leads the team shows that while the other girls may only see what is right in front of them, #25 sees where the game might take them, united, one victory at a time.

Laura Latreille (Soccer Mom) and cast Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage Company

Simone Black as #00 Photo courtesy of Lyric Stage Company of Boston

The Wolves may even serve as a nostalgic trip down memory lane, when you were a teenager and everything was the best thing in the world or the worst, the raging excitement of life. It may even leave you scratching your head, trying to recall if being a teenager girl was really like this. The undeniable answer, for the most part, was yes.

The Lyric Stage Company continues Sara DeLappe’s The Wolves through Sunday, February 3 at 140 Clarendon Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Click here for tickets and more information. Subscriptions and dinner packages are also available. Follow The Lyric Stage on Twitter and Facebook for their upcoming productions and more.