Grease is the way we are feeling

EMERALD State High School’s (ESHS) biennial musical production kicked off earlier this month with their rendition of hit musical ‘Grease’.
ESHS teacher and ‘Grease’ producer Lucy Ferrara said the children had been rehearsing for six months to bring the musical to the stage.
“We started in term four [2020],” she said.
“It’s been an intense 6 months.
“When they [did] auditions in term three they’re told this is when the musical is on… they get a rehearsal schedule, so they have to commit to that.
“They’re great. [They’ve done] really well.”
ESHS teacher and director of the production Chloe Prior said the children were “super energetic”.
“It’s been a lot of Wednesday afternoons and weekends and holidays that they have to get up in the mornings,” she said.
“It’s a lot they have had to give up to be a part of it.”
Students Paxton and Lauren, playing lead roles Danny Zuko and Sandra Dee Olsson, said they were happy with the level of commitment required of them.
“I’m usually pretty organised,” Lauren said.
“I have time for schoolwork, time for the musical, then time for everything else.
“It was pretty all right with me.”
“I’m more of a Danny Zucco on that front,” said Paxton.
“It was a lot of stress, trying to tackle schoolwork at the same time, especially with Year 12,” he said.
“I wouldn’t trade it for anything, I’m glad I did it.
“It has definitely been worth it.”
Lauren said she identified with the role of Sandy.
“It felt like me… I like to stay away from everything, I like being by myself,” she said.
“It’s been really nice playing the role.”
Paxton said he had thought a lot about what individual performers bought to such an iconic role.
“John Travolta encapsulated that… he wants to be cool in front of the boys,” he said.
“I think there’s a lot of us inside of him.
“We all want to be cool in front of our friends, we all want the girl to like us for who we are.
“I think that’s the main element of it. He’s kind of conflicted about what to do. It resonates with a lot of people, I think.”
Paxton said the musical was timeless.
“Even though it’s an old setting, it kind of really focuses in on… situations and feelings that are timeless and everyone goes through, no matter what time you come from.
“I think everyone kind of deep down has that deep rooted nostalgia form the good old days.
“It’s been really cool to be able to jump back in time and relive it.”.