VILLAGE THEATRE "Grease" May 9 through June 7, 2026 Review
GREASE
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Director/Choreographer: Lisa Shriver
Village Theatre Everett
Everett, WA
Review: 7:30pm Performance on May 9, 2026 (opening night)
I was looking forward to this production when I first heard it was on the 2025/2026 schedule. I hadn’t seen any stage versions of the show and while I did see the film in the theater in downtown Seattle many years ago, I hadn’t seen it since. To say my memory was rusty about the details is a massive understatement.
I decided to do something I don’t normally do before I review a show. I did some research on the history of the stage production. I’m very glad I did as it explained things that I would have been confused by had I not.
Opening night at the Village Theatre Everett on Saturday evening and it was packed. With a known property like Grease, it was to be expected. Several patrons were dressed up like some of the characters which may have been a first for me with a Village Theatre show.
The staging, the light design, and the wardrobe were all at the level of what I have come to expect from a Village Theatre production. Ditto the talent on the stage. There were a few familiar faces and there were many new ones.
What I can say for the patron that either has tickets already or is planning on buying some, if you haven’t seen a stage version of the show before, I highly suggest doing a bit of homework like I did before your show date.
The stage show is different from the movie in many ways. If you only know the John Travolta and Olivia Newton John version, you will be left with questions about the storyline and the songs.
To keep things simple, the stage show has its own licensing and the songs from the film (that were unique to the film) have a separate license. So, the title track from the film as an example was never intended for the stage show. “Hoplessly Devoted To You” was never a part of the stage show before the movie came out. Now, a theatre company can pay for the licensing and add the tune(s) to their show but it’s up to each individual company, director, artistic director, etc. The Village Theatre version does have some of the popular film-only songs folded into the storyline which is a smart move in my opinion.
So, just know this going into any performance so you can regulate your expectations.
I definitely want to mention that Jasmine Jean Sim (Rizzo) had such an amazing voice. I wasn’t too keen on the material she had to sing but, man, her voice was gorgeous.
The show itself is going to go over well with most audiences. They’ll get what they came to see and hear. For myself, I found the show lacking. I wanted to latch on to some aspect of the story but nothing really made me want to. I think what I learned is that I like the movie version, the songs from the film, and the story is, well, almost an after thought for me.
Is it fun? Yes, it was a good time on Saturday night. But, I had hoped for more. And I’m willing to bet I am in the minority on that particular take.
Go see a performance for yourself and let me know your thoughts afterward.
“Grease” runs through June 7th. Tickets are available: HERE (opens in a new window)!
Best,
Mark Sugiyama
Eclectic Arts Media
Connect with Eclectic Arts Media: Social Media and Email Links
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey
Director/Choreographer: Lisa Shriver
Village Theatre Everett
Everett, WA
Review: 7:30pm Performance on May 9, 2026 (opening night)
(Maya McQueen and Daniel Velasquez in Grease at Village Theatre. Photo by Nikki Womac (2026))
I was looking forward to this production when I first heard it was on the 2025/2026 schedule. I hadn’t seen any stage versions of the show and while I did see the film in the theater in downtown Seattle many years ago, I hadn’t seen it since. To say my memory was rusty about the details is a massive understatement.
I decided to do something I don’t normally do before I review a show. I did some research on the history of the stage production. I’m very glad I did as it explained things that I would have been confused by had I not.
Opening night at the Village Theatre Everett on Saturday evening and it was packed. With a known property like Grease, it was to be expected. Several patrons were dressed up like some of the characters which may have been a first for me with a Village Theatre show.
The staging, the light design, and the wardrobe were all at the level of what I have come to expect from a Village Theatre production. Ditto the talent on the stage. There were a few familiar faces and there were many new ones.
What I can say for the patron that either has tickets already or is planning on buying some, if you haven’t seen a stage version of the show before, I highly suggest doing a bit of homework like I did before your show date.
The stage show is different from the movie in many ways. If you only know the John Travolta and Olivia Newton John version, you will be left with questions about the storyline and the songs.
To keep things simple, the stage show has its own licensing and the songs from the film (that were unique to the film) have a separate license. So, the title track from the film as an example was never intended for the stage show. “Hoplessly Devoted To You” was never a part of the stage show before the movie came out. Now, a theatre company can pay for the licensing and add the tune(s) to their show but it’s up to each individual company, director, artistic director, etc. The Village Theatre version does have some of the popular film-only songs folded into the storyline which is a smart move in my opinion.
So, just know this going into any performance so you can regulate your expectations.
I definitely want to mention that Jasmine Jean Sim (Rizzo) had such an amazing voice. I wasn’t too keen on the material she had to sing but, man, her voice was gorgeous.
The show itself is going to go over well with most audiences. They’ll get what they came to see and hear. For myself, I found the show lacking. I wanted to latch on to some aspect of the story but nothing really made me want to. I think what I learned is that I like the movie version, the songs from the film, and the story is, well, almost an after thought for me.
Is it fun? Yes, it was a good time on Saturday night. But, I had hoped for more. And I’m willing to bet I am in the minority on that particular take.
Go see a performance for yourself and let me know your thoughts afterward.
“Grease” runs through June 7th. Tickets are available: HERE (opens in a new window)!
Best,
Mark Sugiyama
Eclectic Arts Media
Connect with Eclectic Arts Media: Social Media and Email Links
(The company of Grease at Village Theatre. Photo by Nikki Womac (2026))
Comments
Post a Comment