From Apr. 24 – 26, East Theatre presented the classic musical, Grease. It was a smashing success, with an audience filling up the auditorium each performance. Not only that, but the musical was a great way to congratulate seniors as they go off to further their education.

The play sends the audience back to the 50’s, from diners and drive-in movie theaters, to even a dance competition with the Hand Jive. The plot follows two sets of characters, the Pink Ladies and the Burger Palace Boys, as they navigate through high school. Even if it’s set 70 years ago, some of the elements still ring true today.

The final dance number, “We Go Together, Reprise”, symbolizes the connection between both the main characters, as well as the ensemble cast. The closing lyric says it best: “We’ll always be together”. Not only is that true in the sense of the play, but also for those at East Theatre.

Senior, Eurie Gamboa, who played one of the Pink Ladies, “Jan”, knows the value of making personal connections with other cast members.

“I was able to perform with people that I really cared about,” Gamboa said. “Grease is all about having fun with your friends, and it was really easy to be friends with [other cast members] because I love them as human beings.”

The senior cast this year is very tight-knit in terms of their friendships. After all, most of them have been in East Theatre since their freshman year.

Mrs. Nicole Chandler, the main director for this production, looks back on those seniors and how they started.

“I think back, because their freshman year was Newsies [the musical], and they were in our ensemble,” Chandler said. “I remember we were folding newspapers for a prop, and they were the ones helping me. I thought, ‘man, I think these are going to be the core group of seniors’.”

Chandler was right; both the cast and crew have a bond that can be seen on stage and off. Even though the two teams have very different jobs when it comes to their roles in theatre, that doesn’t mean the two can’t have connections.

Senior, Averey Heckman, the backstage manager for the crew during Grease, knows how important theatre is to the cast.

“I made a lot of close friends in East Theatre, so being able to spend time with them and see them do what they really love, I think I’m gonna miss that,” Heckman said.

A lot of other seniors are going to miss their years at East Theatre, but the good thing about theatre is people can come back year after year to watch future productions.

Senior, Courtney Farmer, who played “Sandy” in the musical, wants to go to future shows, calling the theatre community her family.

“I plan on going to as many shows as I can,” Farmer said. “I want to support my family.”

Not only are the students close with each other, but the directors also make the seniors feel appreciated for all their hard work.

“I write letters to the senior cast for closing night of the musical every year, and any senior that is in the honor society gets to leave their hand print on the wall,” Chandler said. “So they metaphorically leave their mark, and they physically leave their mark as well.”

Overall, the theatre community has grown a very positive environment over the past 20 years since East has been open. No one is outcasted, because theatre is an expression of self, and there are plenty of ways to convey that through acting, singing, or dancing.

With so many seniors leaving East Theatre, this year’s underclassmen have to take over the leadership role. Mrs. Chandler is confident that the cast and crew will continue to thrive in future years.

“I think people find the theatre when they need to find us,” Chandler said. “Sometimes you find us right away as a freshman, and sometimes you find us your senior year. You find us when you’re ready to find us, because we’re always here.”

Written by Senior Robbe Witting. Edited by staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.