Grease Reviews
Broadway World- Recommended
"...Well, at least for La Mirada's production, the goal, it seems, is to bombard theatergoers with a huge dosage of gleeful nostalgia and energetically-performed musical numbers as a clever means to distract us from the show's original, now outdated tropes and themes that, frankly, just feels curiously odd and, at times, cringe-inducing to watch during certain spots. Thankfully, wedged between these awkward, problematic vignettes are welcome multitudes of spectacularly-performed songs, pulled off winningly by a talented, hard-working ensemble that gives everything their all."
Stage and Cinema- Highly Recommended
"...While most fans remember the movie’s Sandy and Danny love story, the stage show is an ensemble piece that lets every principal cast member shine. Hayter has cast a top-notch ethnically diverse cast of musical comedy pros. There were no weak links in this almost all-EQUITY cast."
Stage Scene LA- Highly Recommended
"...McCoy Rigby Entertainment pulls out all the stops to serve up a couldn't-be-better Grease at the La Mirada Theatre For The Performing Arts, astutely cast, adroitly directed, arrestingly designed, and entertaining as all get-out."
Hollywood Progressive- Highly Recommended
"...The amiable production now at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts takes us back to Rydell High, Class of 1959, when teenagers' biggest worries were unwanted pregnancies (this was before Roe vs. Wade, so perhaps this revival is well timed, as abortion rights have been lost by so many females across America) and the threat of a rumble (unlike in West Side Story, the Flaming Dukes are no-shows in the violence-free Grease). The show's lively, familiar 1950s-style rock tunes are played with zest by the live Grease Band under the musical direction of Ryan O'Connell and the dancing choreographed by Christopher M. Albrecht rocks up the stage."
Stage Raw- Somewhat Recommended
"...Kari Hayter directs a bright, zestful show, and the ensemble delivers strong vocals and physicality across the board. The one thing the performances lack is emotional honesty, with the show-stopping songs focused more on technical precision than authenticity or vulnerability."