'Grease' the skids for future shows

“Gee the whole crowd’s together again. I could cry.”
That’s one of the final lines, spoken by the character Frenchy, in the musical “Grease.” The characters Jan and Sandy respond before the teens in the story about young love and fast cars sing a verse of the song “We Go Together” as they dance their way off the stage.
When Jamie Valentine, Alec Hutchison, Jenna Blount, Alex Denton and the rest of the cast perform that scene Sunday afternoon, we hope it marks the rebirth of musicals at Jay County High School rather than the swan song.
Attendance at and participation in JCHS musicals has been down for years. Ticket sales have not been able to provide the funding needed to secure rights to scripts and music necessary to put on the shows.
This year’s production, in which choir students are joining the school’s thespians, is an effort to save the future of musicals at the school. If ticket sales are strong enough — 850 attendees over the three-show run would likely do the trick — performances of musicals will continue. If not, this is likely to be the end.
That would be a shame.
Extracurriculars are essential to the high school experience, whether they be in the form of athletics, service clubs, student council or the arts. And musical theatre is a key cog in any arts program.
The benefits of such activities are well documented. Students involved in extracurriculars have fewer behavioral problems, get higher grades, develop better social skills and have a more positive attitude toward school. They learn discipline and responsibility and form a sense of pride in their efforts.
It’s important for a school to offer a wide range of extracurricular options to provide opportunities for as many students as possible to reap those rewards.
Jay County students currently enjoying the benefits of musical theatre will perform “Grease” at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday as well as 2 p.m. Sunday.
So pick a day and come take in a show. Or better yet, see all three. One of the special aspects of stage productions is that no two are exactly the same.
There are some out there who may object.
“But I don’t like musicals,” they’ll say.
We’d question that statement.
Did you grow up watching Disney movies? “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Aladdin”? They’re all musicals on the big screen that have later translated to the Broadway stage.
So maybe musicals appeal to you more than you realize.
But even if they don’t, even if “Grease” would not be on your list of favorites, buy a ticket anyway. This weekend’s show is about more than just about entertainment.
It’s about keeping a program going, not just for the members of the current cast but for generations of thespians to come.
One of the great benefits of the consolidation of all of Jay County’s former high schools into a single facility is the ability to offer so many programs in such vast variety. Musical theatre is one we can not afford to lose.
The show must go on.
It’s our responsibility to make sure it does. — R.C.