VIDEO: Nanuet HS Preps For "Grease" Musical

The girls have their skirts hemmed and the boys have slicked back their hair and donned their white T-shirts.

At the Nanuet PTA Founder's Day, Jack Gremli, the school district’s performing arts director, led the high school cast in four sneak peeks of the upcoming play “Grease.” The students have been rehearsing after school making sure they're ready for opening night. 

The senior citizen community is invited to the dress rehearsal Wednesday March 13 at 7 p.m. and opening nights are Friday and Saturday, March 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 for Friday and Saturday. Ticket proceeds benefit Nanuet Music Parents Association

All nights will have a 15-minute intermission with refreshments in the cafeteria supplied by the Nanuet Music Parents Association. The total run time is two hours.

Bethany Gruskin, a Nanuet HS senior, is playing Miss Lynch, the principal. She’s also been the ticket coordinator for the last three years.

“This is a fundraiser for the Nanuet Music Parents Association. They’ll be selling flowers too during intermission,” she said. “It’s a lot of work and we have a huge student population involved in the cast, crew and pit.”

“The total student involvement is 115 students,” said Gremli. Students auditioned in early December and the cast was drawn up a week before winter break, said Gruskin.

“We’ve been rehearsing every day since we got back from break,” said Gruskin.

As a senior, Gruskin is bitter sweet about Grease.

“I’m kind of sad. I’ve been doing this twice a year for four years. This will be my last production,” she said, adding with a laugh, “I put someone else in charge of making sure my make up doesn’t run.”

There’s a new feature this year and Gruskin is trying to reach out to the Nanuet alumni.

“This year there will be a spot for alumni to sign in with their full name and graduation year. Grease is a really big show and the original script was a flashback. That’s what inspired us to get the alumni involved and also because it’s a really well known show. We thought it would be a great fundraiser,” she said. “Dr. Gremli suggested the idea and we tried to take it and run with it.”

“I want to thank Elaine Royal, Dr. Jack Gremli and his wife Carol for all they’ve done for the play.

Those looking for tickets can contact:

• bgruskin@optonline.net
• or call 845-627-9850