The historic Queen Street Playhouse will heat up Aug. 21 when the acclaimed Broadway show and movie Grease light up the Footlight Players’ 95th season that will be filled with laughter.
“Our mission has always been about more than producing great theatre,” Executive Director Brian Porter said. “It’s about creating experiences that bring people together. We want audiences to walk into Queen Street Playhouse, leave the outside world behind for a few hours, and remember what it feels like to laugh together.”
The company’s production of Grease, led by Artistic Director Kyle Barnette, will embrace traditional elements of the classic musical and add “new theatrical flair, immersive audience experiences, and the infectious energy that has become a hallmark of recent Footlight productions,” according to a press release.
“Grease reminds us why we fell in love with musical theater in the first place,” Barnette said. “It’s funny, heartfelt, nostalgic, and filled with music that generations know by heart. It’s exactly the kind of show that lets audiences forget their worries for an evening.”
Audience members will recognize several songs, such as “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin’ ”, “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “You’re the One That I Want,” in the anticipated four-week production.
Also on the calendar in coming months are four other productions:
- Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors (Oct. 9-31). The company will offer Charleston’s regional premiere of this lightning-fast theatrical spoof that reimagines Bram Stoker’s classic as a comedy.
- A Christmas Story (Feb. 12 to March 7). Holiday audiences will enjoy this stage adaptation of the film.
- Who’s Holiday (Dec. 18-22) This more adult-oriented favorite will bring back Cindy Lou Who’s foul-mouthed holiday hijinks.
- Mean Girls (Feb. 12 to March 7). This hit Broadway musical is based on the iconic film. It offers sharp comedy and infectious music that the Footlight team says will be one of the season’s biggest crowd-pleasers.
- Les Liaisons Dangereuses (March 26 to April 11). The season’s lone dramatic offering, the play is an award-winning adaptation that explores manipulation, desire and power with gripping sophistication.
- Shear Madness (April 30 to May 16). This internationally celebrated interactive comedy will have the audience rolling in the aisles as it becomes part of the performance’s investigation. No two shows are alike.
IF YOU WANT TO GO: Purchase tickets at footlightplayters.net. 20 Queen St., Charleston.
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