Those who feel like they haven’t seen “Grease” lately will have a chance to fix that for the next few weeks at the Highlands Performing Arts Center.
The classic stage musical will be performed live by the Mountain Theatre Company from Wednesday, June 5 all the way through Saturday, June 22.
The show has been a theater staple for decades and features a number of hit songs like “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightnin,’” “You’re the One That I Want,” and “Hopelessly Devoted To You.”
Choreographer Raymond Lamar Bennett, a New York native, has been spending time in the area helping the cast get ready for the show.
“We wanted to focus on a more athletic choreography, as opposed to a simple step technique. I think it went well, I think the audience is going to love what we came up with,” he said.
It’s Bennett’s first time working with the Mountain Theatre Company. He said “Grease” was a good choice because it’s “a piece that people know very well.”
“They know these characters very well, and it’s a story they’ll be able to relate to,” he said.
He was approached by the Mountain Theater Company after they saw social media posts of his, in which he spoke about his wish to one day be the head choreographer on a Broadway show. His path to the job came through being involved in various theater roles in his school years – even if he didn’t originally know he wanted to do choreography yet.
“In school, I had the opportunity to do a composition class, and do some compositions,” he said. “I didn’t even know I was doing it. I had the opportunity to grow and cultivate that skill set. After putting in a number of years, I decided to become a choreographer.”
Asked what he enjoyed about the job, Bennett said he liked being able to convey a story in unique ways beyond what’s on the pages of the script.
“I like bringing the story the director wants to tell to life,” he said. “With the script, showcasing with movement, there’s singing, there’s acting. It’s about finding where the dancing can continue to tell the story.”
He’s worked on cruise ships, productions at theme parks and in various New York shows in the years since then. In addition to his work on “Grease” here, he’s also recently worked as the assistant choreographer on “Moulin Rouge” on Broadway. That show is one step closer to his dream, but he said he hasn’t given up on going even higher than that in the future.
“It’s still my goal to choreograph a Broadway show one day,” he said.
Tickets can be bought at highlandsperformingarts.com or at the door at the PAC, located at 507 Chestnut Street.