Nida Butt is all set to revive her iconic musical Grease, all set to be staged with some fresh faces and an improved set.
THEATREtALK
Nida Butt’s adaptation of the Broadway musical and ’70s hit film, Grease, was a roaring success, bringing popular hit songs and foot tapping action to Karachi’s theatre scene. The commercially popular, larger than life play on high-school teenage shenanigans intertwined with a youthful love for cars, music and dance, opened to packed houses and witnessed a great run on the proscenium arch. Two years down the lane, Karachi’s much-adored, starry musical extravaganza is set to make a comeback. And while it’s sure to make fans all too happy, we wonder what made director Nida Butt restage the production.
“Grease‘s popularity and demand has beenunparalleled,” she commented on why she decided on a second outing of the play. “Grease holds nostalgia for the older generation, while the younger generation is drawn to it because of its retro vibe and enduring music.” The first edition saw a number of faces from popular culture take to the stage, including TV actresses Ayesha Omar and Sanam Saeed and singer Sara Haider. However, this re-run hints at some fresh faces and a revamped set.
“The set, props and costumes have all been improved upon; the production values have been revised to look more authentic and reflect the glamour of the 1950s. We are also introducing a new female lead for the role of Sandy,” revealed Butt.
Vocalist Natasha Humera Ejaz will be seen playing Rizzo; she is also busy prepping up the cast as their official vocal coach.
The auditions for the play are already underway and while there is no information on the rest of the cast as of now, we know popular Indie artist Natasha Humera Ejaz will be playing the hotheaded Rizzo. Given the fact that this was a role originally played by an experienced artist like Sanam, Natasha has pretty big shoes to fill in and she is equally nervous about it.
“I am definitely feeling nervous. It’s a really iconic play and people expect nothing but perfection when coming to watch this kind of a play. Add to that the fact that Sanam has done it before me so yes, there is a lot of pressure but at the same time, I am very excited about it. I go for seven hours a day to dance and act and these are things that I love,” said Natasha of her ongoing experiencing of rehearsing for the play. However, acting is not the only job Natasha has been assigned. She is also the cast’s vocal coach and is preparing them for the musical fiesta.
Grease will return to the Arts Council, Karachi on March 18 and we can’t wait for the fun, dance and music that it’ll be bringing along!
By Nida Ameen