Zachary Brenner

Editor-in-Chief

A common fear when attending high school theater productions is that there will be constant mess-ups and awkward performances. Milken shows always seem to defy this anxiety. Grease, although abridged and modified for a high school setting, was constant fun from beginning to end.

Jess Jackoway ’14 had never stepped foot on stage before his debut as Danny in Grease, yet fit the role excellently. With a bit of apprehension before attending the musical, my fears were put at ease the second Jackoway walked on stage. Cool and rebellious, Jackoway gave a solid performance.

The female supporting characters stole the show. Anina Dassa ‘14, Tiffany Maddahi ’15, and Ellie Komberg ’16 had stellar performances, and Dassa, Fink, Komberg, and Izzy Azouz ’16 belted out memorable solos. Dassa, who played Marty, seductively stole the audiences’ hearts. Sandy, played by Jenna Fink ’16, provided a sweet and innocent attitude that clashed wonderfully well with Jackoway’s cooler portrayal. Their chemistry helped to bring the show up a notch.

Director Robert Menna expertly casted the show, and gave impressive attention to detail. For a preview, the set transitions were smooth and unnoticeable, aside from a few minor mistakes as the curtains closed.

I highly recommend this musical to all, even if you are a fan of the longer and more raunchy professional play. Milken students have tremendous talent that they flaunt in this year’s fall musical.