Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter
When Olivia Newton-John passed away in 2022 after a long battle with cancer, memories inevitably turned to her starring role as Sandy in the massively successful 1978 movie Grease, the musical tribute to the 1950s that was based on the early 1970s Broadway show.
The show was significant not only for the performances by Newton-John, John Travolta, Stockard Channing and the rest of the movie cast, but also because Newton-John’s own sunny image changed as well, as in the movie, she transformed from a demure student to a fireball in tight clothing. On record, her next LP after several cheery pop confections was named Totally Hot, later followed by the raunchy Physical.
My own experience with Grease was one of my more pleasant memories. I saw it on the big screen in Laval in 1978, and found myself dancing outside the theatre afterwards.
Grease has a special significance in Côte St. Luc as well, as the musical was one of the earliest productions of the CSL Dramatic Society in 2012.
Now, 11 years later, the Dramatic Society’s Senior Summerworks is revisiting Grease from a satirical angle, just as it did on a senior citizens angle with Annie (GrAnnie), Mamma Mia (Gramma Mia), Chicago (Florida) and The Wizard of Oz (The Wizard of Oy).
This time, the Grease parody is called Ointment, a one-act presentation recommended for those eight years old and over, and is written by Senior Summerworks creator Ari Sterlin with musical arrangements by Nick Burgess, co-directed by Sam Stein and Anisa Cameron and produced by Mayor Mitchell Brownstein, and councillors Andee Shuster and Mitch Kujavsky. There will be 20 performers ranging in age from 20 to 89, including John Kovac, Sharon Malone, Hannah Scheffren, Dan Sterlin, Nancy Breitman, Steve Korolnek, Brenda Epstein, former councillor Sam Goldbloom, Gloria Szikman, Michael Deitcher, Janet Garmaise, Harry Rajchgot, Ellen Rabin, Cheryl Everett, Maria Inés Zylber, Dawson Barman-Tao, Aaliyah Donets, Beverly Silverman, Phyllis Schnarch, and Mayor Brownstein.
The plot is that the “snowbirds have returned to the City of Côte St. Luc after a long winter in Florida and they are ready to rule the town once more.
“The group has fallen victim to a miracle ointment pyramid scheme and mayhem ensues.”
Cameron pointed out that “every year since 2015, we have produced a parody musical that the seniors perform in. The subject is always something that is relevant to the senior population.
“These shows are always so much fun to watch and Ointment will not disappoint!”
Shuster announced the coming performances at the Oct. 16 CSL council meeting.
“This one-act musical parody will have audiences swaying in their seats to the tunes you all know and love, but with a clever twist,” she said.
There will be five performances of Ointment, Nov. 9 at 8 p.m., Nov. 10 at 2 p.m., Nov. 11 at 2 and 8 p.m. and Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. the Harold Greenspon Auditorium at the Bernard Lang Civic Centre on Cavendish Blvd. in CSL. For more information and to buy tickets, go to www.csldramaticsociety.com.