'Grease' returns to Lake City Playhouse after 28 years

COEUR d'ALENE — It's got a groove.

It's got a meaning.

"Grease" is the way a crew of talented teenyboppers were feeling 28 years ago this summer when they brought the popular musical to the Lake City Playhouse stage.

"When I was in 'Grease' is when I fell in love with the playhouse," Lake City Playhouse Artistic Director Brooke Wood said Wednesday.

Wood, who was 19 when she played Pink Lady Marty in the 1997 production, is now directing the very same play that had a profound impact on her life. The 2025 production of "Grease" opens at 7:30 tonight.

"I would love to go back and tell that kid what the future was going to be, because I don’t think she would have ever believed the playhouse would end up meaning so much to me until the end of that run," Wood said. "That show was the biggest turning point in my life, other than meeting my husband and having my children."

"Grease" was Wood's first big show. It's when she was discovered by playwright Tim Rarick, who was directing theater at North Idaho College at the time. She was offered a scholarship and studied under Rarick, who became a dear friend and mentor.

"Had that kid not showed up at auditions at the Harding Center, my life would never ever be what it is now, and I know that. Fundamentally in my bones, I know that," Wood said. "This show saved my life."

Set in the late 1950s, "Grease" is a tale of summer lovin', high school hijinks and the highs and lows of teenage life set to an iconic soundtrack. The 1978 movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John became the highest-grossing musical film of its day.

Lake City Playhouse's 1997 show sold out every night. It was so popular an extra weekend was added.

"My mom was in the front row every single performance," said Jillian Kramer of Rathdrum, who was 15 when she played Frenchy. "She saved all the ticket stubs."

That well-loved production had a winning ingredient in its special sauce: A tight-knit cast. The Pink Ladies and the Burger Palace Boys were teens who hailed from all over North Idaho but became the best of friends, sharing a chemistry that was felt on and off the stage.

"We really bonded and stayed friends for years after the show," Kramer said. "It was almost like we spoke our own language. There were so many inside jokes that came out of that experience that went on for years."

Kramer, who became the education director at the playhouse for a time, went on to direct two productions of "Grease" at other venues. She said she is proud of Wood for resurrecting the playhouse following its COVID near-closure and subsequent flood.

The playhouse has been open again for a year after an abundance of renovations and blood, sweat and tears.

"It's been a really special place in my heart," Kramer said. "My husband and I also got married at Lake City Playhouse. That's how much it means to me."

Brenna Fowler, who now lives in Colorado, said playing Sandy in "Grease" in 1997 was one of the most meaningful experiences of her teenage life. She was the youngest cast member.

"I was warmly embraced by older actors who took me under their wing — teaching me not only about performance but also about confidence, teamwork and growing up," she said. "Our cast wasn’t just putting on a show; we became a family. Late-night rehearsals turned into shared laughter, heartfelt conversations and creative exploration. That theater became our sanctuary, where we bonded over after-show parties and sleepovers, costume mishaps and collective excitement before opening night."

Wood said the young age of those cast in "Grease" was part of the magic.

"When you cast age appropriately and it's teens and early 20s, those are ages of humans that are looking for connection," she said. "It's a show about looking for connection. I think it really lends itself to that."

From her director's chair, Wood sees the same close friendships forming with today's cast.

"This is the tightest cast I've ever directed in 30 years," Wood said. "Being around them makes me feel like we’re going to be OK as a country. They're so accepting of each other's faults and accomplishments. It's such a beautiful thing to witness. It's this cast but it's also that generation."

Although some things have been updated or modified in Lake City Playhouse's 2025 production, the storyline of "Grease" continues to be relevant with audiences, Wood said.

"The things that haven't changed are the teen pregnancy woes and the woes of wanting to fit in and the need for the girl or boy to like you," she said. "Those are all things teenagers go through. That part of the storyline is never going to age out. It’s human nature, we just want to be liked and love." 

Wood's version of "Grease" uses pop art, vibrant colors and a rockabilly vibe as it nods to the '50s in a musical celebration of individuality, friendship and what it means to grow up.

"We're keeping it kitsch," Wood said. "It's totally kitsch." 

The show runs through Aug. 3 with a special show donating to local firefighters Saturday.

Tickets and info: lakecityplayhouse.org

    Pink Ladies from the 1997 Lake City Playhouse production of "Grease" walk in the Fourth of July parade that summer. From left: Brenna (Dunn) Fowler, Stacia Secrariat and Jillian (Ashkinos) Kramer.
  

    The Pink Ladies recreate a photo pose from when Lake City Playhouse brought "Grease" to the stage in 1997. The 2025 production opens tonight. Standing, from left: Josi Brett as Rizzo, Zoey Evens as Jan, Juno Otis as Frenchy and Lorelai Provolt as Sandy. Front: Stevie Austidillo as Marty.
  

    Cast members rehearse a scene for Lake City Playhouse's production of "Grease," which returns to the stage tonight.
  

    The cover of a September 1997 Coeur d'Alene Press A&E publication highlights a scene from "Grease" at Lake City Playhouse. The beloved show returns to the playhouse tonight after 28 years, directed by Brooke Wood, who was a cast member in the '97 show.