Hopelessly Devoted

by Tami Fertig

Theater

Brat Productions and Tapestry Theatre are known for breaking rules. The former seeks out atypical venues (smoky pubs, a Queen Village courtyard, the Warwick Hotel penthouse suite); the latter works exclusively with women. The two theater companies' artistic directors, Madi Distefano and Karen Getz respectively, had been flirting with the idea of collaboration when Distefano attended a production of Annie at her daughter's elementary school. Inspired by the charm of the less-than-flawless performance, she approached Getz (whom she describes as "the funniest choreographer in Philadelphia") about pulling together for a mock all-girls high school production of Grease. Distefano's spin on the nostalgic musical about high school friendship, romance and cheap thrills in the '50s includes behind-the-scenes coverage of the girls' auditions, rehearsals and dirty teenage politics. The show — directed by Distefano and choreographed by Getz — opens this Friday at the Marian Anderson Recreation Center, which also serves as the high school auditorium. Like any amateur endeavor, the performance is full of embarrassing mishaps. Girls get hurt, fumble their lines, suffer from stage fright. "Every night is opening night at Marian Anderson," says Distefano. "It's a big gift to make bad high school choreography," adds Getz gleefully. A single-sex cast enables more local female actors to clock in stage time that'd normally go to guys while offering a refreshing twist on the predictable love story of prudish Sandy and too-cool Danny (above, played by Lee Etzold).

Grease, Fri.-Sat., May 6-7, 7 p.m.; Sun., May 8, 3 p.m.; Tue.-Wed., May 10-11, 7 p.m., through May 28, $10-$20, Marian Anderson Recreation Center, 17th and Fitzwater sts., brattix@aol.com.