52 | AUGUST 19 • 2021
ARTS&LIFE
THEATER
L
ike other theater companies in
Metro Detroit, the Jewish Ensemble
Theatre (JET) is returning to the live
stage — only moved outside with a musi-
cal production planned to attract family
audiences.
Grease, a romp about 1950s teens and
the issues they face, features a cast num-
bering more than 20 and spotlights songs,
played by a live band, that became pop-
ular beyond the show — “Shakin’ at the
High School Hop,” “Freddy My Love” and
“Summer Nights.”
It will be staged Friday-Sunday, Aug.
27-29, on the grounds of the Walled Lake
Farmers Market. Kevin Keller takes the
part of Eugene, the class valedictorian, a
supporting role in the show created by Jim
Jacobs and Warren Casey. The main char-
acters, Sandy and Danny, are played by
Sarah Kmiec and Grant Cleveland.
“Grease is just a ball of energy from start
to finish so it’s a really nice step back into
theater,” said Keller, 24. “We’re having a
great time as a cast and glad to be outside
in the summer. Beyond this production,
I’m drawn to supporting parts that round
out the show’s environment while the leads
go off and do their heavy lifting.”
Before graduating Wayne State
University in 2020 as a theater major,
Keller had been featured in the JET
production Shame, which is one of the
anti-bullying plays presented to groups of
young people, and he is glad to be moving
on to a mainstage show in addition to
retaining that element of JET.
Keller, who lives in Sterling Heights,
was introduced to theater participa-
tion by a teacher at L’
Anse Creuse High
School–North. She asked if he would like
to audition for a program that combined
The 1950s teen musical Grease will be performed outside.
JET Theatre Is Back Live!
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Kevin Keller, who plays Eugene, studies
the script.
The JET ensemble rehearses for Grease.
Details
Grease will be performed at
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Aug.
27-28, and 7 p.m. Sunday,
Aug. 29, at the Walled Lake
Farmers Market, 1499 E. West
Maple Road. $16-$20. Bring
your own chairs. Food and
beverages on sale. (248)
788-2900. jettheatre.org.