'Grease' opens Ogunquit Playhouse season

OGUNQUIT — The Ogunquit Playhouse will kick off its 82nd season with "Grease," the musical that Ogunquit audiences rated as the No. 1 show they wanted to see in 2014. It's the beloved rock 'n' roll celebration of teen angst, fast cars and first loves all set in the fabulous '50s. This all-new production is on stage May 21 to June 21 and features the irresistible songs from the Tony Award nominated Broadway show and hit movie, including "You're The One That I Want," "Grease Is The Word," "Summer Nights," "Hopelessly Devoted To You," "Greased Lightnin'" and many more.

"Grease" follows love-struck bad-boy Danny and girl-next-door Sandy in a thrilling injection of pure fun with astounding dancing and amazing songs.

Television and film star Mo Gaffney will join the cast as Miss Lynch. Gaffney has numerous television credits, including her recurring role as Bo in the BBC hit sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous." She gained national attention when she wrote and starred with her friend Kathy Najimy an off-Broadway show, "The Kathy and Mo Show: Parallel Lives." She won an Obie Award for her critically acclaimed performance in "Parallel Lives," which was taped and aired on HBO and Comedy Central, and then went on to win two Cable Ace Awards, "Best Comedy Special" and "Best Performance in a Comedy Special." She won the same awards again when she produced and starred in her second HBO special "The Kathy and Mo Show: The Dark Side." Gaffney hosted and co-produced the ground breaking half-hour comedy/talk show, "Women Aloud!" on Comedy Central, earning her two Cable Ace Award nominations and produced and starred in the Fox talk show, "The Mo Show." Included in her many television credits are recurring roles in "That 70s Show" as Joanne Stupak and in "Mad About You" as Dr. Sheila Kleinman. Her guest appearances include "Friends," "Hart of Dixie" and "Justified." In addition, she has appeared in many films, including "Drop Dead Gorgeous" and "Other People's Money." On stage she starred in the award-winning off-Broadway production of Paula Vogel's "Minneola Twins" with Swoozie Kurtz for the Roundabout Theater in New York City and the New York production of "The Vagina Monologues" with Marsha Mason and Lynn Whitfield.

Matthew Ragas returns to the Ogunquit Playhouse to play Danny. He appeared last year as the Pharaoh in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and as Warner in "Legally Blonde" in 2012. Ragas has performed in many national tours including "Hairspray" and "Legally Blonde" and in regional theatres across the country. Mary Little is making her Ogunquit debut as Sandy. She is a recent graduated of the University of Michigan and has performed many roles including Elle Woods in "Legally Blonde," Polly Baker in "Crazy for You" and most recently, Eponine in "Les Miserables."

Get out your leather jackets and pull on your bobby socks with Rydell High's senior class of 1959. Making her Ogunquit debut is Madeline Barker who plays bad girl Rizzo. She has performed many roles including Vanessa in "In the Heights," Jo in "Little Women" and Judy Garland in the new musical "Tinseltown Christmas." "Greaser" Kenickie is played by Preston Ellis who performed as Corny Collins in "Hairspray" at the 2012 Tony Awards and on the Taylor Hicks Grease tour. Jillian Gottlieb plays high school drop-out Frenchy. She has performed in many theaters across the U. S. including Prospect Theatre Company, The Duke on 42nd Street, and at The Metropolitan Opera.

Director-choreographer for "Grease" is DJ Salisbury, who helmed the record-breaking production of "Buddy, the Buddy Holly Story" for the past two seasons at the Ogunquit Playhouse. In addition, he has directed and choreographed for theaters nationwide, including Paper Mill Playhouse, Theatre of the Stars-Atlanta, Sacramento Music Circus and Riverside Theatre-FL. As director-choreographer he has worked on many shows including "Man of La Mancha," "Into The Woods," "La Cage Aux Folles," "Ain't Misbehavin'," "The Full Monty," "Evita," "Ragtime" and nine productions of "The Will Rogers Follies." In New York he directed numerous readings, workshops and concerts including a revised "Mystery of Edwin Drood" (featuring Sally Struthers) and the Lincoln Center solo concert of Disney composer Alan Menken, among others. Salisbury has worked in various capacities with Broadway heavyweights Jerry Mitchell, Kathleen Marshall, Lynne Taylor Corbett, Susan Stroman, Jeff Calhoun and Tommy Tune. As choreographer he worked on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars Road Trip" and "The Rachael Ray Show." He was also head writer/lyricist for the Emmy-winning "Oklahoma Centennial" TV special starring Reba McIntyre, Vince Gill, Kelli O'Hara and Shirley Jones. Salisbury is attached as director and contributing writer to the new musical "CHIX 6," which is slated for a Broadway bow in 2015. He is currently the acting artistic director of Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts in Smithtown, N.Y.

Tickets and season subscription packages are on sale now. Single ticket prices start at $39 per show and season tickets start at $175 for a five-show subscription or $99 for a three-show subscription. To learn more about becoming a member, season subscriber or to purchase tickets and gift certificates, visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org, call the box office at (207) 646-5511 or visit the new "downtown box office" located at 102 Main St.(Route 1) just south of the Ogunquit village center.

Next on stage will be "Billy Elliot the Musical," running from June 25 to July 26. This inspirational story of a young boy's struggle against the odds to make his dream come true is heightened by the unforgettable music by Elton John, sensational dance and powerful storyline. The practically perfect Mary Poppins will fly over the rooftops of London and into the Ogunquit Playhouse from July 30 to Aug. 30. This beloved family musical features the delightful songs from the popular Disney film including "A Spoonful of Sugar," "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" and "Chim Chim Cher-ee." The Ogunquit Playhouse was selected by Cameron Mackintosh to be the American Northeast premiere of his hit musical stage adaptation of "The Witches of Eastwick," on stage Sept. 3-27. This sexy new musical comedy is based on the Warner Brothers hit motion picture starring Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon and Cher about small-town New England women who wish for the man of their dreams — and get far more than they bargain for when the devil incarnate arrives to liven things up! "The Addams Family" closes the Ogunquit season Oct. 1-26.

For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season, visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.