An iconic American musical, Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey’s “Grease” will be performed on the Dibden stage April 22-24.

Directing the play will be Patrick Houle, JSC alumnus and part-time professor of performing arts. Houle said he chose the play for a variety of reasons. “My belief is that no musical theatre major should leave college without doing a dance heavy musical and Grease is a very heavy dance show,”said Houle. “The version we will be doing will be a grittier, raunchier version seen in professional theatres. “

“Grease” is a high energy production, reflecting the excitement and turmoil often associated with adolescence. “This show does a good job representing that world- a world where people try so hard to fit in with their social group,” said Houle, “where they can’t control their raging hormones, a world where they fall in love really hard and have their heart broken just as badly by somebody who doesn’t live up to expectations.”

With auditions now complete, Houle said he is looking forward to getting to work. “This is the best job in the entire world,” he said. “I get to be creative, work with amazing students, and see a whole new world come to life. I look forward to seeing the personal growth of my students during this show and I look forward to how they will surprise and amaze me this time.”

The show premiered at Kingston Mines Theater in Chicago in 1971, moving to the Eden Theater off-Broadway in New York City on Valentine’s Day, 1972. Six months later, “Grease” went mainstream, moving to Broadway, first to the Broadhurst Theatre and then to the Royale, where it remained for eight years before moving to the Majestic for the final five weeks of its initial Broadway run of 3,388 performances, which at the time set a record.

The show has been revived several times, most notably in 1994 and 2007, as well as having been made into a 1978 hit film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

It is the 15th longest running Broadway show.

The singing auditions were held Feb. 16 and the dancing auditions on Feb. 17 in Dibden. As of press time, the cast had not been announced.