Although this year's spring musical will not be open to the public because of the pandemic, Octorara Junior-Senior High School students will present "Grease: School Edition" to a limited audience.

"We will be performing to a live audience, but it is limited to family and friends of cast and crew members. Tickets are not available for purchase," explained director Joe Lynch, Octorara music teacher. "We have two casts for this year's show to help limit the indoor numbers. (Most of) our male cast members perform their roles for both casts."

The Red Cast performed on April 30 and May 1. This cast featured Kieran Lomboy as Danny and Kailyn Nuse as Sandy. The Blue Cast will perform on Friday and Saturday, May 7 and 8, at 7 p.m. and will feature Kieran as Danny and Hailey Rohrer as Sandy.

Other cast members include Jamie Guertler as Ms. Lynch, Meghan McKenna and Ava Zimmerman as Patty Simcox, Melanie Witte and Bella Delise as Jan, Tyler Remphrey as Eugene, Liz Meyer and Sydney Simons as Marty, Jessica Belmonte and Taylor Strayer as Betty Rizzo, Alex Yelovich as Doody, Collin Nolan as Roger, Mac Eberhardt as Kenickie, Logan Prokay as Sonny LaTierri, Serenity Shoemaker and Oliva Dorton as Frenchy, Yony Gonzalez Matta as Vince Fontaine, Caleb Lusby and Curtis McCawley as Johnny Casino, Paige Linnenbaugh as Cha-Cha DiGregorio and Curtis McCawley and Haley Nuse as Teen Angel.

The ensemble includes Samantha Carr, Menah Alkhabaz, Madie French, Julia Roth, Lyla Elboubrki, Curtis McCawley, Faith Budzik, Emma Whitman, Elizabeth Bricking and Jilliana DeStephano.

Lynch explained that the cast and crew started working on the play in mid-February with virtual and remote music rehearsals. "Recently, we have begun in-person, socially distant rehearsals with the casts to learn choreography and blocking," he noted.

"Grease: School Edition," an abridged version of the original, is more age-appropriate and eliminates some content to focus more on the show's popular musical score. "We chose this show because it was a student favorite, and it provided enough roles for two separate casts to allow as many students to participate as possible," Lynch said.

In addition to Lynch, the production staff includes costume designer Nina Thwaites and choreographer Jessica Olinik. Seniors Hailey Rohrer, Olivia Dorton and Leah Davis head up the student leadership team. Dorton and Linnenbaugh are the dance captains.

Lynch said the cast hopes to be able to perform the play for the entire student body.