A melodramatic rendition of two classics
Not many would think that combining Grease and The Exorcist would lead to a raunchy parody featuring demonic possession, mixed signals and Satan as a high school principal. However, several college students as well as one Professor, Patrick Faherty, are now bringing this strange love child to life as Greasy Exorcist, which will be performed at the Little Theatre from Nov. 20 to 22.
Greasy Exorcist is a melodrama written and co-directed by Faherty and directed by psychology major Zariah Dodds. The play is a combination of Grease and The Exorcist, in which parodies of Grease characters end up being possessed by the school principal, Satan and must be exorcised. When asked how this strange combination was formed, Faherty had this to say.
“Sometimes, we need to come up with scripts,” Faherty said. “So, for me, it is fairly easy to take two pre-existing storylines and sort of meld them together and sometimes it’s kind of funny.”
Unlike its sibling show, Supers, Greasy Exorcist is an R-rated show that is performed with its audience on-stage and up in the faces of its actors, and it is encouraged that the audience interact with the character’s goofy antics. An attendee to previous melodramas, mechanical engineering major Joaquin Haces-Garcia has seen the fun and joy that these types of plays bring.
“The shows are pretty consistent in the level of weirdness, but [Greasy Exorcist] definitely took me in for a loop when I first heard what it was about,” Garcia said.
When asked about what the audiences and the cast interactions were like for plays similar to Greasy Exorcist, he said “It was fun, I will say that. I made some very funny remarks that the actors also found very funny and I thought it was a very funny experience for me and for everyone that was there.”
Of course, the major thing that brings the show to life is not just its audience, but its actors. Communication major Gage Roberts brings the main antagonist, Satan, to life on the stage.
“It’s definitely a lot of fun,” Roberts said. “Just cutting loose, screaming at the top of my lungs, acting like a complete idiot…it’s really fun just to cut loose like that.”
Faherty sees the work that both the director as well as the actors such as Roberts all put into the show.
“None of these people are Theatre Majors, they’re just doing it all on their own time basically,” Faherty said. “I’m really impressed with the commitment that the actors as well as the director have given the show.”
There are hopes that Greasy Exorcist will attract a large enough audience to the Little Theatre.
“I’m pretty hopeful,” Roberts said. “I think we hit a pretty good stride with May The Titanic Force Be With You, so I’m hoping that a lot of people will spread the word about it and also come to this show.”
Previous attendees also wish for this new show to be just as good, if not better, than previous melodramas.
“Honestly, the Stars Wars show was a very memorable experience and if Greasy Exorcist is able to do half of what the Stars Wars show was able to do, it’ll be an amazing experience,” Garcia said. “And if it is able to be better, than even better.”
Not many would think that combining Grease and The Exorcist would lead to a raunchy parody featuring demonic possession, mixed signals and Satan as a high school principal. However, several college students as well as one Professor, Patrick Faherty, are now bringing this strange love child to life as Greasy Exorcist, which will be performed at the Little Theatre from Nov. 20 to 22.
Greasy Exorcist is a melodrama written and co-directed by Faherty and directed by psychology major Zariah Dodds. The play is a combination of Grease and The Exorcist, in which parodies of Grease characters end up being possessed by the school principal, Satan and must be exorcised. When asked how this strange combination was formed, Faherty had this to say.
“Sometimes, we need to come up with scripts,” Faherty said. “So, for me, it is fairly easy to take two pre-existing storylines and sort of meld them together and sometimes it’s kind of funny.”
Unlike its sibling show, Supers, Greasy Exorcist is an R-rated show that is performed with its audience on-stage and up in the faces of its actors, and it is encouraged that the audience interact with the character’s goofy antics. An attendee to previous melodramas, mechanical engineering major Joaquin Haces-Garcia has seen the fun and joy that these types of plays bring.
“The shows are pretty consistent in the level of weirdness, but [Greasy Exorcist] definitely took me in for a loop when I first heard what it was about,” Garcia said.
When asked about what the audiences and the cast interactions were like for plays similar to Greasy Exorcist, he said “It was fun, I will say that. I made some very funny remarks that the actors also found very funny and I thought it was a very funny experience for me and for everyone that was there.”
Of course, the major thing that brings the show to life is not just its audience, but its actors. Communication major Gage Roberts brings the main antagonist, Satan, to life on the stage.
“It’s definitely a lot of fun,” Roberts said. “Just cutting loose, screaming at the top of my lungs, acting like a complete idiot…it’s really fun just to cut loose like that.”
Faherty sees the work that both the director as well as the actors such as Roberts all put into the show.
“None of these people are Theatre Majors, they’re just doing it all on their own time basically,” Faherty said. “I’m really impressed with the commitment that the actors as well as the director have given the show.”
There are hopes that Greasy Exorcist will attract a large enough audience to the Little Theatre.
“I’m pretty hopeful,” Roberts said. “I think we hit a pretty good stride with May The Titanic Force Be With You, so I’m hoping that a lot of people will spread the word about it and also come to this show.”
Previous attendees also wish for this new show to be just as good, if not better, than previous melodramas.
“Honestly, the Stars Wars show was a very memorable experience and if Greasy Exorcist is able to do half of what the Stars Wars show was able to do, it’ll be an amazing experience,” Garcia said. “And if it is able to be better, than even better.”
