Grease Singalong!

On Friday and Saturday, January 18th and 19th The Plaza hosted one of the most fun times I can ever remember! Over 300 people made it out (despite snow and ice) to sing and dance and show off their 50s apparel!

Hosted by local comedian (and all around good guy) Lucky Yates:

Lucky gave the audience lots to do! Everyone received a goody bag full of props to use during the film. Some of the fun things included: Blow bubbles during Beauty School Dropout, comb their hair in uncomfortably close moments with the T-Birds, smoke along with Sandy when she has her first ciggie, and wave a glow stick during the carnival scene! Lots of lines had fun callbacks…Ooolala at Frenchy, giggle at Patty Simcox, wolf whistle at Rizzo, hiss at Chacha and boo the Scorpions!

There was a lot of dancing in the aisles after volunteers went up to remind us all how to do the hand-jive! There was even a COSTUME CONTEST! This guy won for dressing like Danny at the Dance – dig the pink socks! He won one of those cool Rydell High editions of the Grease DVD – wrapped in its own little leather jacket!

If you think that was an action shot check him out here with a bevy of Pink Ladies!

I don’t know what these cool girls and doing with these Eugenes! Must be all of the Microsoft money.

Here’s another couple of shots including Lucky Yates with one of the many slutty Sandys!

A good time was had by all!

And YES! Before you ask, we WILL have another Grease Singalong in the Spring!

Our first Blog!

So…it’s been suggested that the Plaza Theatre could use a blog. Well, okay, I’m game. Meanwhile as a virgin blogger, I am open to any and all suggestions from you millions of people who have been doing it for years!

Let’s start with the Iron Elvis competition and the Elvis Bash (and yes! I will get around to SSSS, Splatter Cinema, Art Shows, and the Grease Singalong!)

On January 12th, the incomparable Jon Waterhouse organized a great event to commemorate the King’s 72nd birthday. In addition to a rare print of JAILHOUSE ROCK, we were treated to five different ETAs (Elvis Tribute Artists to the uninitiated – no Impersonators here!). We started with the Littlest “E” ever – Levi Waterhouse (and his sister Violet dancing up a storm!)

and then we moved on to a ten year old girl (she was serious about her Elvis!) We wound things up with a trio of 50s, 60s, and 70s Elvises (Elvii?)…boy that 70s Elvis had an unbelievable voice! Here he is with some of the beauties of BLAST OFF BURLESQUE – who kept the show lively! (check out that sweet flamin’ eagle!)

The film did not disappoint either as a hot and surly convict Elvis lived up to my bad boy fantasy! The songs were great and the plot ironically foreshadowed Elvis’ conflict with his manager Colonel Tom Parker. Man, that Jailhouse Rock number is famous for a reason.

Lots of audience members answered Jon’s trivia questions and went home with authentic unopened Elvis LPs bought on the day he died, courtesy of my late great aunt. Don’t worry, she bought out all the record stores in my home town, so I kept some for myself.

A really great night and I hope we do it again next year!