Columbia Theatre and Dance students performed a “Grease” tribute at the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, previewing their full November production.

Columbia College Chicago students brought the spirit of Rydell High to Joliet’s historic Rialto Square Theatre this fall with a live musical and dance tribute to “Grease” at the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. 

Presented by the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66, the Sept.14 event celebrated Illinois artists, innovators, and cultural icons. Columbia’s performance honored the legacy of “Grease” creators Jim Jacobs HDR ’14 and Warren Casey, whose Chicago roots shaped one of the most beloved musicals in history — and offered an early glimpse of what audiences can expect from Columbia’s full production of “Grease” coming to the stage this November. 

Jacobs — who established a  musical theatre scholarship at Columbia College Chicago and received an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the college in 2014 — appeared in person to accept his Hall of Fame induction. His original songs and book, written with Casey, continue to inspire new generations of performers, including Columbia’s Theatre and Dance students. 

“Having Columbia students perform this tribute at such a major event, connected our program directly to Chicago’s cultural heritage,” saysid Jimmy Noriega, PhD, director of the School of Theatre and Dance. “It celebrated the city’s influence on music and theatre while spotlighting the next generation of artists learning their craft at Columbia.” 

Serving as the opening act for the evening, Columbia musical theatre students MJ Bueno, Tyler Ehrenberg, Abigail Ehrenberg, Owen Gainer, Adriana Hernandez Almestica, MaKaila Jenkins, Ambrose Velasco Jenkins, Xander Ramirez, Brady Tooley, Lillian Urresti, and Ethan Williams performed the classic hits “Summer Nights,” “Beauty School Drop Out,” and “We Go Together.” They were joined onstage by Chicago singer and performer Annie Aiello. 

The production team that staged the numbers included Jimmy Noriega, along with Columbia Musical Theatre faculty Colte Julian, Wilfredo Rivera, and Amy Vargas Rivera. 

Columbia to Stage “Grease” in November 

At the Hall of Fame performance, Columbia President Shantay N. Bolton, PhD, announced that Columbia will stage, for the first time, a production of “Grease,” which will run November 13–22, 2025, at the Getz Theater Center’s Courtyard Theatre (72 E. 11th Street, Chicago). 

Directed by Daryl Brooks, with music direction by Kailey Rockwell and choreography by alum Jonny Martinez, Columbia’s production captures the pulse of 1950s youth culture, following Rydell High’s spirited students through stories of first love, fierce friendship, and self-discovery — fueled by show-stopping choreography and a soundtrack that defined a generation. 

Performance schedule: 
Thursday, November 13 – 7:30 p.m. (Preview) 
Friday, November 14 – 7:30 p.m. (Opening) 
Saturday, November 15 – 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. 
Wednesday, November 19 – 7:30 p.m. 
Thursday, November 20 – 7:30 p.m. 
Friday, November 21 – 7:30 p.m. 
Saturday, November 22 – 2 p.m. 

Tickets and program information available at theatre.colum.edu 

For more information about the history of "Grease" and the career and legacy of Jim Jacobs, see Columbia College Chicago's Theatre Department blog, The Green Room. 

 

 

 

 

• Theatre and Dance

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