HATFIELD — One of the producers of the Hatfield Public Schools’ production of the musical “Grease” promises an “electrifying” experience.

“The kids are phenomenal. ‘Grease’ is just a fun show for kids to do,” Randi Poirier said. “It’s downright electrifying.”

The show, staged at the Hatfield Elementary School, 33 Main St., is set to run at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with doors opening at 6 p.m. There will also be a 1 p.m. Saturday matinee, and doors open at noon.

Director Vanessa Kerby said tickets are close to being sold out for all shows, and production staff is trying to accommodate additional seating. Any remaining tickets will be available when doors open before the daily performances.

For the general public, tickets cost $10 for regular seating and $12 for premium seating. For seniors, the price is $8 for regular seating and $10 for premium seating.

Performers and set staff include students from fifth grade to 12th. The musical, which takes place in a 1950s high school setting, presents what Kerby called “PG-13” content, including smoking and teen pregnancy.

There is still smoking (with fake theater cigarettes) and the directors did not shy away from touchy themes, Kerby said, but “there are definitely some lyrics we switched to be more palatable.”

An example, she said, is in the opening number, “Summer Nights,” when the male cast members ask Danny if Sandy  “put up a fight” when the two got acquainted on the beach that summer — something critics of the musical say perpetuates rape culture. That lyric was changed subtly, Kerby said, to “Were you out every night?”

The cast did not shy away from teen pregnancy, either, Kerby said.

If they had, “then there is no conflict in the plot line,” she said. “You generally want to stay pretty true to the script because you buy the rights to the musical.”

Poirier, one of the show’s two producers, said parents were involved in discussions prior to the show.

“What was a bigger issue for the parents was that there’s smoking in the show,” Poirier said.

One change from a classic rendition of “Grease,” too, is the transformation of Sandy. In the movie, Kerby said, Sandy’s sudden shift to an edgy character by the end is in large part to attract Danny’s attention.

“We just wanted to convey to her that that doesn’t have to be the case, and she can change for her own reasoning,” Kerby said, adding that they encouraged her character to change gradually over the course of the musical.

Kerby said students have been working since December, and four days a week since February. The cast features several seniors and younger students for whom this show is their first.

“They have just nailed it,” Kerby said. “They’ve done a beautiful job.”

The two lead characters, Sandy and Danny, are played by Maya Staples and Luca Lyons-Sosa, respectively.

The price of the production is $15,000, with $5,000 coming coming from the Hatfield Education Foundation, Poirier said. Licensing for the musical, Poirier said, cost several thousand dollars.

She said revenue generated from the spring musical will roll back into the theater program.

Poirier and Liz Vollinger are the two producers. Frank Jackson is music director; Myka Plunkett is co-director and choreographer; and Emma Olson is the set and costume designer.

Jackson’s power trio — with guitar, bass and drums — will provide the music.

Jack Suntrup can be reached at jsuntrup@gazettenet.com.

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