When Keaton Miller was a senior in high school, he played the leading role in Grease and fell deeper in love with musical theater.
Now, in a full circle moment, Miller is starring in Grease, portraying the leading role of Danny Zuko at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope through Sunday, September 8.
The Jackson, Tennessee, native appreciates being front and center in one of the world’s most popular Broadway musicals, which is expertly directed by Hunter Foster, who appeared in the 1994 original Broadway cast of the revival of the show.
With a hip-shaking rock ‘n’ roll score featuring hits like Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, and We Go Together, Grease celebrates the 1950s, high school, and the friendships we believe will last forever.
It’s Rydell High in 1959 and the duck-tailed, hot-rodding Burger Palace Boys and the gum-snapping, hip-shaking Pink Ladies rule the roost. After a summer romance, Danny and Sandy (Stephanie Prestage) are unexpectedly reunited for their senior year, but can they survive the good and bad times at Rydell High?
The current production is the perfect summer fare. With a mixture of humor, sweetness, and nostalgia, the melodic voices and top-notch acting will make you want to sing and dance to these classic songs on your way out the door.
Among the memorable numbers in this production are Freddy, My Love, Born to Hand-Jive, Beauty School Drop Out, There Are Worse Things I Could Do, and We Go Together.
After an initial run on Off-Broadway, Grease transferred to Broadway and ran for a record-breaking 3,388 performances. The film adaptation of Grease premiered in 1978 and became the highest-grossing movie musical of all time. The show has been revived twice on Broadway in 1994 and 2007.
“This show truly strikes a chord for me. I love that is such a fun musical, a cult classic that everyone loves,” says Miller. “It’s a sentimental story about friendship and camaraderie, and putting our differences aside to come together. Everyone is figuring out who they are as they go through that major rite-of-passage involved in graduating from high school in the late 1950s.”
Grease Producer Josh Fiedler says that no one can resist Grease! “As a child, the movie version made me fall in love with musicals and led me to pursue a career in musical theater,” he added.
“I’m thrilled that we can create a new production of the show for Bucks County Playhouse with Hunter and [choreographer] Alison [Solomon], and their talented young cast,” said Fiedler. He hopes that “a new generation will find as much delight in the show,” as he has.
After the conclusion of Grease, future 2024 shows include The Rocky Horror Picture Show from October 11 through November 3, and Anastasia: the Musical from November 22 through January 5.
The following is a Q and A with Keaton Miller:
Keaton, please tell me about your long history with Grease.
The first time I did Grease I was in high school and I was Danny. I loved that he is struggling with his identity; balancing being the cool guy and a good partner for Sandy. It is about these clumsy high school kids figuring it out who they are going to be after high school. It ends with the words “We will always be together,” that’s what is so special about the show for me.
What are your favorite songs in Grease?
I would say Summer Nights. It’s the first recognizable song that we sing in the show. It gets the audience excited. You can tell the audience is anticipating it. From the strum, you can feel the electricity. When we start singing it everyone goes crazy.
When did you get bit by the acting bug?
I always did theater growing up. I was in school musicals in lower, middle, and high school grades. I loved being on stage as a kid. I started feeling like this was something I couldn’t live without when my mom took me to see the musical Wicked from my birthday. We bought the CD and listened to it all the way home, and I kept doing it, to the tune of eight to nine shows a year.
It was a bonding experience, too, because all of my friends were involved. My first vocational interest was to be a chef. But the famed cooking school, Le Cordon Bleu closed in the U.S. and that was dashed. But I discovered you can go to school for theater. I realized that theater was more my passion and that cooking was my hobby. I recently graduated from Baldwin Wallace University’s Music Theatre program.
What has been your key to success?
I had supportive parents who said ‘If this is your dream go for it.’ I always thought ‘I am going to make it work. ‘No matter how hard anything is I am going to work it out. I always had a lot of support from my incredible family and I have always done everything to make sure I am in the best possible position.
In addition to your parents and close-knit family, who else was a mentor for you?
I had a great theater teacher/choreographer, Erica Davidson. She still lives in Jackson; Tennessee and came to New Hope to see me in this show. The last time she saw me perform was in the production of Grease which she choreographed. She drove 10 hours through the night to get here. I told her that I moved to New York a couple of weeks ago, I was in the city for a few days and got this part. She said, “I have to see it.”
The first Broadway show I saw was A Chorus Line, and I still love it.
A Chorus Line was the first professional show I did three years ago. It was such a magical first professional show experience. The message is wonderful and the material is eye opening because the audience gets a glimpse into the theatrical world. I played the part of Don. I adore the song, What I Did for Love. I am always grateful that this is what I get to do with my life. Other favorite roles so far are Bright Star and Footloose.
What advice do you have for parents or teens who want to make a life in the theater, music, or another difficult career?
For me, the most important thing is being honest and realistic about this career. Many people will tell you to be yourself, follow your dreams never give up. but that can skip the realities of the business. You have to be honest with yourself figure out where you fit and how to best market yourself.
Please tell me more.
You are selling yourself to the industry. So, I think that you have to realize and recognize it’s not going to be easy; it’s going to be hard! We live to work in this business. You can’t work to live. You have to always keep working so you can find that success. You have to know who you are. One of my college professors told me, “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.”
I have often heard if you have a Plan B you are not committed what do you think about this?
It happens to a lot of actors. They have a backup plan and the second things get hard they go to the escape plan; but I believe that when you don’t feel like you have another option it inspires more of a work ethic.
Who is coming to see you in Grease at the Bucks County Playhouse?
My parents and brother.
Were you familiar with the playhouse and the New Hope area?
I had no clue about either. I had never heard of the Bucks County Playhouse. My agent sent me the audition and it was my third time doing Grease, most recently I played Kenickie last year. So, I asked about that part, but that was filled. My audition tape was due quickly so I read the info and sent it in. You can’t invest a lot in the auditions, but this was quick. It is also one of the nicest theaters and production teams that I have worked with. I have been floored every step of the way.
Tell me more about the cast.
Half of the cast has been on Broadway, touring companies, or cruise ships, and everyone has made me feel so welcome and supported. I feel that I belong here, and this has helped me find a lot of confidence in myself. My first job out of college is leading a show in this massive theater with these talented people. I feel I am adjusting well, and learning so much from this wonderful cast and creative team.
What are your future career plans – Broadway, TV, movies, streaming?
I am open to everything. The world is different from how it was a few years ago. The agencies and managers want people to be as versatile as possible. So that means auditioning for plays, musicals, TV, operettas. So, I want to cast as big a net as possible. I think it is wise to be a Jack of all trades.
Those sharp red suede shoes you wear in the show are great. Do you think you can keep them?
I hope so. I love any kind of cool accent piece to a costume! The red suede shoes are such a fun element of my dance outfit! It’s a great pop of color that brings out the gemstones that line the jacket!
If You Go:
For full details on the rest of the season, and to purchase tickets, please visit buckscountyplayhouse.org, call 215-862-2121, or visit the box office at 70 South Main Street, New Hope, PA.