Bear Grease The Musical
A fearless, funny, and deeply heartfelt reimagining of Grease. This “rez-ed up” remix swaps 1950s Greasers and Pink Ladies for a cast that proudly spotlights Indigenous language, music, and moves.
Bear Grease isn’t just a musical — it’s a full-blown Indigenous celebration wrapped in leather jackets, high-octane humour, and powwow beats.
It’s a cultural joyride that’s as hilarious as it is healing. From the first drumbeat to the final bow, Bear Grease radiates with energy. The cast doesn’t just perform — they represent. They’re storytellers, comedians, and cultural ambassadors serving up traditional dance with a twist, and original songs that blend Broadway flair.
At its heart, Bear Grease is a love letter to Indigenous cultures, languages, and traditions, woven together with humour, music, and dance. Our cast brings traditional knowledge from all over Turtle Island (Enoch Cree Nation, Beaver First Nation, Big Stone Cree Nation, Frog Lake, Muskeg Lake, Gift Lake, Mvskoke, and Navajo Nation), and the show honours those teachings with care and respect.
Born on Treaty 6 territory in Alberta, land and traditional territories of the Nehiyaw (Cree), Denesuline’ (Dene), Nakota Sioux (Stoney), Anishinaabe (Saulteaux) and Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Bear Grease was written out of necessity. The lack of authentic opportunities for Indigenous peoples in theatre, film, and TV demanded a response, and that response was this production—a home-brewed, grassroots Indigenous musical that has since grown into a touring phenomenon.
Cree Nêhiyawêwin language is embedded in several songs, including Wichihin, a Cree rendition of “Stand by Me”, beautifully sung by Tammy Rae Lamouche (Rezzo). Powwow dancers bring “Bear Grease Lightning” to life with Traditional, Grass, Chicken, and Fancy dance styles. Every night, Bryce Morin (Enoch Cree Nation) moves audiences with “Hopelessly Devoted”, performed in a Round Dance hand drum style.
Over the past several years, Bear Grease has performed at over 200 venues across North America - in big-city theatres, community centers, powwow grounds, and everywhere in between, proving that Indigenous stories are not just relevant — they are essential.
“Indigenous peoples have been overlooked, underrepresented, and sidelined in the arts for too long. We’ve spent centuries hearing ‘no’ and being told our stories don’t belong in mainstream spaces. Bear Grease is our yes.” Says producer/co-creator Henry Cloud Andrade.
“This is a cultural reclamation. Broadway and Off-Broadway stages have historically been dominated by non-Indigenous voices. But when we take the stage, we’re not just performing a show—we’re planting a flag. We’re saying, ‘We’re here. We’ve always been here. And our stories deserve to shine just as brightly as anyone else’s.’ Bear Grease is proof that Indigenous creators can break into spaces that were never designed for us and leave our mark in a way that cannot be ignored,” says the show’s director and co-creator Crystle Lightning.
The cast of Bear Grease features Bryce Morin as “Danny”, Melody McArthur as “Sandy”, Tammy Rae as “Rezzo”, Rodney Mcleod as “Canuckie”, Skylene Gladue (Nipîy Iskwew) as “Jan”, Justin Giehm as “Sonny Boy”, Raven Bright as “Roger”, Haley Robinson as “Marty”, Kean Buffalo as “Butta” and Allyssa Trujillo as “Foxy”.
