THE GLORY days of 1950s America are brought to town by Keighley Amateurs in the rock ‘n’ roll musical Grease.

The theatre group is following up successful productions of Annie and The Producers with one of the first amateur productions of the full show.

The stage version features the popular songs from the famous 1970s film, including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, You’re The One That I Want and Hopelessly Devoted To You.

The time is 1959 and at Rydell High School, the too-cool-for-school T-Birds are stealing hub-caps and acting tough while their gum-snapping Pink Ladies are looking hot in bobby sox and pedal pushers.

At the heart of the story is the romance between hot-rodding gangster Danny Zuko and the sweet new girl in town, Sandy Dumbrowski.

They had a secret romance in summer, but now back in the context of school, peer-pressure and cliques make their love a bit more complicated. Can Danny maintain his cool dude status and still get make demure Sandy his girl?

Keighley Amateurs spokesman David Brett said the cast numbered more than 40 including dancers and ensemble members.

He said: “Grease brings together a cast, drawn from our own younger, but now very experienced members, along with new performers selected after two very busy days of auditioning.

“Grease proved to be strong attraction to today’s young people even though it is classic musical/film very familiar across the generations.

“Grease is very much an ensemble production and we are delighted to have strong teams of the Pink Ladies and T-Birds as well as the other supporting characters of staff and students at Rydell High School, in California USA.”

The leading roles of Danny and Sandy, played on screen by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, will be played by newcomers to Keighley Amateurs.

Paul Matthews and Shelley Lofthouse played opposite each other recently in the lead roles at Bradford Players' production of Madness musical Our House.

Paul, from Steeton, has also had lead roles in Guiseley Amateurs’ Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, and in the title role in Jesus Christ Superstar as part of his performing arts course at Craven College.

Shelley, from Bradford, has taken a number of lead roles and worked as a senior dancer for several years in plays and pantomimes with Drama Unlimited.

Amongst the Pink Ladies, T-Birds and other high school students are Keighley Amateurs newcomers Nathan Lawton, Leanne Watson, Georgia Wowk, Reece Raymond, Matthew Bown and Samuel Higgins.

Regular leading lady for the Amateurs, Fiona Spencer, plays good-time girl Rizzo while Daniel Duckworth, Tommy the Cat in this year’s panto Dick Whittington, plays Eugene.

Mark Hutchinson, who played the hilarious Nazi pigeon keeper in The Producers, returns as the captain Angel.

The production team from last year’s The Producers has returned: director Kevin Moore, choreographer Judith Chapman, and musical director John Sandland.

Grease is at Victoria Hall from October 18 to 22. Tickets are on sale from keighleyamateurs.com, in person from Copy Shop off High Street, Keighley, or by calling 08456 252550.