By Abby Luciano, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter NORTH SHORE NEWS

乌鸦传媒淪ummer snagging, happened so fast, summer snagging, had me a blast.乌鸦传媒�

Just over three years ago, Crystle Lightning and her husband MC RedCloud sang this to each other on the couch as they watched the hit musical Grease on TV. In that moment, an idea sparked 乌鸦传媒� to create an Indigenous version of Grease to celebrate their identity and culture.

乌鸦传媒淕rowing up, I didn乌鸦传媒檛 see people like me in popular culture,乌鸦传媒� Lightning said. 乌鸦传媒淲e created this show as a way to celebrate our identity and have some fun with one of our favourite musicals.乌鸦传媒�

Bear Grease is an all-Indigenous production that blends the 1978 original hit with adding cultural elements through fashion, music and humour. The musical blends 1950s sound with traditional drumming, flute and hip-hop elements.

This includes skirts with bears and ribbons on them, beadwork fashion and adding Indigenous artwork on leather jackets, Lightning said.

But this version of Grease is a bit different, showing a 乌鸦传媒減arallel universe乌鸦传媒� if colonization never happened and creating opportunities for Indigenous actors.

乌鸦传媒淥ur reality for Indigenous people in the 乌鸦传媒�50s and 乌鸦传媒�60s was a lot different than John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John,乌鸦传媒� Lightning said. 乌鸦传媒淲e didn乌鸦传媒檛 have those types of opportunities.乌鸦传媒�

But Lightning also wanted to create a musical that isn乌鸦传媒檛 trauma-based, showing the positive and fun side of Indigenous identity.

The production originally was meant to be a one-time show at the Edmonton Fringe Festival in 2021, but now has toured across Canada and the United States after its popularity.

Lightning began acting at only nine years old, when she and her mother moved to Los Angeles from Enoch Cree Nation, near Edmonton, Alta.

She began acting in film and television and landed her first lead role in 3 Ninjas: Knuckle Up. Lightning has also appeared in The Good Doctor, Ghosts and Fancy Dance.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 important for people to see Indigenous people are funny, we have talent,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淲e can recreate and have a corrective experience for our elders.乌鸦传媒�

Bear Grease B.C. dates include North Vancouver乌鸦传媒檚 Centennial Theatre on Nov. 8, Trail乌鸦传媒檚 Bailey Theatre on Nov. 15, and Cranbrook乌鸦传媒檚 Key City Theatre on Nov. 16.