Taylor Morris Owned Rizzo

Once again,. I am featuring one of the stars of the production of Grease I recently saw at the Skokie Theatre. Today, Taylor Morris, who played Rizzo, gets my praise.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a woman of color portraying Rizzo. Morris proved talent and performance supersede all, including color. Morris belted out "Sandra Dee" like a pro, but it was her crooning "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" that really got to me. Not only did she sing it beautifully, she showed the angst and pain needed in that song. It was a multi-layered performance and one of the best of the night.

After the show, we specifically sought out Morris to applaud her. She could not have been more pleasant. She seemed shocked, almost embarrassed that we heaped praise on her.

It all just seemed appropriate considering we were in the month of Juneteenth. Maybe I shouldn't even mention race. Hopefully in time, it wouldn't even be noticed. 

Make no mistake though. No matter the color or race or any other factor, Morris killed it that night with her singing and acting. She captured Rizzo's spirit. This production goes another month and I hope to see her again. Either way, I will be looking out for her in other productions.

Jodie, Taylor Morris and me in Skokie, IL-June 2024.