Bear Grease is an Indigenous twist to the classic “Grease”. It's much more than that, it's indigenous representation done masterfully by an all-star Native cast, fusing Doo Wop, Hip Hop, Pow Wow Music, Native culture, language and comedy (after all comedy is the best medicine).

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FEATURING:

Crystle Lightning as “Sandy”

Crystle Lightning (Canadian Screen Award Winner for “Best Actress in a Drama Series” 2021) is an Indigenous Actress from the Enoch Cree Nation in Alberta. She began her show business journey at the young age of nine when the Lightning Family moved from Canada to Los Angeles. There Crystle landed her first lead role in the feature: "3 Ninjas: Knuckle Up” and she has been working in the industry ever since.

Crystle's film and television appearances include Yellowstone (Paramount +), Outlander (Starz), Trickster (CW), The Good Doctor (ABC), Rutherford Falls (Peacock), Ghosts (CBS), and recently the #1 series on Amazon Prime TV Three Pines (Prime TV). This year you will see Crystle Lightning in “883: Bass Reeves (Paramount +), Spirit Rangers (Netflix), George R. R. Martin’s Mary Margaret Road Grader (directed by Steven Paul Judd) and Fancy Dance (directed by Erica Tremblay).

Crystle Lightning is co-creator and star of the all-native, hit musical “BEAR GREASE” (an Indigenous twist to the 1978 Classic, Grease) where she also makes her Directorial Debut.

When not in front of the camera, Crystle is a hip hop recording artist. She is a member of the award winning group LightningCloud, Winners of Power 106s “Who’s Next?” and Hot 97s “Battle for the Best,” recording with artists like Cypress Hill and Timbaland and touring with legends like Kendrick Lamar, Asap Rocky and Nicki Minaj.

Crystle lives in Treaty 6, Alberta, with her husband, son and 3 dogs.

 

Henry Andrade as “Danny”
Henry Andrade aka Cloud (Huichol/Wixárika) is an actor (Yellowstone”, Hey Viktor), An Amazon #1 best-selling author and illustrator, award-winning recording artist (LightningCloud) and former World Record holder for “Longest Freestyle Rap”. Cloud is also co-creator and writer for “Bear Grease the Musical”.

 

Teneil Whiskeyjack as “Marty”
Teneil Whiskeyjack (Saddle Lake Cree Nation) is an award-winning actress (DreamKeepers, Tribal, Blackstone) and performance artist. She has recently made her playwrights debut with Ayita at the SkirtsAFire Festival. Teneil has recently been nominated for an Esquao Award and her latest film, Hey Viktor, will debut at the Tribeca Film Festival this year.

 

Tammy Rae as “Rezzo”
Tammy Rae (Whitefish Lake/Gift Lake Metis) is a recording artist and cultural educator with a degree in Native Studies at the University of Alberta. Tammy has recently headlined Le Grand Ménage des Fêtes! with TV5Monde, broadcasted in over 200 countries. Some of Tammy's theatrical accomplishments consist of CIVIL BLOOD: A Treaty Story (Thou Art Here Theatre) and her dynamic performance as “Rezzo” in the smash hit musical BEAR GREASE.


Rodney McLeod as “Canuckie”
Rodney McLeod (Frog Lake Nation) is an actor (Tin Star, Lost Face) and a martial arts instructor (Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu). He makes his theatre debut as the lovable Canuckie in BEAR GREASE the Musical.


Nipíy Iskwew as “Jan”
Skylene Gladue aka Nipiy Iskwew (Beaver First Nation) is an actress (APTN's Merchants of the Wild), fashion designer (Nipîy Iskwew Designs), motivational speaker (Magoo Crew) and burlesque dancer (Body Sovereignties, Spotlight Cabaret, Rubaboo Arts Festival). Skylene makes her theatre debut as the ever-deadly “Jan” in BEAR GREASE the Musical.

 

Bryce Morin as “Roger”
Bryce Morin (Enoch Cree Nation) from Treaty 6, Alberta, is an actor, vocalist, cultural educator, traditional drummer/singer and storyteller. Recently Bryce has taken the theatre world by storm for his performance as Roger in the all star, indigenous hit musical BEAR GREASE. Some of Bryce Morin’s theatrical achievements consist of CIVIL BLOOD: A Treaty Story (Thou Art Here Theatre) and

IN-COR-RI-GO-BLE: The Legend of Thundervoice (Blythe Festival, University of Alberta).

 

Melody McArthur as “Frenchie”
Melody McArthur (Big Stone Cree Nation) is a multi-award winning pop-inspired R&B singer, songwriter, and actress from Treaty 8, Alberta. McArthur received the 2022 Indigenous Hip Hop Award for R&B Single of the Year, 2022 Native American Music Award for Best Pop Recording, and the 2022 Indigenous Superstar Awards for Best Pop and Rising Star. In September of 2021 McArthur hit #1 on the National Indigenous Music Countdown for her single Unceded, and has charted over 10 singles on the national syndicated countdown program since 2014. Melody plays the fiery “Frenchie” in BEAR GREASE the Musical.


Artson as “Arty McFly”
Artson (Tarahumara/Rarámuri) is a hip hop recording artist and member of the Style Elements Crew, former member of the legendary Rock Steady Crew from El Paso, Texas. He is a 2017-2019 Native American Music Award Winner and the 2021 Indigenous Hip Hop Awards Winner for Best Music Video. Artson makes his theatrical debut as the cloud walking, “Arty McFly” in BEAR GREASE the Musical.

 

Robert Mesa as “Sonny Boy”
Robert Mesa (Navajo (Diné)/Soboba) is an actor (Grey's Anatomy, Accused, Frontiersman) from Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has studied filmmaking at the Institute of American Indian Arts. Some of Robs theatrical achievements consist of Mary Catherine Nagle’s SOVEREIGNTY”, “MANAHATTA and CROSSING MNISOSE (Yale Reparatory Theatre).

 

Showrunner : Omar “Panda” Ornelas
Omar “Panda” Ornelas (Huichol) is a showrunner (Bear Grease the Musical), graphic artist and videographer for chart-topping recording artists like BABY BASH, PAUL WALL, FRANKIE J, CKAN, BEATRIZ GONZALEZ, and SARA LA MORENA.

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Ayla Coltman as “Frenchie” (Understudy)

Ayla Coltman (Red Pheasant Cree / Métis) is making her debut with Bear Grease. Ayla grew up in the unceded territory of Tk’emlúps (Kamloops) and now resides as a guest in Mohkinstis (Calgary) in beautiful Treaty 7 Territory and is the owner and operator of Build My Brand Consulting.

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Joel Oulette as “Sonny Boy” (Understudy)

Joel Oulette (Cumberland House Cree and Red River Métis) is an Actor from Medicine Hat, Alberta. Joel is most noted for his lead

role in Trickster, in which he received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series.