Danny, Sandy and the other beloved characters who have made “Grease” a favorite of theater patrons are coming to the stage at Washington High School.

WHS will present the musical March 18-19; show time is 7 p.m. each evening and doors open for seating at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door.

Cast in the lead roles of Danny and Sandy, a young couple that finds true love despite very different backgrounds, are Connor Smith and Bailey Gerard.

Smith, 17, has plenty of stage experience and he has settled into the role of Danny with ease.

“My favorite part is his overall confidence level,” said Smith, a WHS junior and the son of Michelle Garrish and Joseph Smith. “It’s fun to adapt to that state of mind; you just know you’re cool.”

Smith is a vocalist and guitarist for the popular local band K-OS, which has performed throughout eastern North Carolina. He has also starred in the previous Washington High School productions of “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Mary Poppins.”

Even though Smith is a seasoned pro when it comes to high school musicals, he has welcomed newcomers this year.

“We have a lot of people up here that have never been on stage,” Smith said. “I’m just liking how everything is playing out for the newbies. I like seeing them having fun.”

And while “Grease” is Gerard’s first WHS musical, she is no stranger to the limelight herself. A singer, she has performed in several local venues and she was part of last summer’s production of “Annie Jr.” at Washington’s Turnage Theatre.

Singing and working the stage is second nature to Gerard, a WHS sophomore and the 15-year-old daughter of Walt and Laura Gerard. But she admitted portraying Sandy hasn’t always come easy for her.

“I think the biggest challenge for me is remembering the lines,” she said with a smile. “The acting part is my biggest challenge. I’m so used to being myself.”

Another challenge is a costume change that requires Gerard to go from straight to curly hair in practically a minute’s time. But she said all the hard work and long hours of rehearsal time are worth it.

“It’s really fun; the costumes are really fun for me,” Gerard said. “The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is doing ‘You’re the One That I Want’ with Connor. That’s just a fun song!”