... As tickets for star show went like grease lightning

Anyone needing an object lesson on staging a successful school musical should ask students at St Mary's College. They were responsible for every aspect of a recent sell-out production of Grease, from performing, choreographing and directing to lighting, sound, scenery and props.

The Inglemire Lane school was transformed into Rydell High, home of the T-Birds and Pink Ladies, complete with its own 1950s diner for the duration of the three-night run. The 60-strong crew and cast, who were all aged between 14 and 18, more than did justice to William Casey and Jim Jacobs' clever 1950s pastiche - a feat rarely achieved in school productions of the musical.

The success was the result a lot of hard work. "We've practised every day for the last six months and, for the last two months, we've also worked on it for four hours on Sundays," said year 12 pupil, James Rourke, who decided to direct Grease, with Tim Lutkin and Laura Senior, after seeing a production at Hull New Theatre.

James says that many new skills were learned along the way, not least the difficult task of directing your peers. "I think I made more friends than enemies," said James. And when the students found themselves in need of new lighting, they struck a deal with a local lighting firm, who loaned the equipment in return for an introduction to other schools. A production of Little Shop of Horrors is now being considered for next year. But, for the time being, Grease is still very much the word in North Hull.