Poodle skirts, knock-knock jokes and the fun-filled music of the jitterbug era come together in "Time After Time," showing now through April 2 at the Valley Center Playhouse in Lindon.

Written and directed by Jody Renstrom, co-owner of the theater (with her husband), "Time After Time" follows nine teenagers as they pass through the unavoidable ups and downs of high school life.

"All the typical high school personalities are there," Renstrom said. "The high school president, head of the football team, Joe Cool, the nerd and others."

Whether you went to school in the 1950s or are in school now, Renstrom said, the show will be enjoyable.

"No matter when you graduated, you'll identify with the characters because every school has them," she said.

Corene Casper, who plays the single female teacher "Miss Charmer," said the students have a fun time plotting and planning and living the care-free lifestyle that was typical of that era.

"It's kind of like a mini-'Grease,' " she added, "only cleaner."

Amid all of the fun, as Miss Charmer gains the friendships of female students, the males are busy befriending Mr. Sawyer, also a single teacher. Suddenly, the kids decide to play matchmaker and things get interesting.

"But the play is really about the kids and how they react to everything," Casper said.

The Renstroms regularly produce "Time After Time" at Valley Center and are doing it this year as part of a special yearlong retrospective during which the theater will only put on shows written by the owners.

The Renstroms use local actors almost exclusively and Casper said that it makes Valley Center "a good opportunity for people who are interested in acting but have just never had the guts to try it."

After seeing a casting announcement in the newspaper last year, Casper thought she'd give it a shot. Now she's in her second show at the theater, and her 13-year-old son has gotten involved as well.

"Jody's theater is one of the best to start out with because it is small and family friendly," she said.

If You Go

Time After Time

Where: Valley Center Playhouse, 780 N. 200 East, Lindon

When: 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays through April 2

Tickets: $6 for adults, $5 for students, children and seniors or $25 per family

Info: 785-1186, www.vcpnews.com