Grease (musical)

Grease

Original Broadway Cast Recording
Music Jim Jacobs
Warren Casey
Lyrics Jim Jacobs
Warren Casey
Book Jim Jacobs
Warren Casey
Productions 1971 Chicago
1972 Broadway
1973 West End
1978 Film
1979 West End revival
1993 West End revival
1994 Broadway revival
1994 US Tour
1996 Düsseldorf
1999 Madrid
2001 West End revival
2002 Toronto
2006 Barcelona
2007 West End revival
2007 Broadway revival
2008 Second US Tour
2011 Barcelona
2011 Chicago
2011 Gdynia
2012 Copenhagen
2012 Madrid
2012 Spain Tour
2013 Philadelphia
2013 Hong Kong
2014 Karachi
2015 Sutton Coldfield
2016 Québec
2016 Television special
2017 UK Tour

Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey with additional songs written by John Farrar (movie and post revivals). Named after the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as greasers, the musical is set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School (based on William Howard Taft School in Chicago, Illinois[1])[2] and follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of peer pressure, politics, personal core values, and love. The score borrows heavily from the sounds of early rock and roll. In its original production in Chicago, Grease was a raunchy, raw, aggressive, vulgar show. Subsequent productions sanitized it and tamed it down.[3] The show mentions social issues such as teenage pregnancy, peer pressure and gang violence; its themes include love, friendship, teenage rebellion, sexual exploration during adolescence, and, to some extent, class consciousness/class conflict. Jacobs described the show's basic plot as a subversion of common tropes of 1950s cinema, since the female lead, who in many 1950s films transformed the alpha male into a more sensitive and sympathetic character, is instead drawn into the man's influence and transforms into his fantasy.[4]

Grease was first performed in 1971 in the original Kingston Mines nightclub in Chicago (since demolished). From there, it has been successful on both stage and screen, but the content has been diluted and its teenage characters have become less Chicago habitués (the characters' Polish-American backgrounds in particular are ignored with last names often changed) and more generic. At the time that it closed in 1980, Grease's 3,388-performance run was the longest yet in Broadway history, although it was surpassed by A Chorus Line a few years later. It went on to become a West End hit, a successful feature film, two popular Broadway revivals in 1994 and 2007, and a staple of regional theatre, summer stock, community theatre, and high school and middle school drama groups.[5] It remains Broadway's 15th longest-running show.[6] Aspects of the stage play would be incorporated into the production's 2016 live TV musical.[7]

Production history

Original productions and Broadway

The show's original, aggressive and profane 1971 incarnation was directed by Guy Barile, choreographed by Ronna Kaye and produced by the Kingston Mines Theater Company founded by June Pyskacek on Chicago's Lincoln Avenue. The script was based on Jim Jacobs' experience at William Taft High School, Chicago.[2] Warren Casey collaborated with Jim and together they wrote the music and lyrics. It ran for eight months.[8] The cast: Doug Stevenson (Danny), Leslie Goto (Sandy), Sue Williams (Rizzo), Polly Pen (Patty), Gary Houston (Roger), Marilu Henner (Marty), James Canning (Doody), Hedda Lubin (Frenchy), Bruce Hickey (Kenickie), Sheila Ray Ceaser (Jan), Bill Cervetti (Miller), Jerry Bolnick (Sonny), Judy Brubaker (Miss Lynch), Mike O'Connor (Vince Fontaine), Steve Munro (Eugene), Barbara Munro (Cha Cha), Mac Hamilton (Teen Angel) and George Lopez (Bum).

Producers Ken Waissman and Maxine Fox saw the show and made a deal to produce it Off-Broadway. The team headed to New York City to collaborate on the New York production of Grease. The new production, directed by Tom Moore and choreographed by Patricia Birch (who later choreographed the film adaptation, and directed the ill-fated sequel), opened Off-Broadway at the Eden Theatre in downtown Manhattan on February 14, 1972. Though Grease opened geographically off-Broadway, it did so under first class Broadway contracts.[9] The show was deemed eligible for the 1972 Tony Awards, receiving seven Tony Award nominations.

On June 7, 1972, the production moved to the Broadhurst Theatre in Broadway, and on November 21, it moved to the Royale Theatre there, where it ran until January 27, 1980. For the five final weeks of the run, the show moved to the larger Majestic Theatre. By the time it closed on April 13, 1980, it had run 3,388 performances.

The original Broadway cast included Barry Bostwick as Danny and Carole Demas as Sandy, with Adrienne Barbeau as Rizzo, Timothy Meyers as Kenickie, Alan Paul, and Walter Bobbie and Marya Small in supporting roles. Replacements later in the run included Jeff Conaway (who had been the original understudy for Danny), Gail Edwards, Marilu Henner, Peter Gallagher, Ilene Graff, Judy Kaye, Patrick Swayze, John Travolta, Jerry Zaks and Treat Williams. Richard Gere was an understudy for many roles in this production, including Danny Zuko, Teen Angel, and Vince Fontaine.

1973 London

The London production opened at the New London Theatre in June 1973 with a cast that included a then-unknown Richard Gere as Danny, Stacey Gregg as Sandy, Stephen Bent as Roger, Jacqui-Ann Carr as Rizzo, and Derek James as Doody.[10][11] Later Paul Nicholas and Elaine Paige, who had been in the London production of Hair, took over the leads. Kim Braden would also play Sandy. It was revived in London at the Astoria in 1979 with Su Pollard and Tracey Ullman in the two lead roles.

1993 London revival

The revival opened at the Dominion Theatre and transferred to the Cambridge Theatre in October 1996, where it ran until September 11, 1999. Directed by David Gilmore, the opening cast included Craig McLachlan (Danny); Debbie Gibson (Sandy — Sonia, then Samantha Janus later replaced Gibson as Sandy); Mike Doyle (Vince Fontaine); Tamzin Outhwaite (Patty); Shane Ritchie (Kenickie) and Sally Ann Triplett (Rizzo). (Variety, Review Abroad Grease, August 2–August 8, 1993) Other performers who played Danny were Shane Richie, Luke Goss, Ian Kelsey and Darren Day. The huge success led to the 1st National Tour featuring Shane Ritchie as Danny, Helen Way as Sandy, Toby Hinson as Vince F ontaine / Teen Angel, Ben Richards/Alex Bourne as Kenickie and Michele Hooper as Rizzo to name but a few. The original score includes four songs written for the film adaptation: "Hopelessly Devoted to You", "Sandy", "You're the One That I Want", and the title number. The Burger Palace Boys' name is the T-Birds in this revival.

1994 Broadway revival and U.S. tour

After twenty previews, a Broadway revival directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun opened on May 11, 1994 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where it ran for 1,505 performances. Featured were Ricky Paull Goldin (Danny), Brooke Shields and Rosie O'Donnell (Rizzo), Susan Wood (Sandy), Hunter Foster (Roger), Sam Harris (Doody), Megan Mullally (Marty), Heather Stokes (Jan) and Billy Porter (Teen Angel).

A U.S. national tour of the 1994 production started in September 1994 in New Haven, Connecticut, and ran for several years. The opening tour cast included Sally Struthers (Miss Lynch), who stayed with the tour for several years, Angela Pupello (Rizzo), Rex Smith (Danny), Trisha M. Gorman (Sandy), and Davy Jones (Vince Fontaine). Brooke Shields (Rizzo) started on the tour in November 1994 before joining the Broadway cast. Other notable performers on the tour were Micky Dolenz (Vince Fontaine), Adrian Zmed (Danny), Debbie Gibson, Heather Stokes, Sheena Easton, Mackenzie Phillips and Jasmine Guy (Rizzo), Sutton Foster (Sandy understudy) and Marissa Jaret Winokur (Jan), and Lucy Lawless and Linda Blair (Rizzo, 1997).[12]

1996 U.S. tour

This tour, produced by the Troika Organization, was a non-union bus & truck playing mostly one-nighters and split week engagements primarily in smaller markets. The production, which ran for two years, was directed by Ray DeMattis with choreography by Tony Parise and music direction by Helen Gregory. The original cast featured Randy Bobish (Danny Zuko), Nicole Greenwood (Sandy Dumbrowski), Gary Martin (Kenickie), Christine Hudman (Betty Rizzo), Timothy Quinlan (Roger), Kimberly Wharton (Jan), Bruce Smith (Doody), Kathleen Connolly (Frenchy), Jeffrey Shubart (Sonny LaTierri), Laura Hornberger (Marty), Debbie Damp (Patty Simcox), Michael Giambrone (Eugene Florczyk), Juan Betancourt (Johnny Casino), Jamie Patterson (Teen Angel), and Steven Sackman (Vince Fontaine). Frankie Avalon starred as the Teen Angel for a one-week engagement at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach (December 10–15, 1996).[13]

2003 U.S. tour

This tour was directed by Ray DeMattis and featured choreography by Christopher Gattelli. The cast starred Frankie Avalon as the Angel, with Jamey Isenor (Danny Zuko) and Hanna-Liina Võsa (Sandy Dumbrowski), Jason Harper (Roger), Danny Smith (Sonny LaTierri), John Ashley (Kenickie), Sarah Hubbard (Frenchy), Craig McEldowney (Doody), Kirsten Allyn Michaels (Marty), Jaqueline Colmer (Betty Rizzo), Cortney Harper (Jan) and Arthur J. Callahan (Vince Fontaine).[14]

2007 Broadway and London revivals

A second Broadway revival, directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, began previews at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on July 24, 2007 and opened on August 19, 2007. Max Crumm and Laura Osnes were selected to portray Danny and Sandy via viewer votes cast during the run of the NBC reality series Grease: You're the One that I Want!. The original score includes four songs written for the film adaptation: "Hopelessly Devoted to You", "Sandy", "You're the One That I Want", and the title number. The Burger Palace Boys' name is the T-Birds in this revival. The production ended on January 4, 2009 after 31 previews and 554 performances.[15]

A West End revival opened at the Piccadilly Theatre, London on August 8, 2007 and ran for nearly four years (the longest running show in the Piccadilly Theatre's history). The leads were similarly cast via ITV's Grease Is the Word, with Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden playing Danny and Sandy.[16][17] The production closed on April 30, 2011 after over 1,300 performances with a U.K. tour to begin on May 6, 2011 in Edinburgh.[18]

The UK tour features Danny Bayne as Danny, Carina Gillespie as Sandy, Ricky Rojas as Kenickie, Kate Somerset How as Rizzo, Derek Andrews as Roger, Laura Wilson as Jan, Richard Vincent as Doody, Lauren Stroud as Frenchy, Josh Dever as Sonny, Lois Urwin as Marty, Darren John as Eugene, Sammy Kelly as Patty, Jason Capewell as Teen Angel/Vince Fontaine, Nancy Hill as Miss Lynch and Sophie Zucchini as Cha Cha.

2008 U.S. tour

A U.S. national tour began on December 2, 2008 in Providence, Rhode Island and closed on May 23, 2010 at the Palace Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio.[19] Taylor Hicks reprised his role as the Teen Angel after playing the part on Broadway, with Eric Schneider as Danny and Emily Padgett as Sandy.[20] Lauren Ashley Zakrin replaced Emily Padgett as Sandy in October and Ace Young joined the tour as Danny on December 1, 2009.[21] In the U.S. Tour, before the show begins, the DJ of WAXX, Vince Fontaine, plays music from the 1950s for the audience to sing. Thereafter, he reminds about safety instructions before the show begins.

2010–2011 U.S. tour

A U.S. national tour began October 12, 2010 in Denver, Colorado and closed May 15, 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Directed by David John O'Brien and choreographed by Joyce Chittick, the cast featured Dominic Fortuna as DJ Vince Fontaine, Alyssa Herrera as Sandy and Matt Nolan as Danny.

The tour also included Patrick Cragin as Kenickie, Chris Duir as Eugene, Audrey Filson as Patty Simcox, Kelly Teal Goyette as Miss Lynch, Patrick Joyce as Sonny, Alicia Kelly as Marty, Brad Lawson as Roger, Ashley Rubin as Frenchy, Lauren Elaine Taylor as Rizzo, Lauren Turner as Jan, and Marc Winski as Doody.

Chicago revival (2011)

American Theater Company artistic director P.J. Paparelli and Grease co-creator Jim Jacobs staged the restored original version of Grease on Chicago's North Side, starting on April 21, 2011 and ending on August 21, to coincide with the fortieth anniversary of the musical's debut.[22] This was a revival of the original 1971 version first staged at the old Kingston Mines Theatre in Chicago. Procuring the rights to the original music was, for the most part, easy, while certain legal issues were preventing this production from being staged.[23]

This production went on to win 'Best Production – Musical' at the 2011 Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards on November 7, 2011. The Original Revival Cast reconvened to perform their a cappella version of "We Go Together," the finale to Act 1 in the production. Despite many nominations and personal wins for performers and designers, this is the first time in the storied history of "Grease" that the show itself has actually won an award.

2013/14 Australian Production

Produced by The Gordon Frost Organization, the revival version of the show opened at Brisbane's Lyric Theatre on August 27, 2013 before heading on an Australian tour.[24] It is the first time Grease has been performed in Australia in a Proscenium Arch theatre (as opposed to an Arena Tour) in 22 years. The tour played seasons in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Singapore, Perth and Adelaide. After tickets were initially released, the first season playing Brisbane was almost immediately extended due to strong ticket sales. The cast included Rob Mills (Danny), Gretel Scarlett (Sandy), Anthony Callea (Johnny Casino), Stephen Mahy (Kenickie), Lucy Maunder (Rizzo), Todd McKenney (Teen Angel), and Bert Newton as Vince Fontaine.[25]

International productions

There have been professional productions of Grease in Argentina (cast: Zenon Recalde/Marisol Otero/Florencia Peña/Gustavo Monje), Austria (cast:Pia Douwes, Andreas Bieber, Susanne Eisenkolb, Brian Carmack, Eric Minsk), Belgium, Brazil, French Canada (a 1998 French spoken/English sung version incorporating songs from the movie starring Marina Orsini as Rizzo and Serge Postigo as Danny ), Denmark, Estonia, Czech Republic, Colombia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan,[26] South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Poland.

In 1984, the Mexican pop band Timbiriche, starred in the musical, with Sasha Sokol and Benny Ibarra in the leading roles, getting an overwhelming success. Also recorded a CD with musical themes (Timbiriche Vaselina). Also participating the other members of Timbiriche (Diego Schoening, Mariana Garza, Alix Bauer, Paulina Rubio and Erik Rubin), besides other children singers and actors like Eduardo Capetillo, Stephanie Salas, Thalía, Edith Márquez, Lolita Cortés, Hector Suarez Gomis, Usi Velasco and Angélica Ruvalcaba among others. The musical was produced by the Mexican actress and producer Julissa.

In 1994, the musical was revived at the Hidalgo Theater in Mexico City, by producers Alejandro Ibarra and Julissa. The cast included Alejandro Ibarra, Juan Carlos Casasola, and Arturo G. Alvarez, among others.[27][28]

In 2002, the musical was revived in Toronto by producer Joan Mansfield. It played at the Atlantis Theatre from June 30, 2002 – September 2, 2002. The cast included Neil Hicks as Danny and Robyn Sears as Sandy. The show was produced by Mansfield through her own production company, jjazmans productions.

A Spanish revival ran successfully at Teatre Victòria, Barcelona from October 3, 2006 to January 6, 2008. After a short national tour, the production was transferred to Teatro Nuevo Alcalá, Madrid, where it ran from October 14, 2008 to January 31, 2010 and then continued touring Spain until it finally closed on August 1, 2010, becoming one of the Spain's longest running production in history with 1090 performances. Directed by Ricard Reguant, the original cast included Carlos Solano (later alternating the role with Tony Bernetti) as Danny Zuko, María Adamuz as Sandy (later Replaced by Edurne and Gisela), Elena Gadel as Betty Rizzo, Daniel Millet as Kenickie (later replaced by Marc Parejo), Marisa Gerardi as Miss Lynch and Xavier Mateu as Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel (later replaced by Victor Díaz). In October 2015 Baleart Music (BAM) premiered its version of Grease at the Teatre Principal in Palma, Majorca, with Victoria Maldi as Sandy, Ricky Merino as Danny, Tamara Fajardo as Rizzo and Bernat Molina as Kenickie. The role of Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel was performed by Alex Tejedor.

The New Zealand Production, based on the London West End Revival, ran at the Civic Theatre in Auckland during August 2010. The production featured the South African cast, with Jonathan Roxmouth as Danny, Bethany Dickson as Sandy and Genna Galloway as Rizzo.[29][30]

A second Spanish revival directed and choreographed by Coco Comín ran at Cúpula Las Arenas, Barcelona from November 15, 2011 to January 22, 2012 and then was transferred to Teatro Coliseum, Madrid from March 6, 2012 to May 6, 2012, before starting a national tour. The original cast included Jordi Coll as Danny Zuko, Edurne reprising the role of Sandy, Manuela Nieto as Rizzo (later replaced by Diana Roig), Iván Santos as Kenickie (later replaced by Albert Martínez), Patrizia Barbieri as Miss Lynch (later replaced by Sandra de Victoria) and Carles Torregosa as Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel (later replaced by José Antonio Moreno). During the Madrid run, the singer Julio Iglesias, Jr. guest starred as Teen Angel in some performances.

Television production

On January 31, 2016, in the wake of similar productions that NBC had performed for other musicals, Fox broadcast a live production of Grease, known as Grease: Live, as a television special starring Julianne Hough, Aaron Tveit, and Vanessa Hudgens.[31][32]

Synopsis

Act I

The musical begins with a Rydell High School Class of 1959 reunion headed by old maid English teacher, Miss Lynch, who starts off with a recitation of the school anthem ("Alma Mater"). She welcomes former cheerleader/yearbook-editor Patty Simcox Honeywell and class valedictorian Eugene Florczyk. Eugene gives a rousing speech, mentioning that the alumni who are missing from the reunion are surely present in-spirit. Suddenly, the greaser gang known as the Burger Palace Boys (known in later versions of the production as the "T-Birds") and their auxiliary, the "Pink Ladies", appear and recite their own parody of the Rydell anthem ("Alma Mater (Parody)").

In the 2007 Broadway revival, the play begins differently, taking cues from the film adaptation. Here, we are introduced to Sandy Dumbrowski and Danny Zuko spending their last day of summer romance together. Sandy asks her lover Danny, "Is it all over?", and Danny reassures her that their love has only started. Then, as this scene fades away, the other greasers take the stage and sing about their rebellious lifestyle ("Grease").

The play fades away into Rydell High's first day of the new school year. The Pink Ladies sit in the lunchroom, and the Burger Palace Boys sit at the entrance to the school. There is a new girl at school, Sandy Dumbrowski, who had been unjustly rejected from a Catholic school. She describes to the Pink Ladies (Frenchy, Sandy's new neighbor and a sweet but academically struggling aspiring beautician; Marty, an attractive young woman who is experienced in adult vices; Jan, a romantically frustrated and homely girl with a voracious appetite; and Betty Rizzo, the cynical alpha female leader) how she had a brief love affair the summer before, which ended with unresolved love. In describing the fling, Sandy focuses on the romance, while Danny exaggerates to the other Burger Palace Boys (Doody, a young and innocent musician; Roger, a sardonic fast food aficionado known by the rest of the cast only as "Rump;" Dominic "Sonny" LaTierri, a trouble-making wannabe womanizer; and Kenickie, the group's tough-guy auto enthusiast) regarding the physical aspects of their relationship ("Summer Nights").

The Pink Ladies soon after realize that Sandy's summer fling was the same Danny Zuko that attends Rydell High and arrange for the two to bump into each other at school; the resulting meeting is tense and awkward, as Danny had previously told Sandy that he attended a private academy and does not want to admit to the Burger Palace Boys that she was the woman he was talking about. As the Burger Palace Boys leave, Sandy is heartbroken, but the Pink Ladies calm her down and invite her over to Marty's pajama party. Shortly afterwards, the teenagers gather in the hall as Doody, the youngest Burger Palace Boy, shows off his new guitar. The rock star wannabe gives an impromptu concert in the hall ("Those Magic Changes").

At Marty's pajama party, the girls experiment with wine, cigarettes, and pierced ears; and talk about boys. Marty tells about her long-distance courtship with a Marine named Freddy ("Freddy, My Love"). That same night, the Burger Palace Boys are busy stealing hubcaps and teasing Kenickie about his "new" used car, Greased Lightning. An unfazed Kenickie firmly believes that with some upgrades, the car will be a racing-worthy chick magnet ("Greased Lightnin'").

Danny sees Sandy again at her cheerleader practice, and tries to apologize for his behavior. Head cheerleader Patty Simcox interrupts and flirts with Danny. Patty informs Danny that track try-outs are nearing, and Danny tells Sandy that he will join the track team to prove that he is sophisticated. After Danny leaves, Patty and Sandy practice their cheer choreography ("Rydell Fight Song").

The Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies take their newfangled portable radios for a picnic in the park. Roger shares his affection for Jan and his hobby of exposing his rear end to unsuspecting victims ("Mooning"). Rizzo teases Danny for falling for a girl who resembles the excessively proper teenage ingénue, Sandra Dee, and the other greasers join in as she makes fun of Sandy, who has not arrived to the picnic yet ("Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee").

Sandy comes in just as the greasers finish making fun of her, attacks Rizzo in a fit of rage and erroneously assumes Danny is the one behind the mockery. Furious, she tells Danny that she wishes she never met him and storms out of the picnic. Danny shrugs off Sandy's negative response, and the greasers pair off for the upcoming school prom. Danny teases Marty for not having a date (recommending Eugene), and the greasers all laugh, declaring that they will be friends no matter what ("We Go Together").

Act II

It is the night of the school dance where everyone is having fun dancing in the gym ("Shakin' At the High School Hop"). Sandy is at home by herself, listening to the radio and crying over how much she misses Danny ("It's Raining on Prom Night").

Meanwhile, Kenickie comes into the dance with his date, Cha-Cha DiGregorio, a sexually provocative girl from a different school known as Saint Bernadette's. Kenickie dumps his date Cha-Cha and pairs off with Rizzo, whom Danny entered the dance contest with, leaving Danny with Cha-Cha. The MC Vince Fontaine, an enthusiastic radio disc jockey, begins the hand jive dance contest, and everyone eagerly participates as he tags the contestants out ("Born to Hand Jive"). In the end, Danny and Cha-Cha are the winners. Amongst the awards given to the couple, Danny receives two free drive-in movie tickets.

In the 2007 Broadway revival, this scene continues: Sandy shows up at the dance shortly after the awards are handed out. The attendees are leaving, and Danny does not notice Sandy when he exits the room. Sandy cannot stop thinking about Danny despite how he has treated her ("Hopelessly Devoted to You").

Sometime later outside of the Burger Palace hangout, Kenickie, Doody, and Sonny run into Frenchy. The boys are armed with an "arsenal" of household items and reveal that, to their surprise, Cha-Cha was the girlfriend of someone in the Burger Palace Boys' rival gang, the Flaming Dukes. Cha-Cha told the Flaming Dukes about how she danced with Danny, and, as a response, the Flaming Dukes challenged the Burger Palace Boys to a rumble. Danny sprints into the scene, wearing a track suit after having joined the Rydell track team, to the disapproval and confusion of the other Burger Palace boys. Danny turns down their urgent invitation to the Flaming Dukes rumble due to time conflicts with a track race, which he sprints off to.

The three remaining Burger Palace Boys go into the Burger Palace for a snack before the fight, and Frenchy laments at what to do with her life, having dropped out of beauty school in frustration at failing all of her classes. The heavenly Teen Angel appears with a chorus of back-up singing angels and tells her to return to high school ("Beauty School Dropout").

Shortly afterwards, the three Burger Palace Boys exit the Burger Palace. They wait for the Flaming Dukes, but the rival gang never turns up. The greasers realize that Roger is missing. Just as they decide to leave, Roger finally turns up with a car antenna as his weapon, and the greasers criticize him for showing up so late with such a pathetic excuse for a weapon. Roger challenges the three Burger Palace Boys, who proceed to run off with Roger's pants and shoes.

In the next scene, Danny and Sandy are in Greased Lightning, watching a drive-in movie. Danny tells Sandy how upset his buddies are at him, and how sorry he is for his companion's behavior during the picnic. After Danny offers Sandy his ring, he attempts to get intimate with her, but moves too fast, and she leaves. Danny misses Sandy, and wishes that they could be together again ("Alone at a Drive-In Movie" or "Sandy", in the 2007 Broadway revival).

Several days later, Sandy and the greasers — without Danny — are having a party in Jan's basement as Doody, on guitar, performs alongside Roger ("Rock 'N' Roll Party Queen"). Rizzo, who missed her period, suspects she is pregnant and tells the Pink Ladies that the father is a stranger who had sex with her with a cheap, broken condom. The Burger Palace Boys offer support, which Rizzo rejects. Rizzo is left alone with Sandy, who questions Rizzo on why she rejected her friends and deduces that Kenickie was the presumptive father. Rizzo responds by saying that she is a better person than others make her out to be and that showing weakness is the worst thing she knows ("There Are Worse Things I Could Do"). Rizzo leaves, and Sandy decides what she needs to do to fit in with the greasers ("Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" (Reprise)).

The next day, the Burger Palace Boys are hanging out at the Burger Palace. Patty Simcox comes in, miserable and emotionally hurt. She tells them that Danny quit the track team and gave the finger to the coach. The Burger Palace Boys laugh and congratulate Danny, who returns. Sandy comes in alongside the Pink Ladies, having transformed herself into a greaser's dream date, punching out a dismayed Patty. Danny is delighted at this change and the couple express their mutual feelings for each other ("All Choked Up" or "You're the One That I Want", in the 2007 Broadway revival).

Afterwards, the other Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies cheer for Danny and Sandy being together again. They happily invite Patty to watch The Mickey Mouse Club with them at Roger's house, and she agrees. Frenchy takes a job as a makeup saleswoman at Woolworth's, Rizzo reveals that she is not pregnant, and she and Kenickie reunite. All ends happily, and the Burger Palace Boys, the Pink Ladies, Sandy, and Patty sing about how they will always be friends to the end ("We Go Together" (Reprise)).

Revival changes

Due to the popularity of the 1978 film adaptation, which made several changes to the musical's songs and themes (many to accommodate its casting choice for Sandy, Australian singer Olivia Newton-John), the subsequent revivals adopted several of the changes made in the film, particularly the replacement of several songs, and the renaming of the Burger Palace Boys to their film name, the T-Birds. However, in the revival, the role of Sandy Dumbrowski is not changed from the original Broadway production.

School Version

In order to make the original musical suitable for young performers and audiences, Jim Jacobs decided to write a "School Version" of the musical. This edition eliminates all of the references and uses of cigarettes and alcohol, as well as any swearing or bad language. Practically all of the songs have undergone changes as well; the numbers are all shortened tremendously and edited for content/language. Some plot lines are missing from the school version, such as Rizzo's pregnancy and her song "There Are Worse Things I Could Do". This section is entirely cut from the script and score. The beginning of the pajama party in Marty's bedroom is cut as well. (In this version, the Pink Ladies do not offer Sandy cigarettes or wine. Instead it begins directly with piercing her ears.) Overall, this version is considered to be G-rated.[33]

In addition to the removal of "There Are Worse Things I Could Do," the following songs of the School Version have undergone lyric changes:[34]

The remainder of the songs have been edited severely for time, deleting several verses from the original songs.[35]

A version of the play is available that keeps some of the adult references and innuendo but excises some of the more explicit lyrics.

Cast and characters

Role Chicago world premiere (1971)
Kingston Mines Theatre Company		 Broadway premiere (1972)
Broadhurst Theatre		 London premiere (1973)
New London Theatre		 Motion picture (1978) London revival (1993)
Dominion Theatre		 Broadway revival (1994)
Eugene O'Neill Theatre		 Broadway revival (2007)
Brooks Atkinson Theatre		 Chicago 40th anniversary revival (2011)
American Theater Company		 FOX television production (2016)
Danny Zuko Doug Stevenson Barry Bostwick Richard Gere/Patrick Swayze John Travolta Craig McLachlan Ricky Paull Goldin Max Crumm Adrian Aguilar Aaron Tveit
Sandy Dumbrowski (renamed Olsson for the film and Young for the 2016 TV production) Leslie Goto Carole Demas Stacey Gregg Olivia Newton-John Debbie Gibson Susan Wood Laura Osnes Kelly Davis Wilson Julianne Hough
Kenickie Bruce Hickey Timothy Meyers Jeff Conaway Shane Richie Jason Opsahl Matt Saldivar Tony Clarno Carlos PenaVega
Doody Jim Canning James Canning Derek James Barry Pearl John Combe Sam Harris Ryan Patrick Binder Bubba Weiler Jordan Fisher
Sonny LaTierri Gerald Bolnick Jim Borrelli Michael Tucci Richard Calkin Carlos Lopez José Restrepo Patrick De Nicola Andrew Call
Roger (replaced with Putzie for the film) Gary Houston Walter Bobbie Stephen Bent Kelly Ward
Louis St. Louis*		 Drew Jaymson Hunter Foster Daniel Everidge Rob Colletti David Del Rio
Betty Rizzo Susan Williams Adrienne Barbeau Jacqui-Ann Carr Stockard Channing Sally Ann Triplett Rosie O'Donnell/Brooke Shields Jenny Powers Jessica Diaz Vanessa Hudgens
Frenchy Hedda Lubin Marya Small Didi Conn Jo Bingham Jessica Stone Kirsten Wyatt Jessie Fisher Carly Rae Jepsen
Marty Marilu Henner Katie Hanley Dinah Manoff Charlotte Avery Megan Mullally Robyn Hurder Carol Rose Keke Palmer
Jan Sheila Ray Ceaser Garn Stephens Jamie Donnelly Liz Ewing Heather Stokes Lindsay Mendez Sadieh Rifai Kether Donohue
Miss Lynch (rewritten as Principal McGee in film and television productions) Judy Brubaker Dorothy Leon Eve Arden Myra Sands Marcia Lewis Susan Blommaert Peggy Roeder Ana Gasteyer
Eugene Florczyk (renamed Felsnick in film) Steve Munro Tom Harris Eddie Deezen Aidan Treays Hank Rion Jamison Scott Adam Shalzi Noah Robbins
Patty Simcox Polly Pen Ilene Kristen Susan Buckner Tamzin Outhwaite Michelle Blakely Allison Fischer Alaina Mills Elle McLemore
Vince Fontaine Mike O'Connor Don Billett Edd Byrnes Gary Martin/Mike Doyle Toby Hinson Jeb Brown Michael Accardo Mario Lopez
Johnny Casino Alan Paul Screamin' Scott Simon Glenn Carter Paul Castree Bryan Howard Conner Joe Jonas
Charlene "Cha-Cha" DiGregorio Barbara Munro Kathi Moss Julie Henderson Annette Charles Heather Robbins Sandra Purpuro Natalie Hill Hannah Gomez Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer
Teen Angel Mac Hamilton Alan Paul Frankie Avalon Andrew Kennedy/Toby Hinson Billy Porter Stephen R. Buntrock Bryan Howard Conner Boyz II Men
* The character of Roger does not appear in the film version. Putzie, a non-singing character, appears in Roger's stead, portrayed by Kelly Ward. Roger's songs were included on the film's soundtrack, performed by Louis St. Louis.

A number of characters in the musical are unseen characters: Freddy Strulka, Marty's boyfriend and a member of the United States Marine Corps who showers Marty with lavish gifts from Japan; the coach of the track team; the Flaming Dukes, an adversary of the Burger Palace Boys who never show up to a threatened rumble; and Mr. Drucker, a perverted economic teacher who has made passes at the Pink Ladies. In the film, the Flaming Dukes are renamed the Scorpions and have an on-screen role, as does the track coach (who is surnamed Calhoun and is portrayed by Sid Caesar).

Musical numbers

1972 production

* The 1972 version is the standard version licensed to professionals and amateurs through Samuel French, Inc.

Grease: School Version

* Some aspects are not present in this edition of the play at all, including Rizzo's pregnancy and her song "There Are Worse Things I Could Do". Many of the musical numbers have undergone lyric changes, and have been arranged to make the songs much shorter.

1993 revival

1994 revival

2007 revival

* The 2007 revival incorporates some changes from the popular film version. Some numbers were eliminated, and others were added to the score: "Grease" was written by Barry Gibb, "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "You're the One That I Want" are written by John Farrar, and "Sandy" is by Louis St. Louis and Scott Simon. These additional songs require a separate license from the Robert Stigwood Organisation.[36]
Orchestration

The original score calls for a piano, two tenor saxophones, bass guitar, percussion, and two guitars. The 2007 revival includes two pianos, two reeds, trombone, trumpet, guitar, bass guitar, and percussion.

Awards and honors

Original Broadway production

Year Award Ceremony Category Nominee Result
1972 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Choreography Patricia Birch Won
Outstanding Costume Design Carrie Robbins Won
Theatre World Award Adrienne Barbeau Won
Tony Award Best Musical Nominated
Best Book of a Musical Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey Nominated
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Barry Bostwick Nominated
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Timothy Meyers Nominated
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Adrienne Barbeau Nominated
Best Choreography Patricia Birch Nominated
Best Costume Design Carrie Robbins Nominated

1993 West End revival

Year Award Ceremony Category Nominee Result
1993 Olivier Award Best Musical Revival Nominated
Best Theater Choreography Arlene Philips Nominated

1994 Broadway revival

Year Award Ceremony Category Nominee Result
1994 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Sam Harris Nominated
Outstanding Choreography Jeff Calhoun Nominated
Theatre World Award Brooke Shields Won
Tony Award Best Revival of a Musical Nominated
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Marcia Lewis Nominated
Best Choreography Jeff Calhoun Nominated

2007 Broadway revival

Year Award Ceremony Category Nominee Result
2007 Tony Award[37] Best Revival of a Musical Nominated

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Defiglio, Pam (February 19, 2009). "Debate plays on for Chicago guitarist's induction into Taft High School's Hall of Fame: Group wants late guitarist added to school hall of fame". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 22, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2009. Alumni honored in Taft's Hall of Fame include ... Jim Jacobs, who based his musical "Grease" on Taft High School Jupe.
  2. 1 2 Woulfe, Molly. " 'Grease' has deep, dark Chicago roots" NW Times, January 2, 2009, retrieved January 10, 2017
  3. ↑ Miller, Scott (March 30, 2007). "Inside Grease". New Line Theatre. Retrieved July 10, 2008.
  4. ↑ Newmark, Judith (2014-08-01). "'Grease' gets the splashy Muny treatment | Theater reviews". Stltoday.com. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
  5. ↑ Time, May 26, 2008, p. 51: this musical ranked as the sixth most frequently produced musical by United States high schools in 2007.
  6. ↑ "Long Runs on Broadway". Playbill.com. August 14, 2011. Archived from the original on April 20, 2009.
  7. ↑ Rooney, David (25 January 2016). "'Hamilton's' Thomas Kail Makes the Leap to TV for "Bold" Take on 'Grease: Live'". The Hollywood Reporter. Lynne Segall. Retrieved 3 February 2016. What we're doing here is taking the spine of the film and then also having access to parts of the stage play.
  8. ↑ http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-85724145/
  9. ↑ Guernsey, edited by Otis L. (1972). The Best plays of 1971–1972. New York: Dodd, Mead. p. 492. ISBN 0-396-06698-4.
  10. ↑ Green, Stanley."'Grease', London, 1973" Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre, Da Capo Press, 1980, ISBN 0-306-80113-2, p.160
  11. ↑ Hepple, Peter."'Grease' history" glenncarter.com (from The Stage), October 10, 2002, accessed August 26, 2011
  12. ↑ "Lucy Lawless is Rizzo in Broadway's Grease! Musical September 1997". Lucylawless.info. Archived from the original on August 8, 2004. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Grease National Tour". Abouttheartists.com. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  14. ↑ "'Grease' Listing at TUTS, October 14 – November 2, 2003" HoustonTheatre.com, accessed August 26, 2011
  15. ↑ "GREASE to Close on Broadway January 4, 2009". Broadwayworld.com. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
  16. ↑ Atkins, Tom."Review Round-Up of London Opening: Grease Not the Word for Critics" Whatsonstage.com, August 9, 2007
  17. ↑ Grease in London ThisIsTheatre.com, retrieved March 9, 2010
  18. ↑ Shenton, Mark."London Production of Grease to Shutter April 30, Prior to New U.K. Tour" Archived January 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.com, September 16, 2010
  19. ↑ " 'Grease' National Tour to Play Final Performance May 23" BroadwayWorld.com, accessed May 28, 2010
  20. ↑ Gans, Andrew."Grease Tour, with "American Idol" Winner Hicks, Kicks Off Dec. 2 in RI", Playbill.com, December 2, 2008
  21. ↑ "Ace Young, Allison Fischer, Laura D'Andre, Jesse JP Johnson and Jamison Scott Join GREASE TOUR". Broadwayworld.com. November 29, 2009. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
  22. ↑ Simonson, Robert."'Grease' Returns to Its R-Rated Roots in New Chicago Production; Jim Jacobs Explains" Archived July 31, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.com, March 30, 2011
  23. ↑ Jones, Chris."The original, R-rated 'Grease' comes home to Chicago"Chicago Tribune, March 21, 2010
  24. ↑ Cameron Pegg (August 27, 2013). "Latest Grease little less slick". Arts. The Australian. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  25. ↑ "GREASE Cast Announced". Stage Whispers. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  26. ↑ Peerzada Salman (January 18, 2014). "Grease lightning". Dawn.Com. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Vaselina 94". Redteatral.net. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Contact Support". Julissa.com.mx. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  29. ↑ "'Greasse' Overview" Archived April 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. lunchbox-productions.com, accessed August 26, 2011
  30. ↑ Ward-Smythe, Kate."The Campest 'Grease' Ever" theatreview.org.nz, August 12, 2010
  31. ↑ Ryan, Maureen. "TV Review: ‘Grease Live!’". Variety. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  32. ↑ "Fox Orders 'Grease Live' Broadcast for 2015". The Hollywood Reporter. April 28, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2014.
  33. ↑ http://ststanskostka.org/wordpress/?p=5913
  34. ↑ "Grease:School Version". Samuel French UK. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  35. ↑ "Grease:School Version". Samuel French UK. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  36. ↑ The Broadway League. "Internet Broadway Database: Grease Production Credits". Ibdb.com. Retrieved January 18, 2010.
  37. ↑ Internet Broadway Database listing, 'Grease', 2007 revival ibdb.com, retrieved January 26, 2010

References

Preceded by
Fiddler on the Roof		 Longest-running Broadway show
1979–1983 		Succeeded by
A Chorus Line
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