Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Named after the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as greasers and set in 1959 at the fictional Rydell High School in Northwest Chicago, the musical 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 toned down the more risqué content. 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. 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 wild, roguish fantasy.
Since it was first performed on February 5, 1971, at Kingston Mines nightclub in Chicago, Grease has been successful on both stage and screen, but the content has been diluted and its teenage characters have become less Chicago habitués and more generic. The first Broadway production opened on June 7, 1972; when it closed in 1980, Greases 3,388-performance run was the longest yet in Broadway history, although it was surpassed by A Chorus Line on September 29, 1983. 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. It remains Broadway's 18th longest-running show.
Grease was adapted in 1978 as a feature film, which starred John Travolta and British-Australian singer and actress Olivia Newton-John, removed the musical's Chicago urban setting, and changed some plot elements, characters, and songs while adding new songs and elaborating on some plot elements only alluded to in the musical. Some of these revisions have been incorporated into revivals of the musical. A 2016 live TV musical used elements from both the original stage version and the film. A 1982 film sequel, Grease 2, included only a few supporting characters from the film and musical and had no involvement from Jacobs or Casey; Jacobs has gone on record to voice his disapproval of Grease 2.
Production history
Original productions and Broadway
The show's original production was directed by Guy Barile, choreographed by Ronna Kaye and produced by the Kingston Mines Theatre Company founded by June Pyskacek on Chicago's Lincoln Avenue. The script was based on Jim Jacobs' experience at William Taft High School, Chicago. Warren Casey collaborated with Jim and together they wrote the music and lyrics. It ran for eight months. The cast: Doug Stevenson, Leslie Goto, Sue Williams, Polly Pen, Gary Houston, Marilu Henner, James Canning, Hedda Lubin, Bruce Hickey, Sheila Ray Ceaser, Bill Cervetti, Jerry Bolnick, Judy Brubaker, Mike O'Connor, Steve Munro, Barbara Munro, Mac Hamilton and George Lopez. In addition to the "R-rated" profanity and deliberate use of shock value, the Chicago version of Grease included a substantially different songbook, which was shorter and included multiple references to real Chicago landmarks.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. It was after test runs of the original Chicago production had drawn extremely poor reviews that the production team transformed Grease into its familiar form. The new production, directed by Tom Moore and choreographed by Patricia Birch, opened Off-Broadway at the Eden Theatre in lower Manhattan on February 14, 1972. Though Grease opened geographically off-Broadway, it did so under first-class Broadway contracts. 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 on 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, Carole Demas as Sandy, Adrienne Barbeau as Rizzo, and Timothy Meyers as Kenickie, with Alan Paul, Walter Bobbie and Marya Small in supporting roles. Replacements later in the run included Jeff Conaway as Danny, Candice Earley as Sandy, Peter Gallagher as Danny, Richard Gere as Sonny, Ilene Graff as Sandy, Randee Heller as Rizzo, Marilu Henner as Marty, Judy Kaye as Rizzo, Marcia Mitzman Gaven as Rizzo, Patrick Swayze as Danny, John Travolta as Doody, Treat Williams as Danny, Laurie Graff as Frenchy, and Jerry Zaks as Kenickie.
1973 London run and 1979 return engagement
After an out-of-town tryout in Coventry, Grease made its London debut at the New London Theatre on June 26, 1973, with a cast that included Richard Gere as Danny, Stacey Gregg as Sandy, and Jacquie-Ann Carr as Rizzo. Later Paul Nicholas and Elaine Paige took over the leads. The production closed on February 14, 1974.The show was revived at the Astoria Theatre from June 7 to September 22, 1979, with Michael Howe as Danny, Jacqueline Reddin as Sandy, and Hilary Labow as Rizzo. The company also included Tracey Ullman as Frenchy and Su Pollard as Cha-Cha.
1993 London revival
The revival opened at the Dominion Theatre before transferring to the Cambridge Theatre in October 1996, where it ran until September 11, 1999. Directed by David Gilmore and produced by Robert Stigwood, the opening cast included Craig McLachlan ; Debbie Gibson ; Mike Doyle ; Tamzin Outhwaite ; Shane Richie and Sally Ann Triplett. McLachlan was succeeded by Shane Richie, Luke Goss, Ian Kelsey and Darren Day. The production's success led to the first British national tour which featured Shane Richie as Danny, Helen Way as Sandy, Toby Hinson as Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel, Ben Richards/Alex Bourne as Kenickie and Michele Hooper as Rizzo. The score included four songs written for the film adaptation: "Hopelessly Devoted to You", "Sandy", "You're the One That I Want", and the title number. As in the film, the Burger Palace Boys' were renamed the T-Birds for this revival.1994 Broadway revival and U.S. tour
After 20 previews, a Broadway revival directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun premiered on May 11, 1994, at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where it ran for 1,505 performances. The opening cast included Ricky Paull Goldin, Susan Wood, Rosie O'Donnell, Sam Harris, Hunter Foster, Megan Mullally, and Billy Porter. The production set a new standard for star replacements, casting celebrities from different entertainment sectors for limited engagements. Some of these notable performers were Linda Blair, Debby Boone, Chubby Checker, Dominique Dawes, Micky Dolenz, Sheena Easton, Debbie Gibson, Jasmine Guy, Al Jarreau, Lucy Lawless, Darlene Love, Maureen McCormick, Joe Piscopo, Mackenzie Phillips, Jon Secada, and Brooke Shields. Shields proved so popular in the role of Rizzo that the cast album was re-released with her voice substituting for O'Donnell's.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, who stayed with the tour for several years, Angela Pupello, Rex Smith, Trisha M. Gorman, and Davy Jones. Brooke Shields started on the tour in November 1994 before joining the Broadway cast.
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 DeMatteis with choreography by Tony Parise and music direction by Helen Gregory. The original cast featured Randy Bobish, Nicole Greenwood, Gary Martin, Christine Hudman, Timothy Quinlan, Kimberly Wharton, Bruce Smith, Kathleen Connolly, Jeffrey Shubart James Keith Posey , Laura Hornberger, Debbie Damp, Michael Giambrone, Juan Betancourt, Jamie Patterson, Holly Ann Kling and Steven Sackman. Frankie Avalon starred as the Teen Angel for a one-week engagement at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach.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 and Hanna-Liina Võsa, Jason Harper, Danny Smith, John Ashley, Sarah Hubbard, Craig McEldowney, Kirsten Allyn Michaels, Jaqueline Colmer, Cortney Harper and Arthur J. Callahan.2007 Broadway and London revivals and UK tours
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. At the announcement of its closure, the producers revealed that the production recouped its entire investment during its 52nd playing week.A West End revival opened at the Piccadilly Theatre, London on August 8, 2007, and ran for nearly four years. The leads were similarly cast via ITV's Grease Is the Word, with Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden playing Danny and Sandy. 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.
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.
In 2017, Grease started touring the UK again, this time starring the Wanted's Tom Parker as Danny Zuko, BBC Over the Rainbow winner Danielle Hope as Sandy and Strictly Come Dancing Louisa Lytton.
A further UK and Ireland tour of Grease was scheduled to commence from Curve, Leicester, on 30 July 2021. This production will star Peter Andre as Teen Angel and Vince Fontaine. The production will be directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. It is unknown if this tour went to production or not, as it was repeatedly rescheduled from earlier 2021 dates as well as its originally scheduled tour in 2020, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.