| Grease | |
|---|---|
 Original Broadway cast recording | |
| Music | |
| Lyrics |
|
| Book |
|
| Productions | 1971Chicago 1972Broadway 1973West End 1979 West Endrevival 1993 West End revival 1994 Broadway revival 1994 US tour 2001 West End revival 2002 West End revival 2007 West End revival 2007 Broadway revival 2008 US tour 2017 UK tour 2022 West End revival 2023 West End revival |
Grease is a 1971musical with music, lyrics, and a book byJim Jacobs andWarren Casey. Named after the 1950s United Statesworking-classyouth subculture known asgreasers and set in 1959 at the fictional Rydell High School in NorthwestChicago[1] (based onTaft High School in Chicago, Illinois,[2] and named after rock singerBobby Rydell[3]), the musical follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of peer pressure, politics, personal core values, and love.[3]
The score borrows heavily from the sounds of earlyrock and roll. In its original production in Chicago,Grease was a raunchy, raw, aggressive, vulgar show. Subsequent productions toned down the more risqué content.[4] The show mentions social issues such asteenage pregnancy,peer pressure, andgang 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.[5]
Since it was first performed on February 5, 1971, atKingston Mines nightclub in Chicago,[6]Grease 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, although twoItalian-American characters are left identifiably ethnic) and more generic. The firstBroadway production opened on June 7, 1972; when it closed in 1980,Grease's 3,388-performance run was thelongest yet in Broadway history, although it was surpassed byA Chorus Line on September 29, 1983. It went on to become aWest End hit, asuccessful feature film, two popular Broadway revivals in 1994 and 2007, and a staple ofregional theatre,summer stock,community theatre, and high school and middle school drama groups.[7] It remains Broadway's18th longest-running show.[8]
Grease was adapted in 1978 as afeature film, which starredJohn Travolta (who himself had been in stage productions in a different role) and British-Australian singer and actressOlivia 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. A2016 live TV musical used elements from both the original stage version and the film.[9] 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 ofGrease 2.
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 onJim Jacobs' experience at William Taft High School, Chicago.[3] Warren Casey collaborated with Jim and together they wrote the music and lyrics. It ran for eight months.[10] 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). In addition to the "R-rated" profanity and deliberate use ofshock value, the Chicago version ofGrease included a substantially different songbook, which was shorter and included multiple references to real Chicago landmarks.[11]
ProducersKen Waissman and Maxine Fox saw the show and made a deal to produce itOff-Broadway. The team headed to New York City to collaborate on the New York production ofGrease. It was after test runs of the original Chicago production had drawn extremely poor reviews that the production team transformedGrease into its familiar form.[12] The new production, directed byTom Moore and choreographed byPatricia Birch (who later choreographed the film adaptation, and directed theill-fated sequel), opened Off-Broadway at theEden Theatre inlower Manhattan on February 14, 1972. ThoughGrease opened geographically off-Broadway, it did so under first-class Broadway contracts.[13] The show was deemed eligible for the 1972Tony Awards, receiving seven Tony Award nominations.
On June 7, 1972, the production moved to theBroadhurst Theatre onBroadway, and on November 21, it moved to theRoyale Theatre there, where it ran until January 27, 1980. For the five final weeks of the run, the show moved to the largerMajestic Theatre. By the time it closed on April 13, 1980, it had run 3,388 performances.
The original Broadway cast includedBarry Bostwick as Danny,Carole Demas as Sandy,Adrienne Barbeau as Rizzo, andTimothy Meyers as Kenickie, withAlan Paul,Walter Bobbie andMarya Small in supporting roles. Replacements later in the run includedJeff 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, andJerry Zaks as Kenickie.
After an out-of-town tryout inCoventry,[14]Grease made its London debut at theNew London Theatre on June 26, 1973, with a cast that includedRichard Gere as Danny,Stacey Gregg as Sandy, and Jacquie-Ann Carr as Rizzo.[15][16] LaterPaul Nicholas andElaine Paige took over the leads. The production closed on February 14, 1974.[17]
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 includedTracey Ullman as Frenchy andSu Pollard as Cha-Cha.[18][19]
The revival opened at theDominion Theatre before transferring to theCambridge Theatre in October 1996, where it ran until September 11, 1999. Directed by David Gilmore and produced byRobert Stigwood (who had also produced the film), the opening cast includedCraig McLachlan (Danny);Debbie Gibson (Sandy —Sonia, thenSamantha Janus later replaced Gibson as Sandy);Mike Doyle (Vince Fontaine);Tamzin Outhwaite (Patty);Shane Richie (Kenickie) andSally Ann Triplett (Rizzo). (Variety, Review Abroad Grease, August 2–August 8, 1993) McLachlan was succeeded by Shane Richie,Luke Goss,Ian Kelsey andDarren 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.
After 20 previews, a Broadway revival directed and choreographed byJeff Calhoun premiered on May 11, 1994, at theEugene O'Neill Theatre, where it ran for 1,505 performances. The opening cast includedRicky Paull Goldin (Danny), Susan Wood (Sandy),Rosie O'Donnell (Rizzo),Sam Harris (Doody),Hunter Foster (Roger),Megan Mullally (Marty), andBilly Porter (Teen Angel). The production set a new standard for star replacements, casting celebrities from different entertainment sectors for limited engagements. Some of these notable performers wereLinda 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, andBrooke Shields.[20] Shields proved so popular in the role of Rizzo that the cast album was re-released with her voice substituting for O'Donnell's.[21]
A U.S. national tour of the 1994 production started in September 1994 inNew Haven, Connecticut, and ran for several years. The opening tour cast includedSally Struthers (Miss Lynch), who stayed with the tour for several years, Angela Pupello (Rizzo),Rex Smith (Danny), Trisha M. Gorman (Sandy), andDavy Jones (Vince Fontaine). Brooke Shields (Rizzo) started on the tour in November 1994 before joining the Broadway cast.
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 (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) James Keith Posey (Sonny LaTierri) , Laura Hornberger (Marty), Debbie Damp (Patty Simcox), Michael Giambrone (Eugene Florczyk), Juan Betancourt (Johnny Casino), Jamie Patterson (Teen Angel), Holly Ann Kling (Cha-Cha DiGregorio) and Steven Sackman (Vince Fontaine).Frankie Avalon starred as the Teen Angel for a one-week engagement at theJackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach (December 10–15, 1996).[22]
This tour was directed by Ray DeMattis and featured choreography byChristopher 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).[23]
A second Broadway revival, directed and choreographed byKathleen Marshall, began previews at theBrooks Atkinson Theatre on July 24, 2007, and opened on August 19, 2007.Max Crumm andLaura Osnes were selected to portray Danny and Sandy via viewer votes cast during the run of theNBCreality seriesGrease: 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.[24]
A West End revival opened at thePiccadilly Theatre, London on August 8, 2007, and ran for nearly four years (the longest running show in thePiccadilly Theatre's history). The leads were similarly cast viaITV'sGrease Is the Word, with Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden playing Danny and Sandy.[25][26] The production closed on April 30, 2011, after over 1,300 performances with a U.K. tour to begin on May 6, 2011, inEdinburgh.[27]
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'sTom Parker as Danny Zuko, BBC Over the Rainbow winnerDanielle Hope as Sandy andStrictly Come Dancing'sLouisa Lytton.
A further UK and Ireland tour of Grease was scheduled to commence fromCurve, Leicester, on 30 July 2021. This production will starPeter Andre as Teen Angel and Vince Fontaine. The production will be directed byNikolai Foster and choreographed byArlene Phillips.[28] 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 theCOVID-19 pandemic.
A U.S. national tour began on December 2, 2008, in Providence, Rhode Island, and closed on May 23, 2010, at thePalace Theatre inCleveland, Ohio.[29]Taylor Hicks reprised his role as the Teen Angel after playing the part on Broadway, with Eric Schneider as Danny andEmily Padgett as Sandy.[30]Lauren Ashley Zakrin replaced Emily Padgett as Sandy in October andAce Young joined the tour as Danny on December 1, 2009.[31]
In 2011, a revival of the original Kingston Mines production was run in Chicago. It was titledThe Original Grease and carried the tagline "Restored. Revised. R-Rated. Returned to Chicago". It featured songs and scenes from drafts of both the original Chicago and Broadway productions. Unlike the school version, this version reinstated the raunchiness of the original show and references to Chicago locations. The sixth Burger Palace Boy was restored and named Miller.[32] The Chicago production ofThe Original Grease opened on May 2 and closed on August 21.[33] This version was presented once more in Australia in 2016 from April 6 to May 7.[34] In Chicago, Adrian Aguilar played Danny and Kelly Davis Wilson played Sandy.[35]
A new production of Grease ran from 17 May to 29 October 2022 at theDominion Theatre in London's West End, following a UK and Ireland tour in 2019–2021.[36] This revival was directed byNikolai Foster (artistic director of theCurve) and choreographed byArlene Phillips, with scenic and costume design by Colin Richmond, orchestrations and musical supervision by Sarah Travis, lighting by Ben Cracknell, projections Douglas O'Connell, sound design by Tom Marshall and Richard Brooker, and casting by David Grindrod. The production played a return engagement at the Dominion Theatre from 2 June to 28 October 2023.[37]
There have been professional productions of Grease inArgentina (withFlorencia Peña andGustavo Monje), Austria (withPia Douwes) andCanada (a 1998 French spoken/English sung version incorporating songs from the movie starringMarina Orsini as Rizzo andSerge Postigo as Danny).
In 1984, the Mexican [then pre-teen] pop bandTimbiriche starred in the musical, withSasha Sokol andBenny Ibarra in the leading roles, which was an overwhelming success. The band also released an album (Vaselina) featuring themes from the musical. The cast included other members of Timbiriche (Diego Schoening,Mariana Garza,Alix Bauer,Paulina Rubio andErik Rubin), along with other child singers and actors such asEduardo Capetillo,Stephanie Salas,Thalía,Edith Márquez, Lolita Cortés,Hector Suarez Gomis, Usi Velasco and Angélica Ruvalcaba. The musical was produced by the Mexican actress and producerJulissa.
In 1994, the musical was revived at the Hidalgo Theater in Mexico City, by producersAlejandro Ibarra andJulissa. The revival cast includedAlejandro Ibarra,Juan Carlos Casasola, andArturo G. Alvarez.[38][39]
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 Spain's all-time longest running musical productions, with 1,090 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 byEdurne andGisela), andElena Gadel as Betty Rizzo,
A New Zealand Production, ran at the Civic Theatre inAuckland during August 2010. The production featured the South African cast, with Jonathan Roxmouth as Danny, Bethany Dickson as Sandy and Genna Galloway as Rizzo.[40][41]
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.Edurne reprised the role of Sandy, During the Madrid run, the singerJulio Iglesias Jr. guest starred as Teen Angel in some performances.
InFrance, the first production ofGrease opened in November 1999 atPalais des Sports inParis. The production moved to theDôme Disney Village inChessy in 2005.[42] The show was revived in 2008 at the Comédia inParis withCécilia Cara as Sandy. This new production win aGlobe de Cristal Awards in 2009 and moved toPalais des congrès in 2009 and toLe Palace in 2012, after a break in 2011.[43] A third revival opened on September 28, 2017 atThéâtre Mogador inParis. It is the first production completely in French, the previous ones were in French with English songs. Despite originally being billed as a limited engagement, it was extended to July 8, 2018 following its success.[44]
An Australian revival opened at Brisbane's Lyric Theatre on August 27, 2013, before heading on an Australian tour.[45] The cast includedRob Mills as Danny,Gretel Scarlett as Sandy,Anthony Callea as Johnny Casino,Stephen Mahy as Kenickie,Lucy Maunder as Rizzo,Todd McKenney as Teen Angel, andBert Newton as Vince Fontaine.[46]
In 2016 a 90-minute version of the show premiered onRoyal CaribbeansHarmony of the Seas in May andIndependence of the Seas in July.[47][48]
A June 2022 Australian production, directed byDrew Anthony and choreographed by Jamie and Susie Rolton, was staged at Perth's Royale Theatre, with John Berry as Danny, Elaina O'Connor as Sandy, Peter Cumins as Teen Angel, Blake Williams as Vince Fontaine and Lucy Williamson as Miss Lynch.[citation needed]
A 2023-24 Australian tour production, directed by Luke Joslin and choreographed by Eric Giancola was announced in May 2023.[49][50] The principal cast was later revealed in June 2023 withPatti Newton as Miss Lynch,Marcia Hines as Teen Angel,Jay Laga’aia as Vince Fontaine, Annelise Hall as Sandy and Joseph Spanti as Danny Zuko.[51]
TheRobert Stigwood Organization adaptedGrease into a 1978 feature film, directed byRandal Kleiser.John Travolta, who had played Doody on Broadway and the national tour, performed as lead Danny Zuko, whileOlivia Newton-John, an English Australian country-pop singer, was cast as Sandy; to accommodate the casting move, the character was rewritten as Australian immigrant Sandy Olsson (named after the maiden name ofAnn-Margret, who was briefly considered for the role in the film), and parts of the score were replaced. Substantial portions of the script — which included replaced or reduced supporting character roles and added on-screen roles for characters unseen in the stage version — were written in byBronte Woodard.
Grease was a major success both for Stigwood and forParamount Pictures, the latter of which re-released the film several times; thefilm soundtrack made international hits out of several of the songs. Paramount also produced a sequelGrease 2 in 1982, which featured a younger class of students at Rydell High School led byMaxwell Caulfield andMichelle Pfeiffer.Grease 2 was both a financial disappointment and a critical failure that Jim Jacobs disowned after its release.[52][11] In the 2010s, work began on expanding theGrease brand into a full-fledgedmedia franchise, with twoprequels in production,Summer Lovin' (a film focusing on Danny and Sandy's summer before the events of the originalGrease) andRise of the Pink Ladies (a television series documenting the ascent of the Pink Ladies clique).
On January 31, 2016, in the wake of similar productions thatNBC had performed for other musicals,Fox broadcast a live production ofGrease, known asGrease: Live, as a television special starringJulianne Hough,Aaron Tveit,Vanessa Hudgens andJordan Fisher.[53][54]
Because of changes to the musical that have been made since the 1978 film adaptation, several variants exist. In the event two songs are listed at any given point, the first is from the 1972 Off-Broadway version, and the second is from revivals that use the film music, such as the 2007 version.[citation needed]
At revivals that use the 1978 song "Grease", it is typically inserted at or near the beginning of the show.
At the Rydell High Class of 1959 reunion ("Alma Mater"),old maid English teacher Miss Lynch introduces former cheerleader/yearbook-editor Patty Simcox Honeywell and classvaledictorian Eugene Florczyk. Eugene gives a rousing speech, mentioning that the alumni who are missing from the reunion are surely present in spirit. The scene segues to bring in thegreaser gang known as the Burger Palace Boys (known in later versions as the "T-Birds") and their auxiliary, the "Pink Ladies", as they sing a cruder version of the Rydellalma mater ("Alma Mater (Parody)").
Flashing back to the first day of high school in fall 1958, the Pink Ladies sit in the lunchroom, and the Burger Palace Boys sit at the entrance to the school. One of the Pink Ladies, Frenchy, introduces her new neighbor Sandy Dumbrowski, who had been unjustly rejected from aCatholic school, to the others (Marty, Jan and Rizzo), as well as Patty. Sandy tells of how she had a brief love affair the summer before, which ended with unresolved love. Meanwhile, womanizing greaser Danny Zuko is telling the Burger Palace Boys (Kenickie, Roger, Doody and Sonny) the story of his own summer fling ("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 attendedLake Forest 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 hurt and angry, but the Pink Ladies cheer her up, by inviting her over to Marty's pajama party.
Shortly afterwards, the teenagers gather in the hall as Doody shows off his new guitar and performs a song ("Those Magic Changes").
At Marty's pajama party, the girls experiment with wine, cigarettes, pierce their ears and talk about boys. The sheltered Sandy goes into shock and falls ill from seeing blood when the Pink Ladies try to pierce her ears, leading them to mock her when she's not in the room (in some revivals, the song "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" is placed here, mirroring the film). Marty tells about her long-distance courtship with aMarine named Freddy and it is implied that she maintains it only because of the lavish gifts he sends her from Japan ("Freddy, My Love").
That same night, the Burger Palace Boys are busy stealing hubcaps, unaware that the hubcaps are on Kenickie's car, Greased Lightnin'. Unfazed by the others' skepticism, Kenickie sings of the upgrades needed to make the car a racing-worthychick magnet ("Greased Lightnin'").
Danny sees Sandy again at her cheerleader practice, and tries to apologize for his behavior. Patty 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 himself; he leaves as Patty and Sandy practice cheering ("Rydell Fight Song").
As the Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies gather at the park, Danny reveals to the rest of the greasers that he has joined the track team, much to their dismay and skepticism. After Roger and Jan bicker about food, drink, and religion, Jan asks him how he earned the nickname Rump; he explains that, as "King of the Mooners", he has a hobby ofbaring his backside to unsuspecting victims, and in the process, both reveal their affections for each other ("Mooning"). Rizzo teases Danny for falling for a girl who resembles the excessively proper teenageingénue,Sandra Dee, and the other greasers join in as she makes fun of Sandy, who has not arrived at thepicnic yet ("Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee").
Sandy, working on a biology assignment with Eugene, comes in just as the greasers finish making fun of her. She 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 upcomingsock hop. Danny teases Marty for not having a date (recommending Eugene), and the greasers all laugh ("We Go Together").
For revivals that use "Hopelessly Devoted to You", the exact placement varies. It sometimes replaces the first rendition of "We Go Together" and in other examples, such as the 2007 revival, it is placed early in Act II.
The night of the sock hop arrives ("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 girl from Saint Bernadette's Academy. Patty tries to pair up with Danny, trash-talking Sandy's cheerleading skills in the process, but is unable to get out of her promise to dance with Eugene despite Rizzo trying to seduce Eugene as a distraction. Kenickie ends up paired off with Rizzo, and Danny with Cha-Cha. TheMC Vince Fontaine, a radiodisc jockey, begins thehand 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.
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 boys' rival gang, the Flaming Dukes; the Dukes, hearing of Cha-Cha's dancing with the Burger Palace Boys, challenged the boys to arumble. Danny sprints into the scene wearing his track suit, to the disbelief of the other boys. Danny tells the boys he cannot partake in the rumble because of a track meet and sprints off.
The three remaining 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 ofbeauty 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").
The three boys exit the Burger Palace, bemoaning Danny's betrayal while only halfheartedly noticing Roger is unaccounted for. They wait for the Flaming Dukes, but the rival gang never turns up. Roger finally turns up with only a broken antenna as a weapon; in response, the other three proceed to strip Roger of his pants and shoes.
At the drive-in, Danny tries to make up for his behavior and offers Sandy his class ring. She initially is thrilled, but pulls back and exits the car when he tries to move beyond a kiss. Danny laments his loneliness ("Alone at a Drive-In Movie" or "Sandy").
Several days later, Sandy and the greasers — without Danny — are gathered in Jan's basement ("Rock 'N' Roll Party Queen"). Rizzo, who missed her period, fears she is pregnant and tells Marty (who herself laments that Vince tried tospike her drink at the dance) that the father is a stranger who had sex with her with a cheap, broken condom; word gets back to everyone else. The boys offer support as they leave; Rizzo rejects it, leading Sandy to ask her why and presume that Kenickie is the 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 boys are hanging out at the Burger Palace. A dejected Patty reveals Danny, who follows her in, has reverted to his old ways and quit the track team. Sandy comes in alongside the Pink Ladies, having transformed herself from an innocent schoolgirl into a greaser's fantasy, 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").
Afterwards, the greasers prepare to head to Roger's to watchThe Mickey Mouse Club, inviting Patty along. Frenchy takes a job as a makeup saleswoman atWoolworth'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)).
 | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Grease" musical – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(July 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Because of the popularity of the1978 film adaptation, which made several changes to the musical's songs and themes (many to accommodate its casting choice of the singerOlivia Newton-John as Sandy), the subsequent revivals adopted several of the changes made in the film, particularly the replacement of several songs, Sandy's portrayal with blonde hair instead of the original brunette, 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.
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 to cigarettes and alcohol, and also any swearing or bad language. Most of the songs have also undergone changes as well; the numbers are all shortened greatly 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 also cut. (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 beG-rated.[55]
In addition to the removal of "There Are Worse Things I Could Do", the following songs of the School Version have undergone lyric changes:[56]
The remainder of the songs have been greatly edited for time, deleting several verses from the original songs.[56]
A version of the play is available that keeps some of the adult references andinnuendo but excises some of the more explicit lyrics.
A number of characters in the musical arenot seen: Freddy Strulka, Marty's boyfriend and a member of theUnited 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 economics 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 bySid Caesar).
| Role | Chicago | Broadway | West End | West End Revival | Broadway Revival | West End Revival | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1993 | 1994 | 2007 | 2007 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| Danny | Doug Stevenson | Barry Bostwick | Richard Gere | Craig McLachlan | Ricky Paull Goldin | Max Crumm | Danny Bayne | Dan Partridge | |
| Sandy | Leslie Goto | Carole Demas | Stacey Gregg | Debbie Gibson | Susan Wood | Laura Osnes | Susan McFadden | Olivia Moore | |
| Rizzo | Susan Williams | Adrienne Barbeau | Jacquie-Ann Carr | Sally Ann Triplett | Rosie O'Donnell | Jenny Powers | Jayde Westaby | Jocasta Almgill | |
| Kenickie | Bruce Hickey | Timothy Meyers | Peter Armitage | Shane Richie | Jason Opsahl | Matthew Saldivar | Sean Mulligan | Paul French | Solomon Davy |
| Doody | James Canning | Derek James | John Combe | Sam Harris | Ryan Patrick Binder | Lee Martin | Jake Reynolds | ||
| Roger | Gary Houston | Walter Bobbie | Stephen Bent | Drew Jaymson | Hunter Foster | Daniel Everidge | Richard Hardwick | Noah Harrison | Callum Henderson |
| Sonny | Gerald Bolnick | Jim Borrelli | Doug Fisher | Richard Calkin | Carlos Lopez | José Restrepo | Bennett Andrews | Damon Gould | George Michaelides |
| Frenchy | Hedda Lubin | Marya Small | Felicity Harrison | Jo Bingham | Jessica Stone | Kirsten Wyatt | Alana Phillips | Eloise Davies | Olivia Foster-Browne |
| Marty | Marilu Henner | Katie Hanley | Hilary Labow | Charlotte Avery | Megan Mullally | Robyn Hurder | Charlie Cameron | Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly | Ellie Kingdon |
| Jan | Sheila Ray Ceaser | Garn Stephens | Colette Kelly | Liz Ewing | Heather Stokes | Lindsay Mendez | Laurie Scarth | Mary Moore | Katie Brace |
| Miss Lynch | Judy Brubaker | Dorothy Leon | Ann Way | Myra Sands | Marcia Lewis | Susan Blommaert | Marie Daly | Corinna Powlesland | Rachel Stanley |
| Eugene | Steve Munro | Tom Harris | Stephen Marsh | Aidan Treays | Paul Castree | Jamison Scott | Tim Newman | Darnell Mathew-James | Jayd’n Tyrone |
| Patty | Polly Pen | Ilene Kristen | Claire Faulcon Bridge | Tamzin Outhwaite | Michelle Blakely | Allison Fischer | Siobhan Dillon | Jessica Croll | Chloe Saunders |
| Cha-Cha | Barbara Munro | Kathi Moss | Olwen Hughes | Heather Robbins | Sandra Purpuro | Natalie Hill | Olivia Kate Ward | Katie Lee | Katie Ella Dunsden |
| Vince Fontaine | Mike O'Connor | Don Billett | Roy Desmond | Gary Martin | Brian Bradley | Jeb Brown | Jason Capewell | Peter Andre | Peter Andre Darren Bennett |
| Johnny Casino | Bob Santelli | Alan Paul | Steve Alder | Glenn Carter | n/a | n/a | n/a | Ronan James Burns | Liam McHugh |
| Teen Angel | Mac Hamilton | Andrew Kennedy | Billy Porter | Stephen R. Buntrock | Jason Capewell | Peter Andre Jason Donovan | Peter Andre Jason Donovan Louise Redknapp | ||
Source:[58]
|
* Not to be confused with Frankie Valli's songof the same name. |
|
|
* The 1972 version is the standard version licensed to professionals and amateurs throughSamuel French, Inc. in the US and Theatrical Rights Worldwide Ltd in the UK/IE/Europe
|
|
|
|
|
Note*: "Grease Medley" is sung during the final curtain call. |
|
|
The original score calls for a piano, 2 saxophones, 2 guitars, bass guitar, and drums, while the original backup chorus calls for 8 singers: 4 males and 4 females.[60][61] This is the version licensed for performance by amateur groups. The piano and the first keyboard is usually played by the band's conductor. The two guitarists double on acoustic and electric.
The 1994 revival is scored for 2 keyboards, 2 guitars, bass guitar, drums, percussion, 2 violins, viola, cello, 2 trumpets, trombone, and 2 saxophones.[62] The 1994 revival chorus calls for 5 males and 5 females.
The 2007 revival is scored for 2 keyboards, 2 violins, viola, cello, 2 trumpets, trombone, 2 saxophones, 2 guitars, bass guitar, and drums and percussion.[63] The first keyboard is played by the conductor. The two guitarists double on acoustic and electric. One guitarist plays lead while the other plays rhythm. The first woodwind doubles on tenor and alto saxophone and flute while the second one doubles on tenor, alto and baritone saxophone, flute and soprano saxophone. The 12-piece backup chorus calls for 6 males and 6 females.
| 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 andWarren 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 | ||
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Olivier Award | Best Musical Revival | Nominated | |
| Best Theater Choreography | Arlene Philips | Nominated | ||
| 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 | ||
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Tony Award[64] | Best Revival of a Musical | Nominated | |
Alumni honored in Taft's Hall of Fame include ... Jim Jacobs, who based his musical "Grease" on Taft High School Jupe.
What we're doing here is taking the spine of the film and then also having access to parts of the stage play.
| Preceded by | Longest-running Broadway show 1979–1983 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| Other | |