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darrennye


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Grease - Broadway Review
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Grease Broadway Review
N Brooks Atkinson Theatre
July 24, 2007

In early 2007, NBC held a reality competition show called Grease You're the one that I want. The show was all about finding new leads to play Danny Zuko and Sandy Dumbrowski.

The show caught my interest, because Grease was a popular movie back in 1978 - it starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. I also took my sister and niece to see Grease on Broadway back in 1997 when the infamous Xena ... I mean Lucy Lawless ... was playing Rizzo. Oh, and in case youre wondering what happened to Lucy, shes returning to Battlestar Galactica for their last season, starring as D'Anna Biers (Model Number 3), one of the leaders and most powerful of the human-form Cylons (woo hoo!).

Anyway, back to Grease Youre the one that I want - week by week, contestants were eliminated, similar to oh so many other elimination shows. The four finalists were Max Crumm, Austin Miller, Laura Osnes and Ashley Spencer.

The winning titles went to Max and Laura. However many thought it should have been Austin and Ashley. For me, I thought the right people one.

Although I think Austin is a great lookin guy with a better body than Max, I think Austin is too gay. Or rather, too effeminate. Something appealed to me about Max also perhaps that he seems to have been a bit of an underdog, yet he made it to the winning spot. I think Max has a slightly better voice than Austin. But when I look at John Travolta in the original movie, heck he seemed gay also! So would it have been such a stretch to see Austin in the role?

Speaking of gay. Hey, I certainly am not homophobic, considering Im gay but its been rumored for years that John Travolta is gay (as with other Scientology members). Read more: here and here. If John ever came out of the closet (assuming he was gay), he'd probably set a better example than our mouthy bitchy bully pal Rosie.

As for Laura versus Ashley, they were both good, but I think Laura has the better voice. Both Laura or Ashley could have pulled off the lead role of Sandy.

Although Laura won the lead as Sandy, Ashley was hired to play Amber Von Tussel in Hairspray on Broadway. And considering how well Hairspray the movie is doing, Ashley will likely have a great career ahead of her as well.

I attended the opening Preview of Grease on Broadway on Tuesday July 24th 2007 with my partner Patrick. Overall we enjoyed the show, but we were also just a bit disappointed. I think we were expecting a more powerful performance from Max and Laura. I do like both of them, and I wish them the best of luck with the show and their careers. But Im just not sure that Max is a good fit as Danny. I was hoping he'd muscle and toughen up prior to the opening of the show. He seems too nice and too skinny to be Danny. But nevertheless, both he and Laura are VERY talented. I think well see Max on TV again at some point. I'm not so sure well see Laura on TV, as I dont think shes as memorable or likable as Max. I also think Max has a bit better Stage Presence than Laura.

Only one complaint about the theater. It seemed small, and it should have been cooler.

Only two obvious problems with the production: at one point it sounded like someone dropped their microphone. And the second was the hubcap that I think it was Max who couldnt get it back on the car during the dance routine.

So go see it. I think youll enjoy it. And over the next month, Im sure things will improve.

I give it a 7 out of 10.

I suspect it will run with the current cast, through 2008.

Tickets to Grease at the Brooks Atkinson, 256 West 47th Street, are on sale by calling (212) 307-4100 or at the box office. For more information visit greaseonbroadway.com.

Written by Darren Nye of Nyetech
Looking for a NJ Web Site Design or NJ Computer Help? See www.nyetech.com

-- Edited by darrennye at 16:28, 2007-07-25

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AZN Danny


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Travolta was very skinny in the movie!

-- Edited by AZN Danny at 09:25, 2007-07-25

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Hello799


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Thanks for your opinion Darren. I'm very glad you were able to post it and hold nothing back. NO HOLDS BAR!!!! I'm sure by opening night, the "glitches" will be taken care of. After reading several reports on opening preview show, yours is the best.

PS-If I don't talk to ya before Sunday........HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARREN!!!!

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DogsandBirds


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You see a preview and have to understand the "kinks" are still being worked out. As far as the cast is concerned, it was only the second performance before an audience and the first performance before an audience of people who bought tickets and a full audience as well, which the gypsy dress rehearsal was not.

Laura and Max make easy targets because of the reality show as expectations are whatever they are for the people who see the show. The cast is strong and supportve of each other and whatever issues are before them, they will rise to the occasion. I am sure Max and Laura will only grow with time.



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greatwhiteway


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It looked to me that Max actually did muscle up a little bit. I saw some tricep definition there I didn't see in the TV show. The only problem with his appearance to me was that they put too much black eyeliner on him. His eyes did look great though, maybe they did it so they would really stand out.

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Ray


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I've read that Max does a lot of dancing, but no-one has said anything about the dance that Danny does with ChaCha, which ticks Sandy off. Is it in the show? and if so, how does Max do?

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AZN Danny


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Max is the consummate Danny. He can sing, act, and dance and plays the role to perfection.

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juniper01


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While as a whole, the dancing was wonderful, I do not think that Danny and Cha-Cha were outstanding enough to say they stood out from the rest, perhaps that will change over time.....good, but not wonderful in the 7/25, 2:00 PM showing.  smile

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Ray


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I had thought that Max would put some comedy into his dance with ChaCha.
At least it's in the show, so it can develop over time.

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AZN Danny


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Someone on the broadwayworld.com said this

"Crumm lacks charisma, charm, personality, coolness, and suavity. He sings OK."

He's entitled to his opinion, but I cannot fathom how he formulated it.

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greatwhiteway


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All the dancing was very good. It is just that the dance contest was not the big deal like in the movie. They looked like they were dancing about equally to this untrained eye. Though a trained dancer would know better. In the movie the winning couple had better, more ecxiting choreography than the losing couples. In the play they are all doing the same thing.

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