Top 3 Best/Least Favorites

MasonVegas · Newbie

Top 3 Best/Least Favorites

Eris · Guru

The real star of the show is Rizzo. This confuses anyone who has only seen the movie. Sandy doesn't have a ton of stage time and that's always the way it's been. Also, in the original show it was not Danny who sang "Greased Lightening" but rather Kenieke.

MrE1111 · Guru

Mason - I assume you had no idea about the stage version before you saw it the other day? Your comments are VERY interesting to me, as I've been wondering how someone who is only familiar with the film would react.

Spoilers abound:

The thing about Danny and Sandy having no scenes together characterizes the main flaw of the show. Danny is clearly the male lead. Sandy is spposed to be the female lead, but it is indeed Rizzo who has the most stage time. Grease has always been an ensemble show, though, in the last Broadway revival (from 1994-1998) the role that was touted as "lead" was Rizzo. That's why people like Rosie O'Donnell, Lucy Lawless, Maureen McCormick, Brooke Shields, Linda Blair, etc., played that part and Sandy was nearly always an unknown Broadway actress.

My biggest problem was the placement of "Hopelessly Devoted to You." The way it's done now (unless they've changed it since I saw it), it packs no emotional punch (which is what they were going for). Danny and Cha-Cha leave the dance in this version and Sandy sees them, then sings "Hopelessly." In the original script (and the version that is licensed by Samuel French), Danny storms out after he wins the dance, feeling guilty for not being with Sandy. That directly sets up the Drive-In scene. There is no set-up for that scene now and it makes the audience say "whoa, why'd that happen!?"

Regarding it not being a children's show, I take it you've never seen the original Broadway script, which has been watered down SIGNIFICANTLY through the years. Every other word was a curse. It's great fun to read, if you can find it at a local library. It's been out of print for years.

themusicman · Veteran Member

5 min make out scene under bleachers? Who?

ddktt · Veteran Member

like a bad PowerPoint presentation.

Exactly! Opening the show with that cheesy plastic "diner" back drop with the the atomic bubbles and french fries on it (which would not have been served at school lunch in the 50's I might add) was pretty lame. First impressions and all...

greatwhiteway · Senior Member

I really have to disagree about this Grease not being suited for kids and family. There may be a little smoking, a couple of "open" momenets, but I don't even remember the profanity or make out scene and Danny trying to get a kiss in was not anything near date rape. The show left most people with a warm happy feeling, I brought my two girls and was not uncomfortable in the least.

greatwhiteway · Senior Member

But I do agree it was much more of a drama than anyone might expect and that made it different and more interesting for those of us who have seen the movie 3 or 500 times.

Favorite moment,,,though not till I thought back was when Danny said to his friends, "She was a nice girl before you guys got to her" or something like that. It was a more emotional moment.

Least Favorite moment.....the silhouette making out as the opening scene. There is little enough positive interaction between Danny and Sandy.It would have been nicer to see some playful interaction to build a relationship, than to see shadows kissing. I kinda wonder if they are really kissing every nightor if it is just trick photography?

MasonVegas · Newbie

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS!

MrE1111 - yes, movie version was my only exposure to Grease. Also, first broadway show (although I live in Las Vegas and have seen shows here). Overall, I was terribly disappointed and was trying to balance both negative and positive feedback.

TheMusicMan - bleacher scene when Rizzo sings, "Sandra Dee". Kenickie and Rizzo open the scene under the bleachers. I was sitting in the back of Orchestra (row P) and even I couldn't miss the intense making out while the other characters played their part. This went on until Rizzo and Kenickie came out from beneath the bleachers. They were on top of each other laying on the floor, so people may not have noticed. Rizzo got pregnant after that scene.

GreatWhiteWay - agreed family okay ... probably should have said, "warning" instead of "not a children's show". Profanity was limited, but the drive-in scene was unsettling for me. Laura sounded so sincere when she said, "no Danny", but yet he pulled the dress off her shoulder anyway.

-- Edited by MasonVegas at 01:12, 2007-08-15

greatwhiteway · Senior Member

I don't know if they changed the play to make it more hard hitting or I just did not notice but there were no submarine races or wardrobe malfunctions when I saw the play last month.

MrE1111 · Guru

Rizzo and Kenickie always go off to make-out behind the bleachers during the scene in the park. It's not gratuitious by any stretch of the imagination.

As I said, if you want gratuitious, I suggest you read the original script. If you thought this version was risque....

I'll be happy to post some dialogue examples if anyone wants.

Ray · Senior Member

If they call the staging Minimalist, they can get away with anything....or nothing.
The Met's "Eugene Onegin" was sumptuously costumed, but the stage was virtually bare. Yet it was a sold-out smash.
On the other hand, their "Barber of Seville" had brilliantly comic, elaborate sets, and it was also a sold-out smash.
"Grease" is reportedly a $10 million production. Where did it go? No doubt a lot of places that I know nothing about.

Kait · Senior Member

I've only seen the movie version of Grease, still, and I'd say that Rizzo pretty much dominates the movie version, also. I know Travolta and Newton-John are much-loved, but for me Stockard Channing has always been the one to watch.

Ray · Senior Member

Stockard Channing has always commanded attention through all her ages.
Another factor, I think, is that people would rather identify with a strong, no-nonsense personality like Rizzo than with the mousey Sandy, or even the loosely defined Danny.

Kait · Senior Member

Maybe. For me, I think Rizzo as Channing played her was a revelation, as I was more a Sandy type.

Anyway, these observations about the new Broadway production are interesting. Keep 'em coming, people. I have to experience the show vicariously until next spring.

Foveator · Member

Ray wrote:

If they call the staging Minimalist, they can get away with anything....or nothing.
The Met's "Eugene Onegin" was sumptuously costumed, but the stage was virtually bare. Yet it was a sold-out smash.
On the other hand, their "Barber of Seville" had brilliantly comic, elaborate sets, and it was also a sold-out smash.
"Grease" is reportedly a $10 million production. Where did it go? No doubt a lot of places that I know nothing about.

Early in the first act, I thought the streetlight silhouettes on the black background, while probably the most "Minimalist" set of the entire performance, was also the most effective. It would have been a nice contrast had the other sets been as visually stimulating as the BurgerPalace/Beauty School Dropout set, which was the most memorable and enjoyable of the musical.

-- Edited by Foveator at 16:29, 2007-08-15

MrE1111 · Guru

Ray, I'm still trying to figure out where the $10 million went.

ddktt · Veteran Member

Ray, I'm still trying to figure out where the $10 million went.

Mr. E- ditto - I hope they gave some (ALOT) to Max & Laura for working the crowd outside AFTER the show and for being their best chance to sell more tickets (I don't know what percentage of die hard tv show fans have already bought their tickets). It won't be the production itself if the show stays open.

MrE1111 · Guru

I'm sure Max and Laura are making a handsome wage.

snickers · Veteran Member

MrE1111 - I'm curious about where you get all of your information - you know everything about this show. Thanks for being resourceful.

MrE1111 · Guru

I've got some well placed friends.

Plus, I've worked on so many productions of Grease I know the show forwards, backwards, and upside down.

ddktt · Veteran Member

I'm sure Max and Laura are making a handsome wage.

Excellent! I'm glad to hear it. They deserve it just for surviving the process of that casting show. Let alone the stage door mob--LOL

greatwhiteway · Senior Member

-- Edited by greatwhiteway at 03:23, 2007-08-17