My Thoughts on GREASE (unbelievably long, pee before you read)- Page 2

[jaystarr]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 9:05pm

I think they only sang " Grease" (is the word) ... Look at the Grease 1st preview thread..
Someone gave a complete detail about the opening number.

J*

[worrell4077]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 9:15pm

After reading this, I'm still interested in seeing it. I just can't believe that Sandy has very little stage time. Isn't she like the main female character in Grease?

I completely agree with Yankeefan007 with the statement that it doesn't matter what we all think about it, it's going to run for a long time. Shows like this are critic proof(well maybe) where the critics might write like terrible things about it, but it'll still make money.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 9:19pm

J - I had more fun at Xanadu (6 months ago, I NEVER would have figured I'd say that!)

Candleshoe2 - show opens with a mini-medley of the well known Grease songs (Summer Nights and Greased Lightnin') and then segues into Danny and Sandy in front of a moon on the beach. They confess their love, etc., just like the movie, and then that segues into the massive, over-amped trumpets which open "Grease (is the Word)." The four different couples (Rizzo-Kenickie, Roger-Jan, etc.) come out from "lockers" and sing the song, with the ensemble joining in.

As an aside, does anyone know what song they're using in the last scene (the ensemble dances to a lyric-less song during the change from "Sandra Dee reprise" to the the Burger Palace). Sounded like "I Want a Sunday Kind of Love.."

Posted: 8/1/07 at 9:21pm

Yankeefan, so for people like us who paid $25 to see it from the third row at Hofstra last summer, do we wait for SRO tix or do we not even bother?

And do the $250 premium seats include dinner?

[jaystarr]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 9:22pm

Whaaaattt???? show opens with a mini-medley of the well known Grease songs (Summer Nights and Greased Lightnin') and then segues into Danny and Sandy in front of a moon on the beach. They confess their love, etc., just like the movie, and then that segues into the massive, over-amped trumpets which open "Grease (is the Word)." The four different couples (Rizzo-Kenickie, Roger-Jan, etc.) come out from "lockers" and sing the song, with the ensemble joining in.


Is that some sort of "Overture" ? my god.. a medley...... what was she thinking ?

J*


Edit : Broadway Local- That would be a great idea !!! at least people will have their money's worth with a dinner !!!


Updated On: 8/1/07 at 09:22 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 9:25pm

worrell4077 - You're led to believe Sandy's the female lead, but in terms of stage time and amount of songs, Rizzo is the lead. If there's a strong enough Sandy, that role can be brought into the forefront. Part of the problem with Laura's performance is that she hasn't figured out how to develop a character out of nothing.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 9:28pm

Broadway Local - funny, I missed it at Hofstra (despite knowing a few people in the cast)! I'd say if you really want to see it, wait for SRO...but you wouldn't be missing anything if you skipped it...

Yep, it's an overture...and it's one of the highlights!

[worrell4077]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 9:44pm

"You're led to believe Sandy's the female lead, but in terms of stage time and amount of songs, Rizzo is the lead."

True.

Now, I just thought of this, I remember reading an article with Max and Laura and one of the things Max said was that it was going to be the Burger Palace Boys. Is it Burger Palace Buys or is it the T-Birds? That and does Kenicke still sing Greased Lighting or is it Danny's song(like in the movie)?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 10:00pm

They're the T-Birds (but they still hang out at the Burger Palace!)

Kenickie sings Greased Lightnin' (the dance number inside the song is one of the highlights).

They also cut the "Sal Mineo" phrase in "Sandra Dee" and replaced it with the "Elvis, Elvis..." line from the movie.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 10:08pm

Yankee: thanks so much for the detailed review. I agree with you 100%. This show is awful, but it will be a huge hit and is totally critic-proof. Sad but true. And I really hope this reality tv broadway is not the wave of the future. That would be pathetic for us broadway lovers (but good for tourists and producers' pockets i guess).

...oh and one more thing...I enjoyed Xanadu more that Grease (and you all know how I feel about Xanadu)

[Steve2]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 10:15pm

^
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Updated On: 8/1/07 at 10:15 PM

[yankees1253]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 10:35pm

i got to say i totally agree with yankeefan007, and withoutatrace

[Anakela]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 10:41pm

We ain't the target audience. This isn't a show for people like us. This is a tourist show, plain and simple.

But, I can be plain and simple! :)
I kid, I know what you mean, but I do like my fun fluff musicals too- I've seen Legally Blonde, I've seen Xanadu (ok so I didn't love- but I did see it), etc.- I should totally be the target for this, and yet, sadly, no.

Although- I do still want to check it out from the SRO when that gets started. Just once. Even though you tell me the stove is hot, I do kinda want to touch it myself to see.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 10:47pm

Who knows? You may like it!

[reichi]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 11:00pm

To each his own...I'm just sick of all the Disney stuff coming to Broadway myself.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 11:08pm

May I ask what Disney has to do with anything?

Posted: 8/1/07 at 11:21pm

The Hofstra show last summer was lots of fun, so we're not gonna pay $80 to sit in the balcony this summer -- especially if it isn't up to Broadway standards.

There are five other musicals opening on Broadway soon that we'll try (maybe six, if Lone Star Love is anything). Based on what I'm reading on BWW, I think we'll leave Grease to the air conditioned bus people.

Funny you mention Mama Rizzo. The film was on VH1 tonight, and neither the 34-year-old Stockard Channing nor the 30-year-old ONJ looked much like high school girls. Even Bowzer was in his thirties. I don't think there's a single teen in the cast.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/1/07 at 11:54pm

Oh, reichi.

[ICEcreamAssassin]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 1:25am

oh damn.. just pee'd myself..great!!

[iliketheater]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 1:27am

Great review - Thanks Yankee*

[srgr8]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 2:34am

Thanks Yankee for your review. I'm really interested to see if anything is changing with each passing preview since i saw the second show.

I agree with almost everything said... especially about Kathleen Marshall's directing/choreographing ...or lack thereof?

However, I did enjoy Max's performance a little more than you. While not an instant broadway legend by any means, he wasn't as big of a problem for me. Then again, I don't know the show as well as you.

Another thing, did you truly enjoy Jenny Powers in the first act? On the 25th, she seemed bored and flat the entire first act (esp. with line delivery), but completely blew the roof off the brooks-atkinson in the second (esp. for "There Are Worse Things I Could Do")

Sad to hear not much has changed... but again thanks for your well-written review!

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 3:29am

Thanks for the great review, Yank! I just finished up a run of this and although I'm not dying to check it out, part of me just aches to see how this production is stacking up. Thanks, bud.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 4:15am

Thanks for the review. All I know is I'm gonna be staying away from this show next time I'm in New York.

A little off-topic now but I just wanted to say...while "Yes Dear" isn't a great show...it's really not THAT bad, is it? Better than "My Boys" at least.

Okay, back to Grease.

[Bwayfan4]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 6:15am

Yankee...great review....thanks!

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/2/07 at 7:04am

srgr8 - I think Jenny Powers is doing her best Stockard Channing during Act I. Rizzo's supposed to sound bored or annoyed when she says all the lines.

Anyone else notice how slow the song tempos were? Updated On: 8/2/07 at 07:04 AM