Brooke Shields Grease Recording

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 1:01am

Searched but couldn't find an answer...

What is the story with the Brooke Shields recording of the Grease revival...? Were all the tracks re-recorded? Was Brooke Shields so phenomenal in the role that the producers felt the need to cut a new cd or was it because Rosie was well...Rosie?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 1:12am

Well, they did the same thing with Brooke Shields in Wonderful Town. They just recorded the vocals of Brooke Shields and Jennifer Hope Wills in place of Donna Murphy and Jessica Westfeldt's vocals. My guess is they decided to record the album with Brooke's vocals because of her star power.

Updated On: 10/6/09 at 01:12 AM

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 1:14am

Unless I'm wrong, it's just Brooke's vocals replacing Rosie's. I think the CD cast is the same apart from that. As to why they did it, because they thought it would sell well, I guess? I'd be interested in knowing if it did... I'm curious how much more money it costs to pull that off.

Updated On: 10/6/09 at 01:14 AM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 4:42am

I remember I happened to be in NYC when Brooke starred in Grease!, I think back then, pre-"The Rosie O'Donnell Show", Rosie was a very hot upcoming actress, being part of hit films like "Sleepless in Seattle" and "A League Of Their Own". So I heard rumors that w/o Rosie's name the show wouldn't have opened at all.
I think they re-recorded Brooke's vocals because she was also a big star, and her CD sold a lot better than the original version. It was Shields' 1st Broadway musical and a lot of fans of the actress wanted to know how she sang, so that was why the CD had very decent sales. Her voice sounds quite nice on the recording, and she looked amazing on the cover in a provocative pose.
Her Broadway debut made international news along with her "weight gain" at that time. Brooke boosted the sales of the show, just like she did with Wonderful Town, Chicago and Cabaret.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 10:10am

Brooke's presence did not boost the numbers at Wonderful Town. In fact, they closed 4 months after she joined BECAUSE the numbers didn't go up. Say what you will about liking her in the role... that's fine if it's your opinion. But she didn't boost the numbers. Same story with Cabaret (in fact Cabaret was selling well before she got there). And Chicago is HARDLY a good example. Any time the Weisslers put in somebody who resemble a big name star into that show, the sales go up temporarily. Then the sales drop again during the Bianca Marroquin and Charlotte D'Amboise periods between stars. If you like Brooke, fine. But don't make her out to be this HUUUUGE star. She's not.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 10:15am

... she looked amazing on the cover in a provocative pose.

THIS is 'provocative'?

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 10:18am

I can't seem to find it, but I asked this question a long time ago on the boards. She got her own Grease and Wonderful Town Recording. Plus, she was one of the "honoured" guests to record a song for the 10 Year "Chicago" set.

The response I was given was that her husband and her were friends with/knew some record producers, therefore Brooke got her way. I'm a little angry with that, because there is some awesome "stunt casting" we SHOULD have recordings of...(Reba in Annie Get Your Gun?!)

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 10:25am

Um... Reba's ANNIE GET YOUR GUN was recorded. Alas, it was just a 2-track EP/CD promotional sampler, but she DID get to record 2 songs from her 2001 tenure in the Broadway revival:

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 10:30am

Sorry, I meant a whole recording...and honestly, those aren't the songs I really wanted Reba to record. I'm a "Doin' What Comes Naturally", and "They Say Falling In Love Is Wonderful". And what about the songs that "Annie" is featured in ("There's No Business..." and "Anything You Can Do" that are staples from the show as well.

The only other "stunt casting" recording I can remember was when Ethel Merman played "Dolly" in "Hello, Dolly" (a role written for her) she recorded "Love, Look In My Window", and "World, Take Me Back". Two songs written for her that were cut when she didn't play the role.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 1:32pm

"Brooke's presence did not boost the numbers at Wonderful Town. In fact, they closed 4 months after she joined BECAUSE the numbers didn't go up"

Well, not too many stars had 2 CDs re-released after they joined a Broadway show. Glenn Close and Vanessa Williams come to mind with similar situations. And they are big stars.
Brooke kept the show opened for 3 months and she did so well, they got her to sing a contract for an additional month.
Her contract was for 3 months only. And Shields herself said she had several cast and crew members coming up to her and thanking her for giving them work for 4 extra months.
The rave reviews and star power kept that show opened, Wonderful Town, although being an amazing show, doesn't draw too many people. That doesn't have anything to do with me being biased. Those are facts.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 1:49pm

"... she looked amazing on the cover in a provocative pose.

THIS is 'provocative'? "

Well, she has a "bad girl" look in it, you can see her behind. Of course Brooke is a classy lady and Broadway isn't the E! network either. She was playing Rizzo in Grease! I guess I meant "as provocative" as it gets on the cover of a family friendly musical. I think she looks very sexy though.

Updated On: 10/6/09 at 01:49 PM

[bjh2114]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 2:02pm

Muscle, none of thing things you just said were "facts". Other than the contract extension, nothing is fact. It is your opinion that her "star power" kept the show open. It did not. Look at the grosses. The numbers were EXACTLY the same during Donna's last month and Brooke's first month. If Donna had stayed with the show, it still would have closed in January, not sooner. Just because the cast and crew thinks that she gave them 4 months more of work doesn't make it true. There was no difference in the attendance or money brought in during Brooke's run. The only spike during Brooke's run was in December, when all shows get a small bump because of the holiday season. But that was already 3 months into her run. And getting 2 re-recorded CDs is no indication of star power. It's an indication of knowing people.

[Kev]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 2:13pm

Unless I'm wrong, it's just Brooke's vocals replacing Rosie's. I think the CD cast is the same apart from that.

There is one minor exception. The liner notes indicate that Brooke's company of Burger Palace Boys join her in the "Greased Lightnin (reprise)," as well as the current Pink Ladies in "Look at Me..." track (they include Adrian Zmed, Sherie Scott, Brad Kane, Katy Grenfell, etc.)

Brooke sounds just fine vocally, as does Rosie. All that said, the best female voice on both Rosie/Brooke's GREASE! albums remains Susan Wood as Sandy.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 2:35pm

"Well, they did the same thing with Brooke Shields in Wonderful Town. They just recorded the vocals of Brooke Shields and Jennifer Hope Wills in place of Donna Murphy and Jessica Westfeldt's vocals. My guess is they decided to record the album with Brooke's vocals because of her star power"

That was said by millie, not by me. I never even used the quote "star power"

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 2:39pm

Anywho, bjh, you have your pre-concieved idea of Brooke in Wonderful Town, I'm not even sure if you saw her in the show or not, but that's not the point. Honestly I feel like discussing if she kept the show opened or not is completely pointless. You are a wonderful guy and I agree with most of your opinions nevertheless.


"Brooke sounds just fine vocally, as does Rosie. All that said, the best female voice on both Rosie/Brooke's GREASE! albums remains Susan Wood as Sandy"

I agree, Susan was amazing, as well as Billy Porter. Also the now famous Megan Mullaly is in this recording.

[Kalimba]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 2:59pm

I found Billy Porter to be beyond annoying as Teen Angel. His understudy (name escapes me) was much better.

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 3:53pm

I agree. I appreciate a riff as much as the next homo, but after a minute or so I wanted to slap Billy Porter and tell him just to sing the damn song.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 3:57pm

When I said they recorded the album because of her "star power," I didn't say anything about her actually increasing ticket sales. The album was recorded under the notion that having Brooke Shields on the Wonderful Town album would possibly increase CD sales and perhaps ticket sales. I am aware that the show closed within months of her joining. She does have star power, but apparently not enough to have kept the show running.

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 3:59pm

Question about the production: did they use mics in the same way Spring Awakening did? Handhelds for the songs?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 4:02pm

I find Billy Porter annoying in everything.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 4:03pm

Fashionguru: No, I don't think so. There was a reasoning behind the use of hand mics in Spring Awakening.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 4:11pm

Well, the original production of Grease used hand mics like that.

[Pgenre]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 4:14pm

Wait, Donna Murphy was in WONDERFUL TOWN?!

P

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 4:42pm

'Wait, Donna Murphy was in WONDERFUL TOWN?!'

LOL!!!

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 10/6/09 at 4:47pm

"Well, the original production of Grease used hand mics like that."

For a second I got confused and thought the poster was asking about Wonderful Town (re: the hand mics). How come they used hand mics for the original production of Grease?