GREASE national tour review 1-12-10 St louis with lauren zakrin and ace young

[arch_animal90]

Posted: 1/14/10 at 1:36am

This was my first time seeing Grease live, and I knew it was gonna be amazing! But I must say that after I seen videos of the revival on broadway, the sets were actually scaled down quite a bit??

We got there am hour early, and they were doing some testing with the sets! At 8, this opening act came onstage singng old songs! I didnt like this idea very much! Ive NEVER been to a show where they open up with something dumb! I wasnt very happy lol! Anyways! They didnt use the prologue or anything, it just jumped to the Grease song!

Everyone did amazing and this cast is amazing!!!
Lauren Zakrin was so goooood as Sandy! I saw her as Elle in LB and Im a big fan of hers and actually met her at the stage door!
Shes very nice!

Ace Young did very well too, but at parts his voice just didnt seem strong enough! like in "Sandy"

Taylor Hicks??? DOnt get me started, I dont really like him...at all! and it disgusts me that they made the role INTO him, like frenchy said "I voted for you" not very impressed! and I think its kinda dumb they let him sing his music after the show! I dont see ace young singing his stuff! Im sorry for my rant!
haha!

anyways! the show was amazing! It was hilarious and its sooo much better than the movie in my oppinion! Lauren Zakrin is the real star of the show!


a little something extra: this guy selling programs was kinda hitting on me, kept asking me if i wanted a program. it was cute! i wish he wouldve asked for my number haha:)
im almost considering buying tickets for next week to see him again!! he was soo cute!

anyone else seen this tour?

[Eris0303]

Posted: 1/14/10 at 1:45am

At 8, this opening act came onstage singng old songs! I didnt like this idea very much! Ive NEVER been to a show where they open up with something dumb! I wasnt very happy lol!

I'm going to guess you're referring to Vince Fontaine. They had him warm up the audience on Broadway and in the beginning of the tour.

I dont see ace young singing his stuff! Im sorry for my rant!

Ace Young doesn't have a new cd to promote and is only on the tour for a short time. Taylor's been with the tour since it started though he occasionally leaves to do gigs.

the sets were actually scaled down quite a bit??

They usually are

[wendilin622]

Posted: 1/14/10 at 5:34am

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I went a few weeks ago in CT and did not enjoy it at all. Just awkward performances. The set was corny and unimaginative in my opinion. Taylor Hicks was an overused publicity stunt. I found myself embarrassed for those on stage.

But to each his own so I'm glad you enjoyed!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/14/10 at 6:57am

This tour is booked in DC for 3 weeks, yet we don't get either Dreamgirls or In the Heights. Makes absolutely no sense to me!

Posted: 1/14/10 at 10:46am

Taylor Hicks is Amazing! He can do it all! I wish they would cast him in Sondheim on Sondheim!

[HumATune]

Posted: 1/14/10 at 10:54am

Taylor Hicks??? DOnt get me started, I dont really like him...at all!

I feel you on Taylor Hicks. He was the worst part of the tour when I saw it. His poor diction didn’t help.

[goodoneinlou2]

Posted: 1/14/10 at 2:32pm

"This tour is booked in DC for 3 weeks, yet we don't get either Dreamgirls or In the Heights. Makes absolutely no sense to me!"

The truth of the matter is, Grease on the road... in any incarnation... sells tickets. This particular production is affordable to local booking markets and can turn a profit. Shows like "In The Heights" and sadly, "Dreamgirls" are high cost, low return.

In a time of economic depression, people will only spend their money on shows they know will "entertain them." Grease is a name people recognize and trust. No matter the production values, the legend that is Grease, sells the show to the non-theatre-savvy public.

There are other shows that draw the GP like Grease. Two great examples are Annie and Cats. They seem to roll around every market every year with lesser and lesser quality. Yet they still fill theaters.

Tossing a name into Grease has become par-for-the-course. Unfortunately, that leaves us with the likes of "Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel." IMO the absolute bottom of the barrell.

The Weislers began this trend when they produced the over-the-top neon cartoon (and far superior)revival of Grease in the 1990s. Virtually every sitcom has-been showed up as either Rizzo, Danny or Teen Angel in that run... but the campy nature of the show made it work.

In this version the audience is supposed to buy into the more mediocre and politically correct take on the show. It doesn't work.

Grease is a story that works only if played as rank satire, or complete camp.



Updated On: 1/14/10 at 02:32 PM