thoughts on Grease

[italianpride888]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:04pm

What are peoples thoughts on Grease? I haven't heard a lot about the revival besides the tv show. Is the show good... or is it watching an episode of 90210 with 30 year olds trying to play high schoolers? Do you all think it will last a while?

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:13pm

I never though I would ever see the words "thoughts" and "Grease" in the same sentence.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:13pm

I saw it on Broadway and I enjoyed the show.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:15pm

I validate that you're fairly new on here but learn to use the SEARCH THE MESSAGE BOARD feature.

This question and topic has been covered extensively since BEFORE the reality series-infused Broadway revival tragically opened on Broadway.

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=945034#3241666

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=949158#3323338

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=943852#3214795

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=930549#2917249

There are more but you can seek those out.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:29pm

I suspect that the show will close once Max and Laura leave. Without them, it's your run-of-the-mill revival of Grease (and an especially bland one, at that.)

The production is very lackluster. It just lacks...luster. Cast, direction, and choreography are weak and amature.

The changes to the book/score create even more plot holes than in a normal production.

[DrTheatre]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:34pm

But, how do you really feel about the show YankeeFan007?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:48pm

Oh, I am hopelessly devoted to it!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:50pm

A nice enjoyable musical that in no way deserves the long life it has had.

It is more entertaining than Cats which is, of course, not saying much.

No more revivals of it please.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 4:02pm

This should give you an idea on what level of production this revival stands at:

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 4:45pm

I dunno, looked good to me.

I saw it on Broadway recently, and I thought that was one of the best productions of GREASE I had ever seen. It looked really cool and very interesting, not much like the 1994 revival. It was TOTALLY UGLY and monochromatic. After I saw this production, I declared that the current revival made the 1994 production look cheesy and hideous. Besides, WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO PUT AN EXCLAMATION POINT AT THE END?!!! That's what killed it. From that misstep, you can tell that production was going to be heinous. And Tommy Tune didn't just kill it, he SLAUGHTERED it and SCRUNCHED IT UP until it was a solid piece of metal, and then PUT IT IN THE FIERY FURNACE, and MELT IT DOWN UNTIL IT WAS NOTHING BUT LIQUID IRON!!!!

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 4:51pm

Besides, WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO PUT AN EXCLAMATION POINT AT THE END?!!! That's what killed it.

The fact that you used three killed your opinion for me.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 4:55pm

Alright. That's it. I have taken too much of this backlash. I do not need to be threatened any longer. I'm getting out of here! And this time I am not kidding. GOOD-BYE, GOOD LUCK, and GOOD RIDDANCE!

{slams door}

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 4:58pm

I don't know what I'll miss more --- your former avatar photo or your posts.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 5:11pm

I actually loved the DayGlo-Pepto-Bismol colored revival.

[italianpride888]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 5:25pm

Brody, I actually had to run and do some stuff otherwise I would've looked a bit harder for other topics on this.

Besides I felt like we needed some change on here.. alot of the posts are rent this or wicked that. Both are good shows btw.

P.S. The sets look very cool. My old high school just put on Grease. It was really a one piece set with a 3 sided roll-in set for Frenchy's room. Overall it was ok... but than again, its high school. They perform on a budget. Updated On: 2/4/08 at 05:25 PM

[??]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 2:57pm

It's pretty obvious by now that I really enjoy this show so I will recommend it.

I think a large majority of the backlash comes from people who believe that theatre as an art should not be sullied by cheap reality TV..so they automatically oppose it. Not everyone of course, just some.

I never read reviews personally, but I do think Grease is being criticized greatly because of the TV show. On the flip side of that, I really do think Max and Laura are talented people. More so, they look the part. Being 21 and playing Danny and Sandy is far better than being 30 and playing it. I'm glad this production finally gets it right. And yes I am aware Matt Saldivar, Jenny Powers and Kristen Wyatt are older, but they lack the wrinkles and sagginess of previous casts (cough '94 cough).

Go and see the show just for entertainment value. Are you looking for a groundbreaking piece of theatre? If so, I'd pass. But if you just want to go and have a good time and just enjoy the music and the show..then by all means see it.

I've seen the show twice and I find it funny how the critics and theatre snobs blast it as awful while both times the audience has been on it's feet. The entrance of the T-Birds, and the Greased Lightnin' number has gotten a vocal reaction/ applause from the audience both times. Just looking around, you can see that people are enjoying it.

Go see it and enjoy it.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 3:13pm

If you read the reviews, you'd see that show was not actually criticized for the method of casting, but simply because the show was horrible.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 6:03pm

Exactly what ?? said. I agree with her/him/it 100%.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 6:17pm

The worst production I've ever seen put on by professionals. I always thought Kathleen Marshall was sort of bland and this proves my point and then some. The TV people were also awful. Sorry LauraMom.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 6:29pm

"Go and see the show just for entertainment value. Are you looking for a groundbreaking piece of theatre? If so, I'd pass. But if you just want to go and have a good time and just enjoy the music and the show..then by all means see it."

I went to see the show for the purpose of being entertained. I realized I was going to see GREASE and not OTHELLO. Everyone knows what they're in for when they're seeing OTHELLO, just as everyone knows what they're in for when they see GREASE.

I wanted to have a good time. I love GREASE. I've seen it and worked on it more times than I can count. Unfortunately, the cast wasn't very strong, the paltry orchestrations were overpowering, and the direction/choreography were incredibly bland.

"I've seen the show twice and I find it funny how the critics and theatre snobs blast it as awful while both times the audience has been on it's feet. The entrance of the T-Birds, and the Greased Lightnin' number has gotten a vocal reaction/ applause from the audience both times. Just looking around, you can see that people are enjoying it."

You're forgetting that the "critics and theatre snobs" probably have seen the original production, the 1994 revival, and a slew of regional/high school/summer camp versions.

The target audience for this production has never been to see a Broadway show. Of course they'll cheer their heads off.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 9:26pm

It was one of the worst shows I've ever seen.

It was NOT worth $110, NOT memorable, NOT entertaining, NOT well done, etc etc and I agree with every negative thing people have said about it.

The only positive thing about the show is that Max and Laura are cute. Not amazingly talented. Just...cute.

Oh and that Jenny Powers can apparently create a semi-sympathetic character out of thin air. She was very good.

PS: Those pictures gave me a migraine the size of Texas.
Updated On: 2/5/08 at 09:26 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 9:47pm

Crumm and Osnes are the least of the show's problems.

In fact, besides their complete lack of chemistry, they're quite fine as Danny and Sandy.


Jenny Powers was by far the strongest person in the cast, obviously because of her well-trained ability to overcome dogs of shows (Little Women, anyone?). Too bad the wig made her look like the hot grandma.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 9:53pm

When i saw this the 1st thing that came to my mind was "one thing Grease has never been is dull, but this production is"

It seems to miss the point of the Grease completely, we have had it touring the UK for years here and in and out of the West End, and as much as that production bugs me since they have been using the same tired production for years its far more entertaining and colorful than the mess on broadway