GREASE LIGHTNING... STRIKES AGAIN!
Fox revs up Broadway favorite, this time for a spin on prime-time
“Grease” is the word — and has been for 45 years.
Fox’s live telecast of the handjive-happy high school musical on Sunday (7 p.m.) is the latest high-profile production of a show that’s purred like greased lightning from the get-go.
The production about adolescent lovebirds Sandy Dumbrowski, a goody-twoshoes, and Danny Zuko, a Brylcreemed hellraiser, hit Broadway in 1972 and lasted 3,388 performances.
It occupies the No. 15 spot on the Great White Way’s longest-running list.
Not bad for a frothy diversion stuffed with stock teen characters, a paper-thin story and — on the plus side — youthful energy and catchy pop-rock songs.
The ’78 film starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta blasted the tuneful trifle into the stratosphere, while introducing radio hits like “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “You’re the One That I Want.”
The new songs merged seamlessly with “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightning” and “We Go Together,” standouts from the original score.
Today “Grease” is a staple of community theaters and schools. Hundreds of productions are done each year.
There have been two Broadway revivals — one in ’94, another in 2007 in which Sandy and Danne were cast via the NBC reality TV show “You’re the One That I Want.”
It’s easy to see why “Grease” is the one that people want to do — and see. A big appeal is that it feeds the need for nostalgia. The show celebrates 1950s styles and at same time pokes fun at them.
Even if millennials know zip about the ’50s and think Eisenhower is spelled iSenhower, they’ll see themselves in the teenaged tale.
“Grease” also retains a subtle subversive streak. Leave it to two men — book, music and lyric writers Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey — to name the girl gang the Pink Ladies. Wink, wink. And for a reality check about kids and sex, let’s not forget fast-girl Betty Rizzo’s pregnancy scare.
The creators have also seen to it that to get her guy, sweet Sandy must trade in prim poodle skirts for sexy leather trampwear. Just like the other chicks.
Even though the show wants to be a frolicsome bit of musical froth, the notion of conformity nags.
I’m tuning in tonight to see what director Thomas Kail, whose credits include the megahit “Hamilton,” has up his sleeve.
On paper, there’s a lot going for it, including a starry cast — many with Broadway stage cred. Like Aaron Tveit, who impressed on Broadway in “Next to Normal” and “Catch Me If You Can” as Danny; dancer Julianne Hough as Sandy; Vanessa Hudgens, who played the title role in “Gigi” last year, as Rizzo. Keke Palmer, who went from rags to riches in “Cinderella,” plays Marty, while Carly Rae Jepsen is Frenchy, who’s had a new song written for this airing.
That’s just one surprise from a production that promises to be “reimagined for 2016.” Jessie J will sing “Grease” and the production will blast audiences back to the ’50s.
Unlike NBC’s live musical telecasts, “Grease Live!” will have an audience present during the run that will be integrated into the set and be seen by viewers at home.
They’ll be singing to themselves, “Look at me, I’m on TV!”
So is “Grease.” Here’s hoping that the musical and the medium go together — like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong.