Grease (musical)

Original productions and Broadway

The show's original, grittier 1971 incarnation was directed by Guy Barile, choreographed by Ronna Kaye and produced by the Kingston Mines Theater Company founded by June Pyskacek on Chicago's Lincoln Avenue. The script was based on Jim Jacobs' experience at William Taft High School, Chicago. Warren Casey collaborated with Jim and together they wrote the music and lyrics. It ran for eight months. The cast: Doug Stevenson (Danny), Leslie Goto (Sandy), Sue Williams (Rizzo), Polly Pen (Patty), Gary Houston (Roger), Marilu Henner (Marty), James Canning (Doody), Hedda Lubin (Frenchy), Bruce Hickey (Kenickie), Sheila Ray Ceaser (Jan), Bill Cervetti (Miller), Jerry Bolnick (Sonny), Judy Brubaker (Miss Lynch), Mike O'Connor (Vince Fontaine), Steve Munro (Eugene), Barbara Munro (Cha Cha), Mac Hamilton (Teen Angel) and George Lopez (Bum).

Producers Ken Waissman and Maxine Fox saw the show and made a deal to produce it Off-Broadway. The team headed to New York City to collaborate on the New York production of Grease. The new production, directed by Tom Moore and choreographed by Patricia Birch (who later choreographed the film adaptation, and directed the ill-fated sequel), opened Off-Broadway at the Eden Theatre in downtown Manhattan on February 14, 1972. Though Grease opened geographically off-Broadway, it did so under first class Broadway contracts. The show was deemed eligible for the 1972 Tony Awards, receiving seven Tony Award nominations.

On June 7, 1972, the production moved to the Broadhurst Theatre in Broadway, and on November 21, it moved to the Royale Theatre there, where it ran until January 27, 1980. For the five final weeks of the run, the show moved to the larger Majestic Theatre. By the time it closed on April 13, 1980, it had run 3,388 performances.

The original Broadway cast included Barry Bostwick as Danny and Carole Demas as Sandy, with Adrienne Barbeau as Rizzo, Timothy Meyers as Kenickie, Alan Paul, and Walter Bobbie and Marya Small in supporting roles. Replacements later in the run included Jeff Conaway (who had been the original understudy for Danny), Gail Edwards, Marilu Henner, Peter Gallagher, Ilene Graff, Judy Kaye, Patrick Swayze, John Travolta, Jerry Zaks and Treat Williams. Richard Gere was an understudy for many roles in this production, including Danny Zuko, Teen Angel, and Vince Fontaine.

1973 London

The London production opened at the New London Theatre in June 1973 with a cast that included a then-unknown Richard Gere as Danny, Stacey Gregg as Sandy, Stephen Bent as Roger, Jacqui-Ann Carr as Rizzo, and Derek James as Doody. Later Paul Nicholas and Elaine Paige, who had been in the London production of Hair, took over the leads. Kim Braden would also play Sandy. It was revived in London at the Astoria in 1979 with Su Pollard and Tracey Ullman in the two lead roles.

1993 London revival

The revival opened at the Dominion Theatre and transferred to the Cambridge Theatre in October 1996, where it ran until September 11, 1999. Directed by David Gilmore, the opening cast included Craig McLachlan (Danny); Debbie Gibson (Sandy) (Sonia, then Samantha Janus later replaced Gibson as Sandy; Mike Doyle (Vince Fontaine); Tamzin Outhwaite (Patty); Shane Ritchie (Kenickie) and Sally Ann Triplett (Rizzo). (Variety, Review Abroad Grease, 8/2/93-8/8/93) Other performers who played Danny were Shane Richie, Luke Goss, Ian Kelsey and Darren Day. The huge success led to the 1st National Tour featuring Shane Ritchie as Danny, Helen Way as Sandy, Toby Hinson as Vince F ontaine / Teen Angel, Ben Richards/Alex Bourne as Kenickie and Michele Hooper as Rizzo to name but a few. The original score includes four songs written for the film adaptation: "Hopelessly Devoted to You", "Sandy", "You're the One That I Want", and the title number. The Burger Palace Boys' name is the T-Birds in this revival.

1994 Broadway revival and U.S. tour

After twenty previews, a Broadway revival directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun opened on May 11, 1994 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where it ran for 1,505 performances. Featured were Ricky Paull Goldin (Danny), Brooke Shields and Rosie O'Donnell (Rizzo), Susan Wood (Sandy), Hunter Foster (Roger), Sam Harris (Doody), Megan Mullally (Marty), Heather Stokes (Jan) and Billy Porter (Teen Angel).

A U.S. national tour of the 1994 production started in September 1994 in New Haven, Connecticut, and ran for several years. The opening tour cast included Sally Struthers (Miss Lynch), who stayed with the tour for several years, Angela Pupello (Rizzo), Rex Smith (Danny), Trisha M. Gorman (Sandy), and Davy Jones (Vince Fontaine). Brooke Shields (Rizzo) started on the tour in November 1994 before joining the Broadway cast. Other notable performers on the tour were Micky Dolenz (Vince Fontaine), Adrian Zmed (Danny), Debbie Gibson, Heather Stokes, Sheena Easton, Mackenzie Phillips and Jasmine Guy (Rizzo), Sutton Foster (Sandy understudy) and Marissa Jaret Winokur (Jan), and Lucy Lawless and Linda Blair (Rizzo, 1997).

1996 U.S. tour

This tour, produced by the Troika Organization, was a non-union bus & truck playing mostly one-nighters and split week engagements primarily in smaller markets. The production, which ran for two years, was directed by Ray DeMattis with choreography by Tony Parise and music direction by Helen Gregory. The original cast featured Randy Bobish (Danny Zuko), Nicole Greenwood (Sandy Dumbrowski), Gary Martin (Kenickie), Christine Hudman (Betty Rizzo), Timothy Quinlan (Roger), Kimberly Wharton (Jan), Bruce Smith (Doody), Kathleen Connolly (Frenchy), Jeffrey Shubart (Sonny LaTierri), Laura Hornberger (Marty), Debbie Damp (Patty Simcox), Michael Giambrone (Eugene Florczyk), Juan Betancourt (Johnny Casino), Jamie Patterson (Teen Angel), and Steven Sackman (Vince Fontaine). Frankie Avalon starred as the Teen Angel for a one-week engagement at the Jackie Gleason Theater in Miami Beach (December 10–15, 1996).

2003 U.S. tour

This tour was directed by Ray DeMattis and featured choreography by Christopher Gattelli. The cast starred Frankie Avalon as the Angel, with Jamey Isenor (Danny Zuko) and Hanna-Liina Võsa (Sandy Dumbrowski), Jason Harper (Roger), Danny Smith (Sonny LaTierri), John Ashley (Kenickie), Sarah Hubbard (Frenchy), Craig McEldowney (Doody), Kirsten Allyn Michaels (Marty), Jaqueline Colmer (Betty Rizzo), Cortney Harper (Jan) and Arthur J. Callahan (Vince Fontaine).

2007 Broadway and London revivals

A second Broadway revival, directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, began previews at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on July 24, 2007 and opened on August 19, 2007. Max Crumm and Laura Osnes were selected to portray Danny and Sandy via viewer votes cast during the run of the NBC reality series Grease: You're the One that I Want!. The original score includes four songs written for the film adaptation: "Hopelessly Devoted to You", "Sandy", "You're the One That I Want", and the title number. The Burger Palace Boys' name is the T-Birds in this revival. The production ended on January 4, 2009 after 31 previews and 554 performances.

A West End revival opened at the Piccadilly Theatre, London on August 8, 2007 and ran for nearly four years (the longest running show in the Piccadilly Theatre's history). The leads were similarly cast via ITV's Grease Is the Word, with Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden playing Danny and Sandy. The production closed on April 30, 2011 after over 1,300 performances with a U.K. tour to begin on May 6, 2011 in Edinburgh.

The UK tour features Danny Bayne as Danny, Carina Gillespie as Sandy, Ricky Rojas as Kenickie, Kate Somerset How as Rizzo, Derek Andrews as Roger, Laura Wilson as Jan, Richard Vincent as Doody, Lauren Stroud as Frenchy, Josh Dever as Sonny, Lois Urwin as Marty, Darren John as Eugene, Sammy Kelly as Patty, Jason Capewell as Teen Angel/Vince Fontaine, Nancy Hill as Miss Lynch and Sophie Zucchini as Cha Cha.

2008 U.S. tour

A U.S. national tour began on December 2, 2008 in Providence, Rhode Island and closed on May 23, 2010 at the Palace Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio. Taylor Hicks reprised his role as the Teen Angel after playing the part on Broadway, with Eric Schneider as Danny and Emily Padgett as Sandy. Lauren Ashley Zakrin replaced Emily Padgett as Sandy in October and Ace Young joined the tour as Danny on December 1, 2009. In the U.S. Tour, before the show begins, the DJ of WAXX, Vince Fontaine, plays music from the 1950s for the audience to sing. Thereafter, he reminds about safety instructions before the show begins.

2010–2011 U.S. tour

A U.S. national tour began October 12, 2010 in Denver, Colorado and closed May 15, 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Directed by David John O'Brien and choreographed by Joyce Chittick, the cast featured Dominic Fortuna as DJ Vince Fontaine, Alyssa Herrera as Sandy and Matt Nolan as Danny.

The tour also included Patrick Cragin as Kenickie, Chris Duir as Eugene, Audrey Filson as Patty Simcox, Kelly Teal Goyette as Miss Lynch, Patrick Joyce as Sonny, Alicia Kelly as Marty, Brad Lawson as Roger, Ashley Rubin as Frenchy, Lauren Elaine Taylor as Rizzo, Lauren Turner as Jan, and Marc Winski as Doody.

Chicago revival (2011)

American Theater Company artistic director P.J. Paparelli and Grease co-creator Jim Jacobs staged the restored original version of Grease on Chicago's North Side, starting on April 21, 2011 and ending on August 21, to coincide with the fortieth anniversary of the musical's debut. This was a revival of the original 1971 version first staged at the old Kingston Mines Theatre in Chicago. Procuring the rights to the original music was, for the most part, easy, while certain legal issues were preventing this production from being staged.

This production went on to win 'Best Production – Musical' at the 2011 Equity Joseph Jefferson Awards on November 7, 2011. The Original Revival Cast reconvened to perform their a cappella version of "We Go Together," the finale to Act 1 in the production. Despite many nominations and personal wins for performers and designers, this is the first time in the storied history of "Grease" that the show itself has actually won an award.

2013/14 Australian Production

Produced by The Gordon Frost Organization, the revival version of the show opened at Brisbane's Lyric Theatre on August 27, 2013 before heading on an Australian tour. It is the first time Grease has been performed in Australia in a Proscenium Arch theatre (as opposed to an Arena Tour) in 22 years. The tour played seasons in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Singapore, Perth and Adelaide. After tickets were initially released, the first season playing Brisbane was almost immediately extended due to strong ticket sales. The cast included Rob Mills (Danny), Gretel Scarlett (Sandy), Anthony Callea (Johnny Casino), Stephen Mahy (Kenickie), Lucy Maunder (Rizzo), Todd McKenney (Teen Angel), and Bert Newton as Vince Fontaine.

International productions

There have been professional productions of Grease in Argentina (cast: Zenon Recalde/Marisol Otero/Florencia Peña/Gustavo Monje), Austria (cast:Pia Douwes, Andreas Bieber, Susanne Eisenkolb, Brian Carmack, Eric Minsk), Belgium, Brazil, French Canada (a 1998 French spoken/English sung version incorporating songs from the movie starring Marina Orsini as Rizzo and Serge Postigo as Danny ), Denmark, Estonia, Czech Republic, Colombia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Poland.

In 1984, the Mexican group Timbiriche, starred in the musical, with Sasha Sokol and Benny Ibarra in the leading roles, getting an overwhelming success. Also recorded a CD with musical themes. Also participating: Diego Schoening, Mariana Garza, Eduardo Capetillo, Alix Bauer Paulina Rubio, Alejandro Ibarra, Erik Rubin, Stephanie Salas, Thalía, Edith, Lolita Cortés, among others.

In 1994, the musical was revived at the Hidalgo Theater in Mexico City, by producers Alejandro Ibarra and Julissa. The cast included Alejandro Ibarra, Juan Carlos Casasola, and Arturo G. Alvarez, among others.

In 2002, the musical was revived in Toronto by producer Joan Mansfield. It played at the Atlantis Theatre from June 30, 2002 – September 2, 2002. The cast included Neil Hicks as Danny and Robyn Sears as Sandy. The show was produced by Mansfield through her own production company, jjazmans productions.

A Spanish revival ran successfully at Teatre Victòria, Barcelona from October 3, 2006 to January 6, 2008. After a short national tour, the production was transferred to Teatro Nuevo Alcalá, Madrid, where it ran from October 14, 2008 to January 31, 2010 and then continued touring Spain until it finally closed on August 1, 2010, becoming one of the Spain's longest running production in history with 1090 performances. Directed by Ricard Reguant, the original cast included Carlos Solano (later alternating the role with Tony Bernetti) as Danny Zuko, María Adamuz as Sandy (later Replaced by Edurne and Gisela), Elena Gadel as Betty Rizzo, Daniel Millet as Kenickie (later replaced by Marc Parejo), Marisa Gerardi as Miss Lynch and Xavier Mateu as Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel (later replaced by Victor Díaz). In October 2015 Baleart Music (BAM) premiered its version of Grease at the Teatre Principal in Palma, Majorca, with Victoria Maldi as Sandy, Ricky Merino as Danny, Tamara Fajardo as Rizzo and Bernat Molina as Kenickie. The role of Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel was performed by Alex Tejedor.

The New Zealand Production, based on the London West End Revival, ran at the Civic Theatre in Auckland during August 2010. The production featured the South African cast, with Jonathan Roxmouth as Danny, Bethany Dickson as Sandy and Genna Galloway as Rizzo.

A second Spanish revival directed and choreographed by Coco Comín ran at Cúpula Las Arenas, Barcelona from November 15, 2011 to January 22, 2012 and then was transferred to Teatro Coliseum, Madrid from March 6, 2012 to May 6, 2012, before starting a national tour. The original cast included Jordi Coll as Danny Zuko, Edurne reprising the role of Sandy, Manuela Nieto as Rizzo (later replaced by Diana Roig), Iván Santos as Kenickie (later replaced by Albert Martínez), Patrizia Barbieri as Miss Lynch (later replaced by Sandra de Victoria) and Carles Torregosa as Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel (later replaced by José Antonio Moreno). During the Madrid run, the singer Julio Iglesias, Jr. guest starred as Teen Angel in some performances.

Television production

On January 31, 2016, in the wake of similar productions that NBC had performed for other musicals, Fox broadcast a live production of Grease, known as Grease: Live, as a television special starring Julianne Hough, Aaron Tveit, and Vanessa Hudgens.

Act I

The musical begins with a Rydell High School Class of 1959 reunion headed by old maid English teacher, Miss Lynch, who starts off with a recitation of the school anthem ("Alma Mater"). She welcomes former cheerleader/yearbook-editor Patty Simcox Honeywell and class valedictorian Eugene Florczyk. Eugene gives a rousing speech, mentioning that the alumni who are missing from the reunion are surely present in-spirit. Suddenly, the greaser gang known as the Burger Palace Boys (known in later versions of the production as the "T-Birds") and their auxiliary, the "Pink Ladies", appear and recite their own parody of the Rydell anthem ("Alma Mater (Parody)").

In the 2007 Broadway revival, the play begins differently, taking cues from the film adaptation. Here, we are introduced to Sandy Dumbrowski and Danny Zuko spending their last day of summer romance together. Sandy asks her lover Danny, "Is it all over?", and Danny reassures her that their love has only started. Then, as this scene fades away, the other greasers take the stage and sing about their rebellious lifestyle ("Grease").

The play fades away into Rydell High's first day of the new school year. The Pink Ladies sit in the lunchroom, and the Burger Palace Boys sit at the entrance to the school. There is a new girl at school, Sandy Dumbrowski. She describes to the Pink Ladies (Frenchy, Marty, Jan, and Betty Rizzo) how she and the leader of the Burger Palace Boys, Danny Zuko, had a brief love affair the summer before, which ended with unresolved love. In describing the fling, Sandy focuses on the romance, while Danny exaggerates to the other Burger Palace Boys (Doody, Sonny, Roger, and Kenickie) regarding the physical aspects of their relationship ("Summer Nights").

Sandy and Danny soon bump into each other at school, and while they are mutually happy to see each other, he brushes her off due to the expectations of his companions. As the Burger Palace Boys leave, Sandy is heartbroken, but the Pink Ladies calm her down and invite her over to Marty's pajama party. Shortly afterwards, the teenagers gather in the hall as Doody, the youngest Burger Palace Boy, shows off his new guitar. The rock star wannabe gives an impromptu concert in the hall ("Those Magic Changes").

At Marty's pajama party, the girls experiment with wine, cigarettes, and pierced ears; and talk about boys. Marty tells about her long-distance courtship with a Marine named Freddy ("Freddy, My Love"). That same night, the Burger Palace Boys are busy stealing hubcaps and teasing Kenickie about his "new" used car, Greased Lightning, which he proudly brags about ("Greased Lightnin'").

Danny sees Sandy again at her cheerleader practice, and tries to apologize for his behavior. Head cheerleader Patty Simcox interrupts and flirts with Danny. Patty informs Danny that track try-outs are nearing, and Danny tells Sandy that he will join the track team to prove that he is sophisticated. After Danny leaves, Patty and Sandy practice their cheer choreography ("Rydell Fight Song").

The Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies take their newfangled portable radios for a picnic in the park. Roger shares his love for Jan and his hobby of exposing his rear end to unsuspecting victims ("Mooning"). Rizzo teases Danny for falling for a girl who resembles the excessively proper teenage ingénue, Sandra Dee, and the other greasers join in as she makes fun of Sandy, who has not arrived to the picnic yet ("Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee").

Sandy comes in just as the greasers finish making fun of her, and tells Danny that she wishes she never met him. Sandy leaves the picnic, Danny shrugs off Sandy's negative response, and the greasers pair off for the upcoming school prom. Danny teases Marty for not having a date, and the greasers all laugh, declaring that they will be friends no matter what ("We Go Together").

Act II

It is the night of school prom where everyone is having fun dancing in the gym ("Shakin' At the High School Hop"). Sandy is at home by herself, listening to the radio and crying over how much she misses Danny ("It's Raining on Prom Night").

Meanwhile, Kenickie comes into the dance with his date, Cha-Cha DiGregorio, a slutty-looking girl from a different school known as Saint Bernadette's. Kenickie dumps his date Cha-Cha and pairs off with Rizzo, whom Danny entered the dance contest with, leaving Danny with Cha-Cha. The MC Vince Fontaine, an enthusiastic radio disc jockey, begins the hand jive dance contest, and everyone eagerly participates as he tags the contestants out ("Born to Hand Jive"). In the end, Danny and Cha-Cha are the winners. Amongst the awards given to the couple, Danny receives two free drive-in movie tickets.

In the 2007 Broadway revival, this scene continues: Sandy shows up at the dance shortly after the awards are handed out. The attendees are leaving, and Danny does not notice Sandy when he exits the room. Sandy cannot stop thinking about Danny despite how he has treated her ("Hopelessly Devoted to You").

Sometime later outside of the Burger Palace hangout, Kenickie, Doody, and Sonny run into Frenchy. The boys are armed with household "arsenal", and reveal that, to their surprise, Cha-Cha was the girlfriend of someone in the Burger Palace Boys' rival gang, the Flaming Dukes. Cha-Cha told the Flaming Dukes about how she danced with Danny, and, as a response, the Flaming Dukes challenged the Burger Palace Boys to a rumble. Danny sprints into the scene, wearing a track suit after having joined the Rydell track team, to the disapproval and confusion of the other Burger Palace boys. Danny turns down their urgent invitation to the Flaming Dukes rumble due to time conflicts with a track race, which he sprints off to.

The three remaining Burger Palace Boys go into the Burger Palace for a snack before the fight, and Frenchy laments at what to do with her life, having dropped out of beauty school for failing all of her classes. The heavenly Teen Angel appears with a chorus of back-up singing angels and tells her to return to high school ("Beauty School Dropout").

Shortly afterwards, the three Burger Palace Boys exit the Burger Palace. They wait for the Flaming Dukes, but the rival gang never turns up. The greasers realize that Roger is missing. Just as they decide to leave, Roger finally turns up with a car antenna as his weapon, and the greasers criticize him for showing up so late with such a pathetic excuse for a weapon. Roger challenges the three Burger Palace Boys, who proceed to run off with Roger's pants and shoes.

In the next scene, Danny and Sandy are in Greased Lightning, watching a drive-in movie. Danny tells Sandy how upset his buddies are at him, and how sorry he is for his companion's behavior during the picnic. After Danny offers Sandy his ring, he attempts to get intimate with her, but moves too fast, and she leaves. Danny misses Sandy, and wishes that they could be together again ("Alone at a Drive-In Movie" or "Sandy", in the 2007 Broadway revival).

Several days later, Sandy and the greasers — without Danny — are having a party in Jan's basement as Doody, on guitar, performs alongside Roger ("Rock 'N' Roll Party Queen"). Rizzo is worried that she is pregnant, but tells Kenickie that he is not the father, and rejects offers of comfort from the other greasers, who leave the party. Rizzo is left alone with Sandy, who questions Rizzo on why she rejected her friends. Rizzo responds by saying that she is a better person than others make her out to be ("There Are Worse Things I Could Do"). Rizzo leaves, and Sandy decides what she needs to do to fit in with the greasers ("Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" (Reprise)).

The next day, the Burger Palace Boys are hanging out at the Burger Palace. Patty Simcox comes in, miserable and emotionally hurt. She tells them that Danny quit the track team and gave the finger to the coach. The Burger Palace Boys laugh and congratulate Danny, who returns. Sandy comes in alongside the Pink Ladies, having transformed herself into a greaser's dream date. Danny is delighted at this change and the couple express their mutual feelings for each other ("All Choked Up" or "You're the One That I Want", in the 2007 Broadway revival).

Afterwards, the other Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies cheer for Danny and Sandy being together again. They happily invite Patty to watch The Mickey Mouse Club with them at Roger's house, and she agrees. Rizzo reveals that she is not pregnant, and she and Kenickie reunite. All ends happily, and the Burger Palace Boys, the Pink Ladies, Sandy, and Patty sing about how they will always be friends to the end ("We Go Together" (Reprise)).

Revival changes

Due to the popularity of the 1978 film adaptation, which made several changes to the musical's songs and themes (many to accommodate its casting choice for Sandy, Australian singer Olivia Newton-John), the subsequent revivals adopted several of the changes made in the film, particularly the replacement of several songs, and the renaming of the Burger Palace Boys to their film name, the T-Birds. However, in the revival, the role of Sandy Dumbrowski is not changed from the original Broadway production.

School Version

In order to make the original musical suitable for young performers and audiences, Jim Jacobs decided to write a "School Version" of the musical. This edition eliminates all of the references and uses of cigarettes and alcohol, as well as any swearing or bad language. Practically all of the songs have undergone changes as well; the numbers are all shortened tremendously and edited for content/language. Some plot lines are missing from the school version, such as Rizzo's pregnancy and her song "There Are Worse Things I Could Do". This section is entirely cut from the script and score. The beginning of the pajama party in Marty's bedroom is cut as well. (In this version, the Pink Ladies do not offer Sandy cigarettes or wine. Instead it begins directly with piercing her ears.) Overall, this version is considered to be G-rated.

The following songs of the School Version have undergone lyric changes:

The remainder of the songs have been edited severely for time, deleting several verses from the original songs.

1972 production

* The 1972 version is the standard version licensed to professionals and amateurs through Samuel French, Inc.

Grease: School Version

* Some aspects are not present in this edition of the play at all, including Rizzo's pregnancy and her song "There Are Worse Things I Could Do". Many of the musical numbers have undergone lyric changes, and have been arranged to make the songs much shorter.

2007 revival

The original score calls for a piano, two tenor saxophones, bass guitar, percussion, and two guitars. The 2007 revival includes two pianos, two reeds, trombone, trumpet, guitar, bass guitar, and percussion.