Even before it opens tonight (March 14) at Diamond Head Theatre, “Grease” will add three more performances on April 18, 19 and 20 at the tail end of the original run.
“Grease,” the stage musical, is about Rhydell High’s Class of 1959, with all the frills of the era, from hot rods to duck-tailed hair for the dudes and gum-chewing box-soxers doing the hand jive. A period piece, yes, laden with nostalgia
But some cautionary expectations, please, so listen up. The play is not the movie, and vice versa. So get famiiar with the boundaries.
The original stage show, which opened in 1972 on Broadway, should not be confused with the film version which opened during the summer of 1978. The movie surely cemented the popularity of John Travolta as Danny and Olivia Newtown-John as Sandy. And put the show on the map.
The now familiar title song was not in the score of the play. It was a priority special insert, by Barry Gibb and performed in the film score by Frankie Valli, and the hit song fueled the catch phrase,“Grease is the word,” still uttered decades later.
Some shared tidbits about three other tunes added to the film – that you won’t hear on stage.
Three other titles, added to the film version, provided those romantic flurries and also a solid sliver of rock, which enriched the songscape of the movie soundtrack. You know ‘em well: “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “You’re the One that I Want” (both written by John Farrar for the film and “Sandy” by Louis St. Louis and Scott Simon.
So, what’s in the stage score? A few titles you’ll recognize, including “Summer Nights,” “Greased Lightning,” “We Go Together,” “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee.” Oh, and that hand-clapper, “Born to Hand Jive.”
DHT’s cast features Cameron Scot as Danny Zuko, Sophia Ysrael as Sandy Dumbrowski, Jody Bill as Betty Rizzo, Alexandria Zinov as Marty, Parker Kilkenny as Frenchy, Lainey Hicks as Jan, Cate Labas as Patty Simcox, Jantzen Shinmoto as Kenickie, Chad Navarro-Cortes as Doody, Kevin Molina as Roger, Jake Glasser as Sonny Latierri, Pono Lundell as Eugene Florczyk, Ryan Philips as Vince Fontaine, and Gabriel Ryan/Kern as Johny Casino.
The ensemble includes Emi Sampson, Jeff Andrews, Brianna Johnston, Victoria Chang, Kirra Baughn, Caris Leong, Jasmine Weldon, Maggie Ryan, Shane Nishimura, Drew Bright, Paul Garcia, Justin Garde and Sammy Houghtailing.
The artistic team includes Michael Ng, director; Dwayne Sakaguchi, choreographer; Darcie Yoshinaga, musical director; DeAnne Kennedy, set designer; Kyle Conner, props designer; Chris Gouveia, as lighting designer; Emily Lane, costume designer; Aiko Schick, hair and make -up designer; Kristen Kenney, set painter; La Tanya Siliato, sound designer; and Trudi Melohn, stage manager.
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“Grease”
What: A musical about teens at Rydell High School, with book and music by Jim Jacobs, and Warren Case, with a title tune by Barry Gibb
Where: Diamond Head Theatre
When: Performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; also, at 3 p.m. Saturdaysand 4 p.m. Sundays, from March 14 through Aprill 20.
Tickets: $41 to $68, at www.diamondheadtheatre.com or (808) 733-0274
Broadway grosses, for the week ending March 9
For the second consecutive week, “Othello” has grosses $2.8 million, retaining the top spot on the The Top 10.
The Top 10:
1—”Othello,” $2.818 million
2—“Wicked,” $2,435 million
3—” Hamilton,” $1.683 million
4—”The Lion King,”$1.543 million
5—”The Outsiders,” $1.306 million
6—”Gypsy,” $1.248 million
7—”MJ The Musical,” $1.202 million
8—”Aladdin,” $1.183 million
9—”Death Becomes Her,” $1.077 million
10—”Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club,” $1.061 million
The complete list, courtesy the Broadway Guild:
And that’s Show Biz…