Traveling back in time at the Wang Theatre
October 9Most of us first became familiar with the timeless characters of wild-child Danny Zuko and fair-haired good girl Sandy through endless television reruns of the film version of Grease, first released in 1978. Unbeknownst to audiences that have come to love the roles portrayed by such stars as John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John and Stockard Channing, however, is that this classic film actually made its first appearance on the radar screen of American pop culture more than 30 years ago on the Broadway stage. This week, Grease comes back to life in Boston. It is set to transform the stage at the Wang Center for the Performing Arts into everything from a 1950s sock hop to the gymnasium at Rydell High, with a limited run of the Broadway production that was revived in 1994. Grease transports audiences to an era of beehives and drive-ins with the story of a teenage romance between Danny and Sandy, two diametric opposites in the social structure of 1950s America. Danny is the ringleader of the so-called T-Birds, a group of precocious, rambunctious, rowdy teenage boys preoccupied with fast cars and fast women. Sandy, on the other hand, is a na??ve, innocent transfer student from Sydney, Australia. She soon finds that her pristine, virginal ways won't cut it if she hopes to win the heart of her beloved badboy. She is befriended a group of girls from Rydell High known as the Pink Ladies _ essentially the female counterparts to the T-Birds. She experiences a complete turnaround, teasing her hair, smoking cigarettes and donning leather pants. In the end, what first appears as an ill-fated romance between two love-struck teenagers becomes a happily-ever-after scenario, with Danny and Sandy reunited. Before making its Broadway debut, Grease began as a small-scale production at Chicago's experimental Kingston Mines Theatre in 1971. New York producers Kenneth Waissman and Maxine Fox recognized the shows potential and convinced original writers Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey to rewrite the production to fit within the confines of traditional Broadway performances. The production was a big hit with audiences of all ages, enjoying a run of over 3,338 performances in less than eight years. This record was surpassed only by A Chorus Line. It went on to receive seven Tony Award nominations, including "Best Revival" and "Best Musical." In 1978, the musical was adapted for the big screen and met with tremendous success. Starring some of the biggest names in Hollywood, it earned over $340 million dollars in box office sales around the world, making it the highest grossing movie musical in film history. More than 20 years after its initial release, Grease still ranks amongst the top ten video titles sold in the United States. The soundtrack is equally popular, selling over 20 million double albums. From baby boomers to pre-schoolers, you'll be hard-pressed to find an individual who isn't familiar with catchy, memorable tunes such as "You're the One That I Want" and "Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee." The musical was revived in 1994, attracting such performers as Rosie O'Donnell, Brooke Shields, and Chubby Checker. Boston's limited run features Frankie Avalon reprising his movie role as Teen Angel. In addition to including the original Broadway score, this latest production has been adapted to incorporate several songs from the film version, including "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "You're the One That I Want." Grease's continuing popularity is a testament to its universal appeal. Baby boomers enjoy traveling back in time to the 1950s of their youth, reliving the trials and tribulations of an era of American simplicity immediately preceding great social change. For their generation, the production is a means of recalling the introduction of t.v. dinners, the emergence of suburbia, and period when personas ranging from Marilyn Monroe to Marlon Brando to James Dean were idolized. For younger audiences, witnessing the world portrayed by Grease is like playing dress-up; poodle skirts and pajama parties are all part of the fantasy. The production captures a very specific moment in time, using the drama between Danny and Sandy to capture to cultural nuances of the 1950s. As such, it will always exist as a kind of historical relic, helping younger audiences to remember a period in American culture that will never be repeated.
