I tried a half dozen times to capture my experience at the national tour of “Grease” that ran at Clowes Hall on March 22-27 without sounding excessively nasty, cynical, angry, and sad.
Those feelings seem wildly out of proportion for a seemingly thrown-together production of a thrown-together musical. So I considered throwing out this review altogether.
But I’ll try one more time.
Having sat through the non-Equity tour—cast largely with “first time on a national tour” young performers—I have a newfound appreciation for the film version.
Admittedly, unlike the millions that turned the movie into a blockbuster and still re-watch it with nostalgia for its ‘70s nostalgia for an imaginary ‘50s, I was never a fan. Give me “American Graffiti.” Give me “West Side Story.” Heck, give me “High School Musical.” I take little pleasure in a few fun songs hidden in the unfunny story of a girl who learns to tart herself up to be accepted by a bunch of narcissistic jerks.
The stage musical, as written, is far worse, giving the actors little to play, little differentiation of relationships, and zero motivation for Sandy to turn into a tramp. By the time she pulls her teased-and-tight-look, she’s already got Danny interested again and seems to have the friendship of everyone but Rizzo (unless she’s really got a thing for Rizzo ... hmmmmmm).
Caring about such a thing, though, is difficult in a show that doesn’t seem to care itself about anything, not even being funny.
No favors to the material are done in the production that came to Clowes Hall as part of the “Broadway” in Indianapolis season (I put that in quotes, because not a single member of the cast has an actually Broadway credit to boast of in the program). When the highlight of a “Grease” production is Doody (Marc Winski) singing “Those Magic Changes,” then something is seriously off. Eddie Mekka, the touted star of this production, didn’t even make it to Indy.
There I go again, sounding excessively nasty, cynical, angry and sad.
But let’s be positive.
If you like musicals and think this show was even remotely tolerable, then strongly considering seeing some of the far superior work being done locally by the avocational Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre (this fall’s “The Drowsy Chaperone"), Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre (opening “Annie Get Your Gun” this week), and the Phoenix Theatre (with “Avenue Q” on the horizon).
Your thoughts?
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I have seen higher production quality (scene changes, costumes, sound) at the IRT, Phoenix, Civic, Beef and Boards, and even TOTS. One friend even commented to me that his high school production of Grease was better than this one.
I have seen higher production quality (scene changes, costumes, sound) at the IRT, Phoenix, Civic, Beef and Boards, and even TOTS. One friend even commented to me that his high school production of Grease was better than this one.
This show was produced by â??New Dollar Entertainmentâ?? but yet everyone was thanking â??Troika Productionsâ?? in their bios. Troika is one of the companies that has been doing these non-union tours the longest. They form a subsidiary â??groupsâ?? for each show. (For example, Beyond-Blonde LLC and Cats-Eye LLC for LEAGALY BLONDE and CATS respectively.) The following is a quote from Troikaâ??s website â??(Troika) prides itself on thinking outside the apple, delivering a top quality product using cost-effective production methods.â?? Cost effectiveâ?¦. Hmmm. How does that translate to the product we saw? The LEAGALY BLONDE tour that came through earlier WAS a Broadway tour and it even had the wonderful Michael Rupert recreating his Broadway role as Prof. Callahan.
According to the Broadway Series office here in town the reason that next yearâ??s season is one show LESS (4) and half non-union (FIDDLER and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST) is that Indy is just not putting enough butts in the seats for the better programming represented by this season. Financially, times are hard for all of us and with some of the first, or at least second, string shows of this year (MARY POPPINS, LEAGALY BLONDE) did not create the kind of interest meriting the return of such offerings. The solution? Buy subscriptions and voice preferences is what I have been told.
Folks, anywhere you see 2 question marks it should be in quotes.
Thanks for your input.
I think we heard the same thing (re: "Magic Changes") but we read it differently.
My interpretation was that the off-key was deliberate. I gave the show and the actor credit for playing a typical kid who picks up a guitar for the first time, learns a few chords and, in spite of a complete lack of talent, has fantasies of being a rock and roll star. I found it just about the only human moment in the robotic show.
--Lou
I may just be a kid, but I thought it was very good and funny (except the "turning into a tramp" moral you talked about)
I ESPECIALLY LOVE LOVE LOVE Doody
And I thought Marc Winski makes an ADORABLE Doody
This is all opinion. I mean to offend no one !!!!