Believe it or not, Grease was the word on Broadway for most of the 1970s. It opened in 1972 and ran for 3,388 performances. When it eventually closed in April 1980, it had established a record as Broadway’s longest-running show (until A Chorus Line came along, another show included in this year’s Broadway Across America line-up). A revival in the mid-1990s lasted for another 1,503 performances. The Rock & Roll musical comedy about teen angst and rebellion began as a community theater production in Chicago, found its way to Broadway and became a successful 1978 film with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, which generated No. 1 musical hits (“You’re the One That I Want” and “Summer Nights”) and an Academy Award-nominated song, “Hopelessly Devoted.” The show is back, largely as a vehicle for performers who have made their names on television. For two weeks our own Aronoff Center has evolved into Rydell High, and American Idol star Taylor Hicks is playing the dreamy role of “Teen Angel.” The cast also includes Allie Schulz as the bad girl Rizzo, a role she landed via the 2007 NBC talent competition, Grease: You’re the One That I Want. This is a simple, feel-good musical, a perfect tonic for our gloomy economic climate and a chilly January. That means it’s likely to attract big audiences downtown, so if you don’t have tickets yet, you’d best call for a seat. $20-$71.
Get show times, buy tickets and find nearby bars and restaurants here.
