Grease vs Grease

Being a reality show junkie, I had watched "Grease, You're the One that I Want" and was first on line for tickets when the show opened on Broadway last summer. We loved the winners Max Crumm and Laura Osnes. Max was such a down to earth cutie and Laura's voice was gorgeous. But we also loved some of the runners-up including Ashley Spencer and Derek Keeling. So we were thrilled to hear that the original cast was being replaced by these two runners-up. I was given the chance to meet the cast and of course jumped on it. I even let my daughter miss her dance classes that evening because I knew meeting Ashley and Derek would be a thrill for her. So off we went to Sardi's, a New York restaurant which is located in the heart of the theatre district. Known for the hundreds of caricatures of show business celebrities that adorn its walls, Sardi's opened at its current location on March 5, 1927. That's even before Madame Aries was born. Six members of the cast walked in including Ashley and Derek who play Sandy and Danny. To our surprise, one of our favorite American Idol contestants was among them. Ace Young, a season five finalist, and that year's heartthrob is the new Kenickie. We also met Janine Divita (Rizzo), Will Blum (Roger) and Kirsten Wyatt (Frenchie), the only one we had seen in previews. Each one of them was warm and personable. I chatted at length to Will Blum and Ace Young, both of whom were adorable and very forthcoming. Will told me there had been some changes made along with the cast changes so I left knowing I had to see it again. Last Wednesday was a school holiday and a perfect day to catch the matinee. We arrived at the theatre fifteen minutes before show time to find Dominic Fortuna who plays Vince Fontaine on stage warming up the audience. This was a new and fun addition which really got the audience fired up, always a good thing. The overture starts, the lockers open and out come the T-Birds singing the title song "Grease" and then the Pink Ladies. Oh, I love this show. It's a party, a celebration of life. And as much as we loved it the first time, we enjoyed it even more this time. Maybe it was because we had met the cast. They were all great and the changes in the staging really worked. I especially thought Ashley Spencer was wonderful as Sandy. I had seen her as Amber Von Tussle in Hairspray and was very impressed with her comedic timing and presence. And Ace Young, what can I say. Smashing. He sang well, he moved well, he played the tough guy well, and well, he could have played the lead. Not to say Derek wasn't great in the part of Danny. He was very good and definitely looked like "Danny". Ace really has stage appeal and the "it" factor and I smell a great future for him. He did tell me that there was film in his future and he does have a CD out and a single "Addicted" on the charts, plus he was nominated for a Grammy for co-writing "It's Not Over" for fellow American Idol finalist, Chris Daughtry. Janine Divita was wonderful as Rizzo, a part totally unlike the real person, as was Will Blum as Roger. Kirsten Wyatt was the same scene stealer she was the first time we saw her, very perky and adorable in the role, very much like her real personality. After the show the fun continued when we met the cast as they left the theatre. They all remembered us and treated us like old friends. Ace hugged and kissed us and was as playful as he had been at Sardi's, including bopping me on the head with a playbill when I said out loud while he was taking a picture with another fan "isn't it a pity he's so ugly".


The first time we saw this production of Grease we loved it, but the second time is a charm. This edition of Grease is a winner. The cast is fabulous, the changes successful, and of course there's the wonderful score. Jade and I had a blast and I didn't think about my waning bank account for the rest of the day.