Grease Live is on this Sunday

[elphaba91]

They've obviously fixed the sound for the places getting it later - just finished Hopelessly Devoted and the sound was flawless!

 

[design_mom]

I really enjoyed it. I thought they did a good job of making it a "live TV event" rather than "just" filming a stage show. The other ones seemed a little bit weird to me -- I'm not sure if it was the lack of actual live audience, or what -- but the NBC musicals seemed like something you would see on PBS during donation week or something. Not bad, but not "network TV like." I think that the actual live audience added energy to it.

I thought most of the characters did a really good job. (I agree with someone else that Kenickie just didn't seem right, but other than that I enjoyed them.) I thought Vanessa Hudgens did an amazing job, especially considering the circumstances.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I liked it and thought it was very good overall. The best performances IMO, were Vanessa and Carly Rae. Julianne's singing was weak but her acting and dancing made up for it. The guys were all fine. Would have worked better with a younger cast but the movie version had the same issue. Is it that difficult to get actual teens to play teens?

The downsides to me were that the audience was distracting in some scenes (they could have been heard but not seen), and it was just too long. If they cut out the transitions between sets, ie the golf carts and the extra bits with Mario Lopez, plus cut some commercials, it could've been done in a more reasonable two hours. And if I had one nitpick to note, it's that the cheerleader's skirts were too short for the era. In the 50's they would have been at least knee-length.

 

[TippeeCanoe]

I liked it and thought it was very good overall. The best performances IMO, were Vanessa and Carly Rae. Julianne's singing was weak but her acting and dancing made up for it. The guys were all fine. Would have worked better with a younger cast but the movie version had the same issue. Is it that difficult to get actual teens to play teens?

The downsides to me were that the audience was distracting in some scenes (they could have been heard but not seen), and it was just too long. If they cut out the transitions between sets, ie the golf carts and the extra bits with Mario Lopez, plus cut some commercials, it could've been done in a more reasonable two hours. And if I had one nitpick to note, it's that the cheerleader's skirts were too short for the era. In the 50's they would have been at least knee-length.

And the school would have been segregated.

 

[L&Lfan]

Well, that really depends on where Rydell High "actually" is...Some schools were integrated in the late 50s, depending on where you lived.

 

[luvsJack]

I liked it and thought it was very good overall. The best performances IMO, were Vanessa and Carly Rae. Julianne's singing was weak but her acting and dancing made up for it. The guys were all fine. Would have worked better with a younger cast but the movie version had the same issue. Is it that difficult to get actual teens to play teens?

The downsides to me were that the audience was distracting in some scenes (they could have been heard but not seen), and it was just too long. If they cut out the transitions between sets, ie the golf carts and the extra bits with Mario Lopez, plus cut some commercials, it could've been done in a more reasonable two hours. And if I had one nitpick to note, it's that the cheerleader's skirts were too short for the era. In the 50's they would have been at least knee-length.

It was weird with the cheerleader's skirts. During the try out scene, they had short skirts and dd and I talked about the fact that they were too short. Then in the pep rally scene the skirts were almost as long as they were in the movie. Maybe the longer skirts would have hindered the dances and tricks they were doing at tryouts??

 

[MomofKatie]

A few ponderings:
I don't remember from the film or previous live theatre versions. Did the rest of the T-Birds NOT know that Danny Zuko was on the track (or cross-country) team until the very end? They all spent plenty of time together during senior year.

Not sure about the stage play, but they didn't know about him lettering in track in the movie. Sonny, one of the T-Birds, comes up to Danny at the end of school carnival and asks what is up with the letter sweater. Danny tells him while they were goofing around all year, he lettered in track. Sonny says that he can't believe Danny Zuko has gone jock on them, and Danny says it was for Sandy and that the other T-Birds can't "follow a leader all their lives".

 

[AlohaNow]

Am I the only person who clearly did not know the difference between Jessie J and Pink? I totally thought that was Pink! Anyway, now that I know who Jessie J is, she totally blew the doors off that one!!! Someone commented on seeing a clip of her recording her song. Of course they recorded an official soundtrack album, so that they could sell it to you the moment the show was over. But the singing was definitely live for the broadcast. Jessie J kept reaching up and fiddling with her earpiece because she must have been having trouble with it.

Major props to Vanessa.

 

[luvsJack]

Am I the only person who clearly did not know the difference between Jessie J and Pink? I totally thought that was Pink! Anyway, now that I know who Jessie J is, she totally blew the doors off that one!!! Someone commented on seeing a clip of her recording her song. Of course they recorded an official soundtrack album, so that they could sell it to you the moment the show was over. But the singing was definitely live for the broadcast. Jessie J kept reaching up and fiddling with her earpiece because she must have been having trouble with it.

Major props to Vanessa.

She does look a lot like Pink. When I first saw her on the previews I yelled for dd who is a huge Pink fan. She laughed at me! Apparently she could tell the difference right away. Me not so much.

 

[mamamary]

Am I the only person who clearly did not know the difference between Jessie J and Pink? I totally thought that was Pink! Anyway, now that I know who Jessie J is, she totally blew the doors off that one!!! Someone commented on seeing a clip of her recording her song. Of course they recorded an official soundtrack album, so that they could sell it to you the moment the show was over. But the singing was definitely live for the broadcast. Jessie J kept reaching up and fiddling with her earpiece because she must have been having trouble with it.

Major props to Vanessa.

My dh said it was pink but I knew it wasn't but she did look like her.

 

[Patch'sD]

A few ponderings:

I wonder if there were understudies in case Vanessa Hudgens (or any other character) wasn't able to perform. What if between scenes the golf cart transporting the Pink Ladies tipped over and all of them were killed?

.

At the end of the production when they were using the carts to go from the gym to the front of Rydell High the second cart hit a curb and it looked like it almost went over.

 

[FINFAN]

At the end of the production when they were using the carts to go from the gym to the front of Rydell High the second cart hit a curb and it looked like it almost went over.

I saw that, lol. Eve Plumb was like 'Holy Greased Lightening!"

 

[AlohaNow]

At the end of the production when they were using the carts to go from the gym to the front of Rydell High the second cart hit a curb and it looked like it almost went over.

To quote Corny Collins, “Live television -- there's nothing like it!”

Segue to……..Hairspray! NBC plans to do Hairspray! Though they said flat out at the press conference that they had not yet fully attained the rights to the property, so it’s not set in stone. And I don’t believe they ever announced the plans for their December live musical so early in the year. I believe there is now a war on between the networks to see who can out do the other with large scale live musicals. As a HUGE fan of musical theater, I say bring it!!!

 

[L&Lfan]

I would imagine Mamma Mia would be a hot commodity. Especially since they seem to be shying away from old school (pre 1970s) titles.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I would imagine Mamma Mia would be a hot commodity. Especially since they seem to be shying away from old school (pre 1970s) titles.

As long as they promise to not cast Mr Brosnan.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

To quote Corny Collins, “Live television -- there's nothing like it!”

Segue to……..Hairspray! NBC plans to do Hairspray! Though they said flat out at the press conference that they had not yet fully attained the rights to the property, so it’s not set in stone. And I don’t believe they ever announced the plans for their December live musical so early in the year. I believe there is now a war on between the networks to see who can out do the other with large scale live musicals. As a HUGE fan of musical theater, I say bring it!!!

They must have an audience.
They must.

And while the Wiz was enjoyable, I totally agree that
They need to ditch the PBS pledge drive approach with such sterile sets. It just isn't theater.

And we would love Hairspray.

 

[TippeeCanoe]

To quote Corny Collins, “Live television -- there's nothing like it!”

Segue to……..Hairspray! NBC plans to do Hairspray! Though they said flat out at the press conference that they had not yet fully attained the rights to the property, so it’s not set in stone. And I don’t believe they ever announced the plans for their December live musical so early in the year. I believe there is now a war on between the networks to see who can out do the other with large scale live musicals. As a HUGE fan of musical theater, I say bring it!!!

Across the networks, there are 4 or 5 more "live" productions in the works.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Well, that really depends on where Rydell High "actually" is...Some schools were integrated in the late 50s, depending on where you lived.

Many schools were integrated long before that. My father graduated in 1939, Camden (NJ) High School and about 20% of the graduates were black. HOWEVER, except for a few black athletes on the basketball or track teams, and one black girl on the debate team, ALL of the activity photos in the yearbook were of white students.

Not sure about the stage play, but they didn't know about him lettering in track in the movie. Sonny, one of the T-Birds, comes up to Danny at the end of school carnival and asks what is up with the letter sweater. Danny tells him while they were goofing around all year, he lettered in track. Sonny says that he can't believe Danny Zuko has gone jock on them, and Danny says it was for Sandy and that the other T-Birds can't "follow a leader all their lives".

Thanks. I know it's fiction, but I find it hard to believe that the T-Birds didn't know about him being on the track team. It would have been very difficult for him to keep such a thing a secret, and no doubt there would have been gossip around the school about how one of the main greasers became a jock.

To quote Corny Collins, “Live television -- there's nothing like it!”

Segue to……..Hairspray! NBC plans to do Hairspray! Though they said flat out at the press conference that they had not yet fully attained the rights to the property, so it’s not set in stone. And I don’t believe they ever announced the plans for their December live musical so early in the year. I believe there is now a war on between the networks to see who can out do the other with large scale live musicals. As a HUGE fan of musical theater, I say bring it!!!

Hopefully they'll have a female playing the role of Edna, Tracy's mother. No need for the gimmick of a man playing the part. Yes, yes, I know in the original non-musical movie the transvestite actor Divine was cast, but he always played outrageous female roles in John Waters' films. Then the Broadway play followed suit with a male in the role. John Travolta was horrendously awful in the musical movie remake.

 

[L&Lfan]

I thought Travolta was horrible too. Divine was fabulous! I saw George Wendt on Broadway as Edna and he was ok.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

I thought Travolta was horrible too. Divine was fabulous! I saw George Wendt on Broadway as Edna and he was ok.

I'm not sure who I saw on Broadway. Nobody famous. I just don't think it's necessary to keep having the gimmick of a male in the role. Some big rowdy woman could do it just as well, if not better.