'Grease' Airing, w/ Osnes & Crumm, is Ratings Hit; Re-Airs

Max Crumm and Laura Osnes, "Danny" and "Sandy" in the new Broadway production of Grease, originally presented the Nick at Nite premiere of the mega-hit movie musical on Sunday, July 1 (9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. ET/PT). The showing produced the highest ever ratings for a movie on the network and was also the highest rated telecast for Nick at Nite since the end of 2004. Grease, hosted by Max and Laura, will be rebroadcast this Sunday, August 12 at 8 p.m.  Nick at Nite can be seen on channel 6 in New York City.

During the original broadcast, the duo presented "Nick at Nite's Grease on Broadway Sweepstakes," which awarded one lucky winner the chance to win a trip for four to attend the opening night of Grease on Broadway.  The sweepstakes winner, Rick Lewis of Lawrence, Kentucky, will travel to opening  night along with his wife, son and his son's girlfriend.  The rebroadcast features Max and Laura dishing during commercial breaks about their favorite songs and dance moves and how the movie inspired them.  They will also present fun Grease trivia questions to viewers at home.

The new Broadway production of Grease, directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall (The Pajama Game), began previews Tuesday, July 24th.  Featuring book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease opens on Broadway on Sunday, August 19, 2007 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre (256 West 47th Street).

Joining Max Crumm as "Danny" and Laura Osnes as "Sandy" are Ryan Patrick Binder as "Doody," Susan Blommaert as "Miss Lynch," Jeb Brown as "Vince," Stephen R. Buntrock as "Teen Angel," Daniel Everidge as "Roger," Allison Fischer as  "Patty," Robyn Hurder as "Marty," Lindsay Mendez as "Jan," Jenny Powers as "Rizzo," Jose Restrepo as "Sonny," Matthew Saldivar as "Kenickie," Jamison Scott as "Eugene" and Kirsten Wyatt as "Frenchy."

The ensemble features Josh Franklin, Cody Green, Natalie Hill ("Cha-Cha"), Matthew Hydzik, Emily Padgett, Keven Quillon, Brian Sears, Christina Sivrich, Amber Stone and Anna Aimee White.

After 12 weeks of nationally televised auditions, 90 million viewers and millions of votes, Laura Osnes and Max Crumm are the ones that America wants to play the roles of "Sandy" and "Danny" in the new Broadway  production of Grease. The two winners were announced during the live finale episode of the NBC talent competition series "Grease: You're the One That I Want" on Sunday, March 25, 2007.

The new production features songs from the smash hit 1978 motion picture for the first time ever on Broadway including "Sandy," the Academy Award nominated song "Hopelessly Devoted to You,"  "Grease" and "You're the One That I Want" both of which were #1 hits on the Billboard Top 100 list.  These songs will be heard in addition to the Jacobs/Casey songs made famous by the original stage production including "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightnin'" and "We Go Together."

The new production of Grease features scenic design by Tony Award nominee Derek McLane (The Pajama Game), costume design by two-time Tony Award-winner Martin Pakledinaz (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Kiss Me Kate), lighting design by Tony Award nominee Kenneth Posner (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Wicked) and sound design by Brian Ronan (Spring Awakening, The Pajama Game).

Grease originated in Chicago and made its premiere at The Kingston Mines Theater in 1971 before making its New York premiere off-Broadway at the Eden Theatre on February 14, 1972.  After 128 sold-out performances, the show made the transition to Broadway taking up residence at the Broadhurst Theatre on June 7, 1972.  The musical was nominated for seven Tony Awards in its initial run.  On November 21, 1972, the show moved to the Royale Theatre before making its final transfer on January 20, 1980 to the Majestic  Theatre.  It closed as the longest running show in Broadway history after playing 3,388 performances.  In 1978, it became a hugely popular feature film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in the lead  roles.   A Broadway revival opened on May 11, 1994 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre where it played 1,503 performances and won three Tony Award nominations.  A London revival opened on July 15, 1993 at the Dominion Theatre and ran for 6 years on London's West End and is still touring the UKtoday.  A West End revival is scheduled to open at the Piccadilly Theatre on August 8, 2007.

Grease is produced on Broadway by Paul Nicholas and David Ian, Nederlander Presentations, Inc., Phoenix Productions and Terry Allen Kramer by arrangement with Robert Stigwood.

Tickets are $121.50 - $71.50 and are available now through TicketMaster at (212) 307-4100 or www.ticketmaster.com.  Group Sales are available by calling Nederlander Group Sales at 212-840-3890. Performances are Tuesday through  Saturday at 8 p.m., Wednesday and Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Beginning August 21, Tuesday performances will begin at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit www.greaseonbroadway.com.

Photo of Max Crumm and Laura Osnes by Scott Gries