The Original Grease

[joevitus]

Posted: 2/7/20 at 12:14pm

I'm sure a number of people here know that four years ago, the original version of Grease was reproduced (with one or two changes) in Chicago, where it started. It has an almost completely different song set from the version that opened off-Broadway a year later. Unfortunately no cast recording was made, then or following this revival. I've found a recording of "Foster Beach" (the number in the spot now held by "Summer Nights" on YouTube, but can't find any for the other numbers. Anyone know if there's any talk of Jacobs releasing a recording of that version of the score, or aware of places online I might hear some of the other numbers?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/7/20 at 1:00pm

Full show audios exist of this recreation revival.

Look harder.

[Plannietink08]

Posted: 2/7/20 at 5:56pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Full show audios exist of this recreation revival.

Look harder."

I cringe at how much of a f*ckwit you people can be at times. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 2/8/20 at 4:58pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "Full show audios exist of this recreation revival.

Look harder."

Care to point me in a specific direction?

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 2/8/20 at 6:51pm

Plannietink08 said: "BrodyFosse123 said: "Full show audios exist of this recreation revival.

Look harder."

I cringe at how much of a f*ckwit you people can be at times."

I literally just spit my wine all over myself reading this LOL

[markypoo]

Posted: 2/8/20 at 7:47pm

joevitus said: "I'm sure a number of people here know that four years ago, the original version of Grease was reproduced (with one or two changes) in Chicago, where it started. It has an almost completely different song set from the version that opened off-Broadway a year later.Unfortunately no cast recording was made, then or following this revival. I've found a recording of "Foster Beach" (the number in the spot now held by "Summer Nights" on YouTube,but can't findany for theother numbers. Anyone know if there's any talk of Jacobs releasing a recording of that version of the score,or aware of places online I might hear some of the other numbers?"

I think it was much longer than four years ago.

 

[joevitus]

Posted: 2/8/20 at 7:53pm

markypoo said: "joevitus said: "I'm sure a number of people here know that four years ago, the original version of Grease was reproduced (with one or two changes) in Chicago, where it started. It has an almost completely different song set from the version that opened off-Broadway a year later.Unfortunately no cast recording was made, then or following this revival. I've found a recording of "Foster Beach" (the number in the spot now held by "Summer Nights" on YouTube,but can't findany for theother numbers. Anyone know if there's any talk of Jacobs releasing a recording of that version of the score,or aware of places online I might hear some of the other numbers?"

I think it was much longer than four years ago.

"

Not the production we're discussing. Yes, Grease first opened in Chicago in 1971, but the show was so radically re-tooled for off-Broaday/Broaday that it became a very different show. The original version, now dubbed "The Original Grease" was only seen again in Chicago, where it all started, four years ago.

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 2/8/20 at 8:44pm

That production was in 2011 at the now defunct American Theater Company. It was pretty interesting to see.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 2/9/20 at 10:07am

Like their later version of Hair, it also wasn't -- strictly speaking -- the original Grease exactly. See, for reference, their program note (thank you, Internet Archive!):

"This version of Grease is derived from several sources. A majority of the material is based on early rehearsal and production drafts of the original 1971 production of Grease produced at the old Kingston Mines Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. Revisions to that draft have been based on the 1972 Broadway production and subsequent versions over the last forty years. The creative team hopes to present a new version of the original Grease, true to Jim Jacobs' and Warren Casey's vision of 1950's life on Chicago's Northwest side.

Chicago audiences might have attended Grease at the Old Kingston Mines Theatre on Lincoln Avenue in the late winter and spring of 1971. If memory serves you well, you will notice some differences in this version. Jim and I wanted to address those now to set your mind at rest or engage the dramaturge in you.

In 1970-71, the play's conceit had the audience attending Rydell High School's ten-year reunion. Today, it would be Rydell's fiftieth-year reunion. Originally, Miss Lynch and Dr. Devlin, the school principal, presided over the festivities. Unless they were sipping from the Fountain of Youth, they unfortunately wouldn't be available to host this reunion. Therefore, we cut Dr. Devlin and let Miss Lynch make her first appearance when the story returns to 1959. Also, the actors playing the Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies played their older selves for the reunion. We opted for nixing the age make-up and getting the real thing. The age-appropriate Greaser cast allowed us to reexamine the opening and ending. Coincidentally, in October 2010, some of the creative team attended the Fiftieth-Year Reunion of Jim's alma mater, Taft High School. The event was quite emotional for the alumni, in particular, when the group acknowledged classmates that had passed on. We believed that sentiment should be captured in someway in this new production.

For the most part, the characters are all the same (for the record, Sandy is not from Australia but is the daughter of a factory worker from Joliet.) In the original version, Danny's best friend and second-in-command, was originally named Miller and there was a sixth greaser called Kenickie. When the show moved to New York, the sixth Greaser was cut and Jim and Warren decided to change Danny's best friend's name from Miller to Kenickie (hey, it's a cooler name). When we decided to restore the sixth Greaser, we renamed him Miller, since Grease enthusiasts are now so used to Danny's second being called Kenickie.

Throughout the script, we included material right from the very first sketch of the pajama party scene (the first scene written for the play) all the way through the final Broadway draft. We wanted to include and adjust material that could further ground the characters and communicate a working-class teenager's life on Chicago's Northwest Side. You will hear places like Polk Bros., Carson's, the Palmer House, Elmer the Elephant and Jim Lounsberry. You will also hear some period slang as well as some colorful metaphors that might rattle some politically-correct ears. This version reflects the period with all its nostalgia and all its inequities. The largest addition to the text is the boiler room scene in the second act that was cut during rehearsals for the original Chicago production. Otherwise, all of the other scenes are intact and, without exception, all contain restored material from various versions.

The most notable difference in this new version is the score. All of the original material has been restored from the changes made for the Broadway and movie versions: Foster Beach was the predecessor to Summer Nights; Grease was the predecessor to Barry Gibb's opener for movie; Kiss It and All Choked Up were the predecessors to You're the One That I Want; and Alone at the Drive In Movie replaces Sandy (and has been restored to the car's rightful owner, Kenickie). Patty and Miss Lynch also have their songs back. The only exception is that we included both Boogie Man Boogie and its successor, Born to Hand Jive, as a way to end the dance. In addition, we revised and restored Comin' at Ya', Tattoo Song and All Clear, all of which had been cut before the show opened in Chicago. The score has been entirely re-orchestrated by Malcolm Ruhl to reflect a more authentic 1950-early 1960's sound (there's no disco in this score). Once we had completed the restoration, we realized that Danny never had a solo. We were resigned to this fact until we stumbled upon a title-less song that Warren had sketched on a scrap of loose-leaf. The song (with only chords written over the words) explored a Greaser's idea of success and seemed a perfect response to Sandy's challenge; that Danny do something with his life. Jim grabbed his guitar and using Warren's lyrics, penned the first new Jacobs-Casey collaboration for Grease in 40 years. Like Comin' at Ya, Tattoo Song and All Clear, How Big I'm Gonna Be makes its debut in this new version.

Finally, the stage directions reflect the aesthetic nature of this new production. Grease has often been produced as a saccharine-sweet amusement park ride through the 1950's. This version reflects the real working-class environment of Chicago's Northwest Side in 1959. We have made these revisions to this American icon in order to present a more authentic look at both the play and the period. Any great piece of theatre stands the test of time and no other American musical on film or on stage has had the enormous success that Grease has and will continue to have. We hope that The Original Grease is yet another milestone on that journey.

American Theater Company would like to thank the Chicago Performing Arts Archives at the Harold Washington Library and the estate of the late Warren Casey, and, of course, Jim Jacobs, who carries the spirit of Grease forty years later and bravely and boldly was willing to return to where it all began: a warehouse theater in Chicago.

So… **** you! Offended? Outraged? Then you should stop right here. Don't say we didn't warn ya'. Enjoy The Original Grease!"

Also, if anyone has yet to send you the recording, drop me a line.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 2/9/20 at 10:17am

Well then, this 2011 production was basically similar to what has been done to CABARET thru the years: reinvented and reconstructed using material from various versions. It truly wasn’t a recreation of the original 1971 Kingston Mines production which everyone assumed it was. Thank you for posting this info.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 2/9/20 at 4:54pm

Likewise with their Hair, which they purported to be a return to the Off-Broadway version but was more or less Jim Rado's new script, some re-incorporated Off-Broadway material unique to their production, and a few choices the Paulus revival made being swapped back to the originals (i.e., the fully musicalized "Fourscore" being dropped for the original "Abie Baby," if memory serves).

[joevitus]

Posted: 2/9/20 at 8:20pm

Thanks, g.d.e.l.g.i., Menken Fan sent me a link, and and h6p8gv (whom I don't see commenting on this thread) reached out, too. 

Too bad this isn't exactly the 1971 production, but it's still nice to get a peak at elements that didn't make it to New York, and the discarded songs. So much of the dialogue I've heard so far sounds identical to the stage script (but perhaps it was edited down for Broadway, I plan to compare it to the published script) and who knows in which cases that shows what was already in place and in which cases Jacobs chose material from the New York production instead. Still interesting.

I'm enjoying it and grateful for all the comments and help locating the audio recording.

[Angelstation]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 10:28am

Hi! I realize it’s been quiet a few years since this specific message board was used but Im currently doing research about the evolution of Grease. Im incredibly interested in learning more about the original version of Grease. I noticed this message board seemed to be able to point me in the right direction of an audio version of the performance. If you or anyone else would be willing to share this with me I would be really grateful!  

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 11:07am

Angelstation said: "Hi! I realize it’s been quiet a few years since this specific message board was used but Im currently doing research about the evolution of Grease. Im incredibly interested in learning more about the original version of Grease. I noticed this message board seemed to be able to point me in the right direction of an audio version of the performance. If you or anyone else would be willing to share this with me I would be really grateful!"

In addition to any audio recordings you may come across, do yourself a favor and get this new book. It's indispensable for any fan of "Grease". Definitive.

[Angelstation]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 12:39pm

Thank you! I’ll definitely look into that book because it looks like its a really strong resource thank you!! 

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 2:29pm

Carlos, does the book include photos? I went looking at reviews to see if any were mentioned. If so, I will get this in hardcover. I don't like reading books with photos on my kindle!

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 2:33pm

uncageg said: "Carlos, does the book include photos? I went looking at reviews to see if any were mentioned. If so, I will get this in hardcover. I don't like reading books with photos on my kindle!"

Yes! It has tons of photos! You will not be disappointed! 

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 2:36pm

Thanks! Guess I will be swinging by the Drama Book Shop this week!

[DaveyG]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 3:36pm

Does anyone know why Jim Jacobs was banned from the Grease movie set? In a VH-1 Behind the Music episode about the film, music director Lous St. Louis says something “scandalous” happened that got Jacobs banned. But he doesn’t say specifically what it was. I’ve always been curious. 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 3:56pm

DaveyG said: "Does anyone know why Jim Jacobs was banned from the Grease movie set? In a VH-1 Behind the Music episode about the film, music director Lous St. Louis says something “scandalous” happened that got Jacobs banned. But he doesn’t say specifically what it was. I’ve always been curious."

It wasn’t anything scandalous per se. Jacobs and Casey were upset because they were not given any supervisory positions in the making of the film, they were understandably upset and  it caused tensions so they were banned from the set.

They weren’t happy with the changes made for the film, especially the deletion of some of their songs.

In the new “Grease” book Barry Bostwick confessed he never liked Sandy and Danny’s song, “All Choked Up” and wished “You’re the One That I Want” was written for the original show because he felt it was a far superior song. 

Updated On: 8/14/22 at 03:56 PM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 4:06pm

CarlosAlberto said: "DaveyG said: "Does anyone know why Jim Jacobs was banned from the Grease movie set? In a VH-1 Behind the Music episode about the film, music director Lous St. Louis says something “scandalous” happened that got Jacobs banned. But he doesn’t say specifically what it was. I’ve always been curious."

It wasn’t anything scandalous per se. Jacobs and Casey were upset because they were not given any supervisory positions in the making of the film, they were understandably upset and it caused tensions so they were banned from the set.

They weren’t happy with the changes made for the film, especially the deletion of some of their songs.

In the new “Grease” book Barry Bostwick confessed he never liked Sandy and Danny’s song, “All Choked Up” and wished “You’re the One That I Want” was written for the original show because he felt it was a far superior song."

Another interesting tid bit is that the producers of the show were fond of Olivia Newton-John’s portrayal of “Sandy” in the film. So much so that they invited her to participate in the celebration and performance commemorating “Grease”becoming Broadway’s longest running musical. 

She was the only cast member from the film (who hadn’t done the stage show) who was invited. She did attend. There are photos in the book of her celebrating with the rest of the stage casts at the Royale Theater. 

Updated On: 8/14/22 at 04:06 PM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/14/22 at 4:15pm

One of the real scandals in the book was a fight that almost went down between Warren Casey and associate producer Anthony D’Amato in Patricia Birch’s apartment prior to the show opening Off Broadway. 

They almost came to blows. 

Updated On: 8/14/22 at 04:15 PM

[joevitus]

Posted: 8/15/22 at 12:42am

This is an amazing book!

[zainmax]

Posted: 8/15/22 at 2:58am

Lots of great stories like this one:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marchershberg/2022/04/27/new-book-reveals-how-broadway-producers-greased-the-way-for-grease-to-become-a-success

Anyone remember it?

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/16/22 at 12:27pm

Just tried to buy a copy at Barnes & Noble on 5th. Sold out. Sold out at the Drama Book Shop also. Drama Book Shop said they have 5 on order. Barne's said they flew off the shelf when Olivia passed.