Thomas Kail Says GREASE: LIVE is 'Just Like Getting Ready for Your First Preview'

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, director Thomas Kail, the helmer behind Broadway's newest smash hit musical HAMILTON, speaks about the challenges of taking on directing duties for FOX's GREASE LIVE. The show airs live this Sunday, January 31st 7:00-10:00 PM ET.

Commenting on what viewers can expect from choreographer Zach Woodlee's dance numbers, Kail shares, "Some of the larger numbers in the show have real movement in them. Obviously one of the keystones is that dance at the gym... with all respect to the "Dance at the Gym," in West Side Story. Our choreographer, Zach Woodlee, and I have had a lot of really fun conversations about how to take specific characters and make sure that we continue the narrative through that very substantial sequence where a lot of the intersection between our heroes is on the dance floor. That's one of the things I was particularly looking forward to in this show. Really, I could listen to "Hand Jive" seven times a day."

Despite being a veteran of live theater, Kail still has some trepidations heading into Sunday's broadcast, yet says that some of his fears are alleviated by knowing he'll be working side by side with live directing partner Alex Rudzinski. "We've been working in a way that I find great. One of the challenges of being a director is often you don't get to work with your peers. You know, writers can write together, and as a director you get to work with so many wonderful actors and writers and designers. But it's pretty rare that you get a chance to partner in that way with another director. What we've tried to do together is create a very clear tone and mode of storytelling. It's about making sure that it all feels integrated. Mostly, I just need to make sure I've given our cast everything they need to feel as confident as they can to give the most robust performance for this first "preview."

He adds, "This is just like getting ready for your first preview. In the theater you can work for months and months and months for one-night events. That's a very singular feeling. And so the job is the same; it's to get the show to a place where it's as bold as it can be to go meet that audience."

Asked what's ahead on his busy schedule, Kail reveals he will begin rehearsals at New York's Public Theater on a play by Sarah Burgess. "A week after Grease I start rehearsal on a play with four characters at the Public Theater. I'm sure there was something in my brain that just said, "Keep going." You know, Hal Prince always said, "The day your show opens make sure you have a production meeting for your next project." It's called Dry Powder, set in the world of private equity, by Sarah Burgess. I just really flipped for the play."

Read the interview in full here

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos