Grease at Renaissance Theatre

Summary

Here is Rydell High’s senior class of 1959: duck-tailed, hot-rodding “Burger Palace Boys” and their gum-snapping, hip-shaking “Pink Ladies” in bobby sox and pedal pushers, evoking the look and sound of the 1950s in this rollicking musical. Head “greaser” Danny Zuko and new (good) girl Sandy Dumbrowski try to relive the high romance of their “Summer Nights” as the rest of the gang sings and dances its way through such songs as “Greased Lightnin’,” “It’s Raining on Prom Night,” “Alone at the Drive-In Movie” recalling the music of Buddy Holly, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley that became the soundtrack of a generation. An eight-year run on Broadway and two subsequent revivals, along with innumerable school and community productions place Grease among the world’s most popular musicals.

History

Grease debuted Off-Broadway on February 14, 1972 at the Eden Theatre in New York City. The show transferred to Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre, and later to the Royale Theatre, closing on April 13, 1980 after a record-breaking 3,388 performances. The film adaptation of Grease premiered in 1978 and became the highest-grossing movie musical of all time. Grease returned to Broadway twice, in a 1994 revival directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun and a 2007 revival directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall.

Directed by Michael Thomas
Musical Direction by Kelly Knowlton

Our Sponsors

Park National Bank Broadway Series

Accolades

Nominee: 1972 Tony Award® for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical
Nominee: 1994 Tony Award® for Best Revival of a Musical
Nominee: 2008 Tony Award® for Best Revival of a Musical

Media

“A seat-filling crowd pleaser... delivers miles of smiles and a night of nostalgic delight.” – Syracuse.com

“A lively and funny musical—as well as the dancingest one in town. It's a winner... the songs are dandies... with zip and charm. The sheer energy of Grease carries all before it” – New York Daily News

“Perhaps more than any other musical, Grease embodies those seven words most commonly heard in the theater just before the curtain rises: ‘Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.’” – Syracuse.com

“A fast-moving period piece that pays affectionate homage to the bittersweet coming-of-age of a group of blue-collar high school kids in the late 1950s.” – Chicago Sun-Times