Grease Live (Fox) - General Discussion

[hjmugillecuty]

Isn't Derek Hough the natural choice for Grease 2?

[Branchop]

The women outshone the men. Except for Worst Things, I didn't really like Vanessa. I liked to loved Julianne at various times. And I loved Carly Rae.

Men were blah....

[SmithW6079]

I'm disappointed they used the movie song for Sandy's transformation, not the stage show one. Still, gotta love a musical that tells girls the way to get their man is to start dressing like a tramp and smoke.

Interesting wrinkle to say Sandy wasn't allowed to go to dances. Shades of Footloose?

I took that more as a meta joke because the actress playing Sandy is a professional dancer, isn't she?

This isn't really a keeper on my DVR.

Edited February 1, 2016 by SmithW6079

[FlyingEgret]

Have to admit I really enjoyed the choreography of We'll Always Be Together. Well done

[merylinkid]

Really cool ending.   I loved how they jumped in the golf carts and headed to the outside set.

 

Loved that everyone got their bows at the end.

[tobeannounced]

Aww, I really liked that, especially the ending.  Had the energy of a live show that is always so exciting.  Could definitely have been two hours instead of three though.

[mtlchick]

The second bus hitting the sidewalk...man if that tipped that would be one awkward ending.  

 

Sound issues and sanatized lyrics aside, I thought it was....well not the disaster of Peter Pan, so there's that.  I will give them credit in staging a HUGE production on multiple stages and actors racing between them.  But I'm mixed to the live audience being RIGHT THERE.  The actors fed off of it but it's like they borrowed the sway bots from American Idol; "someone moved!  SCREAM!!!"  And as I mentioned before, them being mixed in with the extras was very distracting.

 

MVP for me was Carly Rae with strong honourable mention to Vanessa.  Julianne was pretty hit or miss on the singing, but glad to see her dance again.  Aaron?  I see why some of my friends love him, but he didn't do much for me. 

Edited February 1, 2016 by mtlchick

[callie lee 29]

Really liked the ending where they gave the background dancers their moment. That was classy.  I also liked how (if I caught this right) they dedicated the show to Vanessa's father. I know she was dedicating her performance to him, but nice they did the whole production. 

[ExplainItAgain]

The production at the end was really impressive. I loved the golf cart thing. The second car hit the curb!

 

All in all, I thought it was pretty good. I thought VH was a little too nice, but she sang the hell out of Worse Things, that was the best vocal of the night. Kudos to her after her dad's passing yesterday.

 

How did they do the car change during Grease Lightning? That was amazing.

[dbell1]

It was a fun entertaining way to spend a Sunday night. And kudos to Vanessa Hudgens going on after losing her dad. I couldn't have done it. Plus, she made a fine Rizzo. Julianne Hough has never really annoyed me, so I thought she was a sweet choice for Sandy.

[ByaNose]

We almost lost Jan Brady on the second bus. I saw it was too close to the curb and sure enough it jumped the curb. Eve Plumb was holding on for dear life and laughing hysterically.

Edited February 1, 2016 by ByaNose

[absnow54]

Imagine they raced golf carts around the lot for the big street racing scene. That would have been amazing.

[Artsda]

Major kudos to Vanessa for doing this and live hours after losing her father. 

[laffytaffy997]

I thought they were going to do "We Go Together" in the school gym there for second, which would have been highly amusing since it would look almost exactly like the High School Musical ending.

[cmahorror]

Julianne seemed to really light up when she was finally allowed to be slutty Sandy.

 

All in all, it was a lot of fun and I enjoyed it which is all I really want from a musical.

 

Seconding the call for Grease 2 live - I need to see Reproduction done live!

[Charlie Baker]

Came in skeptical.  Grease ain't my favorite musical, though I will admit that I've seen the movie MANY times.  But this--I left impressed.  They spent a lot, the tech stuff was mostly mind boggling.  I'll forgive the sound glitches.  And the performances were committed, high energy all the way.  I basically had a blast.

[Snow Apple]

I took that more as a meta joke because the actress playing Sandy is a professional dancer, isn't she?

 

She was also in the remake of Footloose.

[mtlchick]

Imagine they raced golf carts around the lot for the big street racing scene. That would have been amazing.

 

Considering how semi meta they were, that would have been outstanding.  But I'm guessing for safety concerns they couldn't do it.

 

For a moment I wished they added Travolta and Newton-John as Sandy's parents telling her she's not allowed to go to dances.  Now THAT would have lit up the internet.

[lizzie3]

Of all the live musicals that have been broadcast lately, I must say that this one is my favourite so far!  I thought the production value was impressive - that was a big endeavour with all of those sets and quick changes.  Julianne Hough was better than expected, as was Carly Rae Jepsen, and I was majorly impressed with Vanessa Hudgens (especially given the circumstances).  All words I never thought I'd say!  They really won me over with Boys II Men and "Beauty School Dropout"; improved upon the original version of that song, in my opinion.  Overall, an enjoyable way to spend a Sunday night.  Bravo to the cast & crew!

[Bwill3133]

Didn't know if I was going to watch it but I ended up really liking it. Kudos to Vanessa Hudgens to doing this hours after her dad passed away. Her version of "There are Worse Things I Could Do" was one of my favorites. The cast did look old but the movie version did too so it didn't really bother me.

Julianne Hough has never bothered me and she got better as the show went on I think. Even after acting for a few years it's clear she's much more comfortable dancing which she is very good at so of course she would be. I thought her and Aaron Tveit worked as Danny and Sandy.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Bwill3133

[mtlchick]

 

Julianne Hough has never bothered me and she got better as the show went on I think. Even after acting for a few years it's clear she's much more comfortable dancing which she is very good at so of course she would be. I

She reminds me a lot of J Lo.  Lopez isn't the greatest singer or actress (though I think she's doing solid work on Shades of Blue) but I look forward to her live performances because she's in her element when she dances.  Which is why I was like "Julianne is in this?  Well I know her dancing is going to kick ass so we've got one out of three!" 

[rags]

Any time I've seen Grease whether it was a high school, college, regional or broadway production....if ya can't get Summer Nights right....all downhill from there. Tonight's Summer Nights was really bad. No charisma. Weak voices. And audience is distracting.

 

IMHO, the TV live production is horrible. Just horrible.

 

Everyone is mediocre at best. Way too old for these parts.

 

But I hate to admit this, I really, really like Carly Rae. She sparkled as Frenchy.

[tom87]

I'll give them props for trying the huge production of it all.

 

The singing was sub par for the most part  but the dancing was probably the best of the live musicals and on a much bigger scale.

 

Carley Rea Jepsen was better then expected,  Vanessa did a solid job so props to her.   

 

I actually thought Beauty school drop out of one was one the weakest parts of the show.  It had no humor to it they just sang the song ans had no reaction from he dancers or Frenchie.

 

Oh and the quick changes were impressive.

Edited February 1, 2016 by tom87

[BabyVegas]

To be fair, I've mostly seen the movie version. The only time I saw the stage version was at my own high school. But from a pure performance standpoint, I kind of slid into hate-watching this thing. I mean, Wendell Pierce was phenomenal, as always, but I thought that most of the main cast just didn't have the charm of the movie cast. Travolta is, in my opinion, cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, but when he played Danny he out-charmed Aaron Tevit by like, a factor of ten. Vanessa Hudgens acquitted herself well, although she's no Stockard Channing. I mostly thought Julianne Hough's acting was fine, but she clearly doesn't have anything approaching Olivia Newton-John's chops. I couldn't tell if it was Hough or the sound mixing, but she kept getting lost throughout Summer Nights and at that very final bit where the key changes, the discordance was almost painful.

I will say, this production seemed like more of a parody, which I believe the original stage show was intended to be.

[SnoGirl]

I just felt like no one was having fun until the end. Once they jumped into those carts, it was like a giant weight was lifted off their shoulders and they were just having a party.

I liked parts of the show. Vanessa did amazing, especially her song she sang solo. She looked like she was really trying to project Rizzonthe entire time.

I big like the productions go big or go home mentality. The sets were pretty cool and I thought they were in a real school at one point.

I also wish we would have seen Travolta and Newton-John as Sandy's parents. That would have been crazy!

[ivygirl]

Vanessa Hudgens--cast solely for the High School Musical hat tip?--was truly admirable in what she pulled off, emotionally. I can't even imagine.

I think Hough has been fine, and Carly Rae's been great.

My problem is the guys.   They do not look like T-Birds.  They look like they are all the most popular guys in school instead of greaser outsiders.

Yes to this, and...  

 

Aaron is channeling Luke Perry circa 1991, sideburns, wrinkles and all.  And yet...he's no Luke Perry.

 

Haha, THIS. Came here to post this and knew someone on the earlier watch would've seen it, too :) 

Why doesn't Ana never say Rydell High? It's always Rydell.

Maybe she's looking at all the students and thinks she's at Rydell Junior College?

[cynic]

I love Aaron Tveit, but you guys are right that he looks far too old for this. Plus, he just seems miscast as a greaser.

 

I think Kiki is over doing it....and nobody is Rizzo but Stockard Channing.

When did Keke turn into Eartha Kitt? It doesn't fit at all. She looked great in that green dress though. Stockard will always be Rizzo, but I think Hudgens is doing a good job considering the circumstances.

 

The sound mix is terrible, so I can't really enjoy the singing, but the choreography and production values have been great. Now I need to go listen to some vintage Boyz II Men.

Edited February 1, 2016 by cynic

[WendyCR72]

Wow. I was looking up some Grease movie info. Did y'all know Kenickie and Sandy (Jeff Conaway and Olivia Newton-John, obviously!) were briefly in-laws? Per Conaway's bio, his first wife was Rona Newton-John, Olivia's sister, from 1980 to 1985.

[lark37]

I said this in the "Live" comments section--but yes other than trying to copy the clothes and some of the songs that were only in the movie, this production was pretty true to the stage version.  The stage version doesn't really allow for much "acting" or character development.  It just races from song to song.  In that respect, I prefer the movie.  Granted I am a huge Aaron Tveit fan, but yes, he looked a little too old for the part of Danny.  But, he is a better singer than Travolta and is a darn fine dancer.  I can see comparing Tveit and Travolta, but I don't get the Luke Perry stuff--hated 90201 and to my knowledge Luke Perry doesn't sing and dance and was never nominated for a Tony.  I'm surprised by the negativity here about this show.  I didn't watch "The Sound of Music" because Carrie Underwood  as Maria absolutely killed me and I just couldn't bring myself to watch.  The Wiz was pretty good and fairly well casted. They tried doing this with a live audience and maybe the grinning mugging audience was too much?!  I don't know.  It didn't bother me.  I am just hoping that Fox will try their hand at another musical.  

[DearEvette]

Except for the big dance numbers and the ending, the show really felt very low energy.  I was actually pretty bored and found myself waiting for the musical numbers.

 

I will say the camera work was amazing.  It was a feat that with all the camera switches you didn't mistakenly see any stray cameras or mics or anything in a shot.  The technical planning had to be a monster and they pulled it off.

 

And I loved the actress who played Blanche.  She had such a few tiny parts but man she made the most of them and stole the scene every time.  My eye was drawn to her every time she was on screen.  Some times she never even had dialogue but her face! 

[Frost]

http://www.justjaredjr.com/2016/01/31/vanessa-hudgenss-grease-live-rendition-of-there-are-worse-things-i-could-do-watch-now/

 

Here's a link to Vanessa singing There are Worse Things.  It's just as impressive as when I heard it live.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Frost

[Badger]

In the "Mad Magazine" parody, at the end someone said, (Paraphrasing) "So the best way to get the guy is to dress like a slut?"  "Wow, what a wonderful message for the youth of America!"

[Sara2009]

I said this in the "Live" comments section--but yes other than trying to copy the clothes and some of the songs that were only in the movie, this production was pretty true to the stage version. The stage version doesn't really allow for much "acting" or character development. It just races from song to song. In that respect, I prefer the movie. Granted I am a huge Aaron Tveit fan, but yes, he looked a little too old for the part of Danny. But, he is a better singer than Travolta and is a darn fine dancer. I can see comparing Tveit and Travolta, but I don't get the Luke Perry stuff--hated 90201 and to my knowledge Luke Perry

doesn't sing and dance and was never nominated for a Tony. I'm surprised by the negativity here about this show. I didn't watch "The Sound of Music" because Carrie Underwood as Maria absolutely killed me and I just couldn't bring myself to watch. The Wiz was pretty good and fairly well casted. They tried doing this with a live audience and maybe the grinning mugging audience was too much?! I don't know. It didn't bother me. I am just hoping that Fox will try their hand at another

musical.

Aaron Tveit has never been nominated for a Tony either.

I get your over all point, though.

[BW Manilowe]

I said this in the "Live" comments section--but yes other than trying to copy the clothes and some of the songs that were only in the movie, this production was pretty true to the stage version. The stage version doesn't really allow for much "acting" or character development. It just races from song to song. In that respect, I prefer the movie. Granted I am a huge Aaron Tveit fan, but yes, he looked a little too old for the part of Danny. But, he is a better singer than Travolta and is a darn fine dancer. I can see comparing Tveit and Travolta, but I don't get the Luke Perry stuff--hated 90201 and to my knowledge Luke Perry doesn't sing and dance and was never nominated for a Tony. I'm surprised by the negativity here about this show. I didn't watch "The Sound of Music" because Carrie Underwood as Maria absolutely killed me and I just couldn't bring myself to watch. The Wiz was pretty good and fairly well casted. They tried doing this with a live audience and maybe the grinning mugging audience was too much?! I don't know. It didn't bother me. I am just hoping that Fox will try their hand at another musical.

They will be. As you may have seen during the commercials, they're doing The Passion in March, on Palm Sunday.

Edited February 1, 2016 by BW Manilowe

[ByaNose]

Rewatching it again (no life) and it isn't that bad. I thought the Dance Off was the best part. It was full of energy. I also liked the behind the scenes stuff where everyone is running from one stage to another and jumping on their carts for the next shot. One of the commercials showed Julliane finishing Hopelessly Devoted, walking into the house and then running out of the house and jumping on the cart for her next spot. I give the director and producers a lot of credit for pulling it off. In the end, the live audience didn't bother me and I think the actors and dancers fed off the live vibe.

[SmithW6079]

I can see comparing Tveit and Travolta, but I don't get the Luke Perry stuff--hated 90201 and to my knowledge Luke Perry doesn't sing and dance and was never nominated for a Tony.

I think it's more about their looks -- Luke Perry was in his 30s for much of 90210; Aaron Tveit is 32. I was reminded of an early episode of The Simpsons, where the ersatz Luke Perry smiles and his face devolves into a mass of wrinkles. Edited February 1, 2016 by SmithW6079

[ivygirl]

I think it's more about their looks -- Luke Perry was in his 30s for much of 90210; Aaron Tveit is 32. I was reminded of an early episode of The Simpsons, where the ersatz Luke Perry smiles and his face devolves into a mass of wrinkles.

Yes, definitely the looks (and moreso the styling). For me, it's the faux-James-Dean thing--plus the association with Fox. Nothing to do with singing and dancing.

The dance numbers have been great.

Edited February 1, 2016 by ivygirl

[VCRTracking]

"Those Magic Changes" is one of my favorite songs from the musical and it was never really done justice in the movie. This Jordan Fisher kid as "Doody" did a great job with it.

 

Casting the original movie "Frenchie" Didi Cohn as "Vi" was a brilliant move.

 

I kept expecting Boyz II Men to break out into "I'll Make Love To You" in the middle of "Beauty School Dropout"!

 

Keke Palmer really looks like Angela Basset as Tina Turner.

 

The beginning of the gym dance sequence was pretty impressive I thought but nothing can beat the movie version of "Hand Jive" for me.

 

People were complaining earlier about how it looked like they cut "Hopelessly Devoted To You" for Marty's song(which was in the stage version), but the placement after the dance works better. Julianne Hough's not Olivia but I liked her performance.

 

Loved Ana Gasteyer.

Edited February 1, 2016 by VCRTracking

[Rebecca]

I only saw the last 70-80 minutes and I enjoyed it. I found it funny they all are so old and playing teens, it reminded me of the original movie. As a kid i thought they all looked 35 when I saw the movie. Vanessa did Worse Things really well. I think she's younger than most of them but even she's 27!

I'm bummed I never realized Eve Plumb was in this as I was watching it! No one I was with caught that either.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Rebecca

[Misslindsey]

 

But I'm mixed to the live audience being RIGHT THERE.  The actors fed off of it but it's like they borrowed the sway bots from American Idol; "someone moved!  SCREAM!!!"  And as I mentioned before, them being mixed in with the extras was very distracting.

I hated the live audience. It just did not work for me. You are right that the actors fed off of it and they get immediate reactions from the live audience, but I did not like it.

 

I love Aaron Tveit. I loved him in Next to Normal and he was one of the bright spots in Les Miz, but he did look too old.  I thought he looked younger in all the press leading up to this than styled as Danny Zuko. For me, I think it was the styling that did not work with Aaron. It was obviously necessary to have the certain Danny style, but maybe it was too much. I do not know. He looked old, but I could let it slide more than the Lost Men during Peter Pan. I still love Aaron's voice though Grease isn't necessarily the place for him to really show it off. 

 

Carly Rae was a surprise for me, and one of the better parts. I give Vanessa mad props for doing very well tonight under the circumstances. Julianne was just kind of there for me. I did not particularly love anything she did (well she danced great, but that seemed like a given), nor did I really hate anything she did. Her singing was weak though.

 

The production values were great and all the people that were involved in the logistics are awesome, but I did not love it. I liked The Sound of Music Live more than Grease, though it was better than Peter Pan. I still prefer The Wiz over them all. I do like that more networks are attempting the live musical. 

[Irlandesa]

 I am just hoping that Fox will try their hand at another musical.  

In addition to The Passion, they are doing a remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  I don't believe that will be live, though.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Irlandesa

[Misslindsey]

 

In addition to The Passion, they are doing a remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  I don't believe that will be lieve, though.

I do not know if PBS still does it, but they used to air musicals and plays (not live) that were shot onstage. I remember Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, In the Heights, and others that they would show occasionally. I have no idea if they still show them.

[ByaNose]

I was also surprised to see how Kiki did her USO number. Apparently, she had a robe over a dress over a dress & back to robe again. She did it so seemingly that I thought it was pre-taped. The costume designer deserves a lot of praise for the costumes and the quick changes needed for the actors.

[Pete Martell]

I think it's more about their looks -- Luke Perry was in his 30s for much of 90210; Aaron Tveit is 32. I was reminded of an early episode of The Simpsons, where the ersatz Luke Perry smiles and his face devolves into a mass of wrinkles.

 

For me it was less Luke Perry and more Maxwell Caulfield...only a bit older, of course. 

 

I almost didn't watch this because I can't take Julianne Hough, but I did end up watching some.

 

The thing for me is that I'm so used to the movie, which was pure cheese, but slick and fast, guzzled down before you pay much attention to the taste. I've never seen a live production of Grease, but some of the performances here struggled with the quasi-reality and mechanics compared to the editing of the film. Greased Lightning - for instance. While Tveit was not Travolta in charisma or panache, he was decent enough, but bits like the men opening their legs for random bulge displays, and the women being brought out to bump and grind (for a moment I thought it was going to turn into porn - it had the same type of lighting as those old soft core movies) - I had no idea what was going on or why it deviated so much from the original idea (dumb boys horsing around in the garage). I did like the part where the guys were leaping around - very creative and athletic.

 

Rizzo was always my favorite part of the movie...I don't think anyone could compare to Stockard Channing to me, so I can't be fair there. I will certainly praise Vanessa Hudgens for giving her all in such terrible circumstances. A lot of people see acting as a whim or as being paid for nothing, but she certainly showed what true performers manage to accomplish.

Edited February 1, 2016 by Pete Martell

[solea]

"I took that more as a meta joke because the actress playing Sandy is a professional dancer, isn't she?"

I laughed at her line, " Who wants to watch a bunch of amateur dancers on tv?" Talk about meta.

The camera work and overall logistics and choreography of the production as a whole were amazing. But the miccing of most of the singing left a lot to be desired. I think that contributed to the lagging energy in many scenes. Also, were sound issues the reason some songs were tracks for the West coast airing? Specifically SandraDee and Sandy.

[LakeGal]

I wanted to like this more than I did.  I found some parts really good. But at times the background singers drowned out the leads.

 

Danny and Sandy had no chemistry.  I thought Julianne was weak on her songs.  Nobody can top her dancing.  But she just is not a strong enough singer to compete with the others.  I thought Vanessa and Carly Rae did great. 

[merylinkid]

 

I thought the Dance Off was the best part. It was full of energy.

 

I thought that too.   I thought the ending also had a ton of energy.   I think having a bunch of people dancing gave the main cast extra energy.   Because when it was just the main cast, it just fell flat.  

 

Not helped by the fact that the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies had zero chemistry with each other.   When the show is a love story, chemisty with the couples is so important.

 

It can't be said enough -- Eve Plumb stole the show.  

[VCRTracking]

Eve was like "Oh shit!" and holding on to dear life when the second cart carrying them drove over a curb on the way outside and tipped over a little!

 

Lin-Manuel Miranda ‏@Lin_Manuel 3h3 hours ago Miami Beach, FL

MY PARENTS DON'T EVEN TRUST ME TO PULL THE CAR OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY AND TVEIT HAS THE CASTS' LIVES IN HIS HANDS ON NATIONAL TV

 

Edited February 1, 2016 by VCRTracking

[Misslindsey]

I wonder if the lagging energy was because it was a bit too ambitious. The singing, dancing, quick changes, being rushed from set to set, and other factors could be part of the reason it seemed to lack energy and fun. The ending is when they all actually looked like they were having fun.

[Rick Kitchen]

Aaron Tveit with black hair.  Hm.

 

I don't like the breaking of the fourth wall during the intro, and the actors using cell phones.  Let's do this for real.

 

I was wondering how they were going to deal with the rain.

 

Hating the screaming crowd.

 

Poor Vanessa.

 

I don't know, there is so little energy in this so far ... It did pick up about a third of the way through, though.

 

They really did use "Did she put up a fight?"  That line needs to be retired.

 

They left "Greased Lightnin'" for Danny even though it was a Kenickie song before the movie.

 

Didi Conn!

 

Apparently they had camera problems when Sandy and Danny made up because it looked like they were supposed to be showing Tom while the conversation went on, but we never got to see him.

 

Frenchy's song was pretty. I thought Carly did a good job

 

Oh, man, the choreo during "Beauty School Dropout"!  Love it.

 

Joe Jonas?

 

I really don't like the actress playing Patty Simcox.

 

So that was Eve Plumb as the shop teacher, right?

 

The guy playing Leo, Rizzo's date at the dance off, spins in the reverse direction from everybody else.  I looked him up, he's Australian.

 

Loved the Hand Jive.

 

Julianne has a nice voice.  Her "Hopelessly Devoted" was really good,

 

Wow, Vanessa killed it.

 

I think Eugene was supposed to make that pie in the face.

 

Who played Blanche?

 

I got a little nervous watching those carts making curves on the wet pavement and looking like they were about to turn over.