Grease Live (Fox) - General Discussion

[Pete Martell]

I couldn't tell if I disliked the new Frenchie song or if I just didn't like the way Carly Rae Jepsen sang it. She was trying to scrape out those lower notes and failing.

 

I think the idea of giving Frenchie a ballad to set up Teen Angel was not a bad one, and I didn't think it was a low point of the night or anything, but the song was just cheesy word salad. I guess you could say that's true of most of the songs added to the film, but most of them had a pretty tune or were fitting for the characters, or good cheese (like "Sandy"). I'm not sure if she couldn't sing it or if it was sound issues, but something wasn't quite there. I didn't hate it, but I saw the producer or director saying he hoped this would become a standard in other productions and...I don't know if I can see that happening.

[Irlandesa]

Has this been posted yet? (I've read the whole thread but don't click on many links while at work--I allow myself to procrastinate just so much.) 

 

It's a cool behind-the-scenes look at directing the show.

 

http://www.patspicks.com/carrie-havel-facebook-1584463570.html

[Pete Martell]

Oh my god, they're keeping Sandy in there? Ugh, that tune is horrible! It felt like pure fan service to John Travolta fans.

 

Funnily enough as it turned out this ended up being one of the moments I liked Tveit most as Danny. It's cheesy cheesy cheesy, but he sold the desperation of lovestruck and stupid Danny. My favorite guilty pleasure of all those songs in the film is the pathetic, "Oh Sandy..." at the end. With a "modern" production I wasn't sure if they'd still allow that or if they'd try to make it ironic or just cut it out entirely. They left it in, and actually helped make it a bit more poignant too.

[methodwriter85]

Yeah, to be honest, I actually liked Aaron's version of it.

 

I do agree that the girls were broader, although Keke Palmer's Marty affectations made sense to me. She was basically a parody of a vamp, and that made sense, although I would have liked it if we had seen Marty drop the vixen act.

[SiobhanJW]

Has this been posted yet? (I've read the whole thread but don't click on many links while at work--I allow myself to procrastinate just so much.) 

 

It's a cool behind-the-scenes look at directing the show.

 

http://www.patspicks.com/carrie-havel-facebook-1584463570.html

This is really cool, thanks for sharing!

[Guest]

I caught it last night on Hulu.  I thought it was fun.  I probably wouldn't have watched if it wasn't Hough.  I'm glad she lost that affected country twang she first sang with, for her country music.  I thought all their singing was good.

 

Never heard of Tveit and while I thought he was passable as Danny I'm not left wanting to hunt down his other work or anything.  

 

I too found the T-birds blended together.

 

The rebroadcast didn't have crackling during Hopelessly Devoted but the sound was about half-volume for a minute or two in the diner scene before Carly's solo, and was completely soundless for a minute or so of the dance-off.  I'm surprised they couldn't/didn't fix those for the non-live version.  

[cpcathy]

If you can get through Les Miserables, you will be rewarded, he's fantastic in it.

[WendyCR72]

For those who liked/loved this, the DVD is already up for preorder at Amazon.

[dubbel zout]

I swear the sound in Summer Nights was better than I remember it being the first time I watched it.

 

Apparently they cleaned up the sound between the live broadcast and the West Coast re-airing. 

[BW Manilowe]

If you can get through Les Miserables, you will be rewarded, he's fantastic in it.

And on TV, Aaron Tveit was also in the cast of the show Graceland, which recently ended (after something like a 3-season run) on USA Network.

[Kromm]

Apparently they cleaned up the sound between the live broadcast and the West Coast re-airing.

Yeah, and the streaming version is based on that, I'm guessing.

 

Really that part where the sound completely goes for a few seconds was the only part that was really all that bad on it.

[methodwriter85]

Apparently they cleaned up the sound between the live broadcast and the West Coast re-airing. 

I saw the OnDemand airing twice- the second time I saw it, I could've sworn that they took out Boyz II Men doing a MoTown Philly rift, and that the sound in Summer Nights was better. They might have tweaked it more than once.

[Nite Ryder]

For those who liked/loved this, the DVD is already up for preorder at Amazon.

 

That's going to look real nice next to The Wiz Live!.  I really wish a "making of" special were included because those 1 minute snippets ain't going to cut it.  

[Dobian]

I just watched it on demand just now.  Now that was special.  Bravo!  I especially loved the intricate timing, the quick costume changes, the movement between the sets.  I thought all the performances were well done, the choreography was fun to watch, and Julianne Hough was perfectly cast.  Also great to see people from the original film like Didi Conn.  So much high energy and exuberance throughout, I smiled the whole time.  It's great when you can watch a gem like this on tv.

[ByaNose]

The only part I thought that went on too long was the cheerleading sequence. I guess they wanted to let us know that Julianne can really dance and/or kick her legs real high. Which I think everyone already knows. They had great ratings. I also would really like the behind the scenes in between commercial stuff. Apparently, Juilanne had like a 1 minute & 27 seconds to get from the house to the next set. They did show her running from the house and jumping onto the golf cart. It's after that which would be neat to see.

[BW Manilowe]

This will be repeated on Fox on March 27th. That's the Sunday after their live broadcast of The Passion.

[methodwriter85]

After the live+3 viewings, Grease Live hit 14 million. Not bad. It really did pay off for Fox. I'm still really impressed at how well they pulled this off despite all the moving parts to this.

[Kromm]

After the live+3 viewings, Grease Live hit 14 million. Not bad. It really did pay off for Fox. I'm still really impressed at how well they pulled this off despite all the moving parts to this.

Fox themselves must have had a hint beforehand, since they greenlit The Rocky Horror Picture Show long before Grease Live even aired (latest news on that: Adam Lambert will have the Meatloaf role).

 

That said... Rocky Horror's apparently not going to be done live at all. Oh well.

 

Edited February 6, 2016 by Kromm

[methodwriter85]

All I know is that I don't want the Rocky Horror Show to get as censored as it did when they did the Glee version. "I'm just a sweet transvestite from sensational Transylvania?" Fuck that. I get that we can't see everybody's breasts, but I was at least a TV-14 version of it.

[WendyCR72]

All I know is that I don't want the Rocky Horror Show to get as censored as it did when they did the Glee version. "I'm just a sweet transvestite from sensational Transylvania?" Fuck that. I get that we can't see everybody's breasts, but I was at least a TV-14 version of it.

 

Since it's on Fox (same as Glee and Grease Live, which did get censored) and will likely be on prime time, I see this being sanitized as hell.

 

Probably why the original movie has/had midnight showings!

[jennifer6973]

Plus Fox only has two hours of PT TV compared to 3 for the other Networks, unless Fox starts at 7.  In that case, yes there will be a lot of censorship since most of it airs in the times most children are still up.

[LisaM]

I watched my dvr recording last night and thought it was great. Can't believe they pulled off a live version with the actors running/golf carting from set to set. Cracked up as the second golf cart hit the curb and Eve Plumb started yelling. Thought that the boys all blended together - except for Danny - and liked most of the girls. Particularly liked Blanche and the Principal. So nice to see Didi Conn from the original. Really liked the last number and was pleased to see that the entire cast got to take personalized curtain calls.

[paulvdb]

Plus Fox only has two hours of PT TV compared to 3 for the other Networks, unless Fox starts at 7.  In that case, yes there will be a lot of censorship since most of it airs in the times most children are still up.

Fox has three hours of primetime on Sunday, starting at 7. So if Rocky Horror is on Sunday they can have three hours (minus commercials) just like Grease.

[iMonrey]

Finally got around to watching this. I'll give it props just for its ambition - much more elaborate than any of the musicals NBC has done. Overall I thought it was pretty good.

 

But . . . I simply do not understand why they keep trying to make the stage plays more like the movies. They this with The Wiz and they did it with Grease too. I don't understand the thinking here. Is it "Oh, well people are more familiar with the movie than the play so we have to make it more like the movie because . . . " why exactly? Isn't the whole point supposed to be a live stage production rather than a movie? I don't get it.

[methodwriter85]

I did think it was stupid that they needed to recreate so much from the movie, right down to the outfits. I wanted to see more of the stage version.

[luckyroll3]

Just watched this and it wasn't bad, but it wasn't that great.  I am not a fan of Vanessa Hudgens' acting or singing; and while her acting was as I expected, I must say she sounded amazing during Rizzo's solo.

 

I was fine with Julianne Hough...when she wasn't singing.

 

Loved Doody and had to research where I knew him from.  And Carly Rae Jepson did well with Pinky.  Everyone else seemed a bit miscast.  Keke Palmer would have been good, but she was trying waaaay too hard.  And the Nickelodeon kid was no Kineke.  He just wasn't cool, or bad assed enough for me.    The supporting cast was pretty good though.

 

Now I'm off to find my DVD of the movie!

[cpcathy]

It may be blasphemy, but I would take this version over the movie.

[methodwriter85]

I think the idea of giving Frenchie a ballad to set up Teen Angel was not a bad one, and I didn't think it was a low point of the night or anything, but the song was just cheesy word salad. I guess you could say that's true of most of the songs added to the film, but most of them had a pretty tune or were fitting for the characters, or good cheese (like "Sandy"). I'm not sure if she couldn't sing it or if it was sound issues, but something wasn't quite there. I didn't hate it, but I saw the producer or director saying he hoped this would become a standard in other productions and...I don't know if I can see that happening.

 

It's funny how that happens, though. When the film production of Bye, Bye Birdie happened, the writer was basically forced to write a title song to be sung by Ann-Margaret, so he basically rushed it. Now it's basically a standard in the show. I remember when Mad Men aired that homage to it, people talked on TWOP about how they definitely remember the title song being part of their high school production even though it's not supposed to be.

 

I think my problem with the song is that it doesn't feel like a 1950's throwback, and it doesn't fit into the tone of the show. It really does sound like it could've been a song in Next to Normal. But then again, you never know, it could become a standard.

 

Anyway, here's Aaron Tveit talking about how they pulled off the show:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YzrSNwB3GE

 

I'm even more impressed with These Magic Changes after realizing that there were five costume changes during it.

 

I really do hope that this show introduced a whole new generation of people to this show.

Edited February 10, 2016 by methodwriter85

[JustaPerson]

I remember seeing Those Magic Changes and thinking "he changed his clothes again!"

[Petunia13]

A lot of faults but wow it taught me I would be absolutely thrilled to see a live or broadway production of Grease.

I love the movie but it is made for theater the energy and songs would be thrilling to see in the moment.

[BW Manilowe]

Fox will rebroadcast Grease Live! on Sunday, March 27th (Easter Sunday). This time, it'll be a "sing along" version with the song lyrics on the screen. Various cast members will also be live Tweeting along with the show.

http://m.onwithmario.com/onair/on-with-mario-54505/fox-to-reair-grease-live-14442708/

[Dobian]

Fox will rebroadcast Grease Live! on Sunday, March 27th (Easter Sunday). This time, it'll be a "sing along" version with the song lyrics on the screen. Various cast members will also be live Tweeting along with the show.

http://m.onwithmario.com/onair/on-with-mario-54505/fox-to-reair-grease-live-14442708/

 

Cool, I'll remember to record it this time.

[BW Manilowe]

This Sunday is the "Sing Along" rebroadcast (with the song lyrics posted onscreen, & I think Live Tweeted commentary by various cast members) of Grease Live!. I think it's airing from 7-10PM Eastern on Fox.

[cpcathy]

The show is now on Netflix Streaming.

[katisha]

I haven't had Netflix very long and this was never shown live on Australian TV that I know of, so I've only just gotten around to seeing this tonight, only a year or so since everyone else did!  But here are my very, very late thoughts on the production from someone who was born and raised on Grease, the movie.

• First, the leads.  I've never seen Aaron Tveit in anything, or Julianne Hough, but neither were quite right for me.  He DID look too old, as many have said, and was not convincing as a bad boy, but boy can sing!  Julianne is obviously an excellent dancer but her acting was so-so and her singing was weak.  It would be nice to see Grease for once with a Sandy who is a true triple threat, because Olivia in the movie was obviously fine with the singing, so-so on the acting and her dancing, while she tried hard, was never that good either.  You only have to watch that scene in Xanadu (if you can sit through the rest of the movie!) where she dances with Gene Kelly.  He's in his 70s and he's STILL dancing her off the screen. 
• For a SYTYCD fan, the big dance numbers were great fun, spotting favourite former contestants like Adechike, Marko, Courtney, etc. 
• I was pleasantly surprised by Vanessa Hudgens, who I expected to dislike as Rizzo, but she was pretty good.  And what a trouper, going on with the show after the terrible news she had.  I also like Carly Rae as Frenchy but that song she sang before Beauty School Drop-Out was just wrong.  It was badly sung and it didn't fit in with the 1950s feel of the show for me.
• I did NOT like Boys II Men as the Teen Angel.  I agree their pitch wasn't great but also, they were melismating too much.  I know that's how they do things but it wasn't in keeping with the music style of the day.  Doo-w** was sung very "straight" without extra ornamentation.
• Was this special aired really early in the evening in the US?  I couldn't believe what they did to the lyrics of Greased Lightning.  I mean, in the 1970s when that song was on the radio, it was "edited" to get rid of the worst bits like "pussy wagon", etc, but I thought we were way past that in this day and age.  Why did the chicks need to be "screaming" for Greased Lighting?  And yet they left in the line where Rizzo asks Zuko whether he's going to flog his log, after he's just told her that he doesn't want to go out with her and Kenickie because "Sloppy seconds ain't my style."
• I wasn't bothered that most of the cast looked waaaaay older than the should as "teenagers" because as many have pointed out, that was mostly the case in the movie too.
• I thought it was a nice touch that one of the dancers was a little heavier than usual, because there was a chubby dancer in the movie too who is especially prominent in We'll Always Be Together. 
• Eve Plumb/Jan Brady was an inspired choice as Mrs Murdock.  Loved her!
• Was lovely to see Didi Conn and Barry Pearl in the cast from the original movie.  I was always a fan of Didi's.
• Finally, I loved the last scene with the golf carts and the cast bows, so much like an actual stage show. 

All in all, this was a nice twist on an old favourite.  Not sure I could have sat through the Sound of Music that people have been referring to.  Carrie Underwood as Maria?!

[Dee]

The best part of The Sound Of Music was Audra McDonald imo.

[Sara2009]

18 hours ago, Dee said:

The best part of The Sound Of Music was Audra McDonald imo.

Agreed. Laura Benanti was enjoyable too,though.