Grease Live!

Pretty ambitious staging (inside/ outside). Weather not cooperating. Julianna Hough is adorable. Cary Rae Jepson is a great frenchie.  So much fun! (and yes, I realize it's just a big cheese-fest)

I didn't watch but now I'm kinda wishing I did! Seems like it got great reception from my friends, at least on social media.

I am a total purest when it comes to Grease, since it it about my generation, no one can beat the original movie cast, so no, did not watch.

of course it couldn't beat the original and there were some duds in the cast for sure but I thought overall they did a good job and the 2 leads were very good. It was really incredible what they pulled off from a staging/production perspective and I thought they did a great job. It was fun. The choreography was fantastic and the use of a live audience in scenes as extras was weirdly brilliant. The little sneaks to how they got from set to set were really interesting.

I'll be curious to hear what changed due to rain. I am guessing the "you're the one that I want" scene was supposed to be outside and "hopelessly devoted" was still done outside in front of her house but she stayed on the porch the whole time- I bet she was supposed to move down to the little pol but they ditched it because of the rain. I thought the whole thing was just fascinating and they all did a really good job with it.

I loved it.  Was really impressed/surprised by Vanessa Hudgens. Interestingly, it was directed by Tommy Kail, director of Hamilton and In the Heights.

the direction and staging was amazing.

I just read that Vanessa Hudgens' father had died earlier in the day yesterday.

They had an audience for this one, right? I think that would have made a HUGE difference in the past NBC productions and I don't know why they didn't plan it that way. They have all of these legitimate theatre stars who certainly know the value of an audience's reaction and energy.

There was a nice moment during the "curtain call." Barry Pearl and Didi Conn, members of the original movie cast who had small roles last night, came out in their T-Bird and Pink Lady jackets.

chalmers said:

There was a nice moment during the "curtain call." Barry Pearl and Didi Conn, members of the original movie cast who had small roles last night, came out in their T-Bird and Pink Lady jackets.

I loved that! In fact I loved the whole production  Pleasantly surprised , shocked actually , by Julianne  she is really a talented dancer, singer AND actress  

Based on the above comments, it sounds like it was very well done, might watch it on demand, if it is going to be on demand.

TarheelsInNj said:

They had an audience for this one, right? I think that would have made a HUGE difference in the past NBC productions and I don't know why they didn't plan it that way. They have all of these legitimate theatre stars who certainly know the value of an audience's reaction and energy.

Yeah, the Wiz and Sound of Music were a snooze fest.  The live audience was brilliant, really.  A few times they were too loud and "enthusiastic" but mostly, it was fantastic.

is there a way to watch it after the fact?

It looks like it is live streaming on FOX.com and their app. Might be on demand too but I'm not home to check. I missed the first hour thinking it started at 8, so I'll have to watch the beginning. I was very impressed and it being live was a fun novelty. I actually thought all of the casting with the exception of Kenickie was spot on. I didn't even realize some were "celebrities" like Carly Rae Jepsen as Frenchie, and I consider that a good thing. It wasn't a distraction.

deborahg said:

is there a way to watch it after the fact?

It's On Demand until February 3rd.

emmie said:

I am a total purest when it comes to Grease, since it it about my generation, no one can beat the original movie cast, so no, did not watch.

I feel this way about all of the remakes.  I don't even like some of the original movies that were made from Broadway plays/musicals -- Natalie Wood as Maria -- meh.  I would even have preferred Mary Martin rather than Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music.

I didn't love kenicke either and I thought Marty's acting was way over the top. Cha Cha's dancing failed to impress maybe because Julliane's is so good. I thought everyone else was excellent

I watched for the production factor and it was cute but I couldn't deal with it after 30 minutes.

Frenchie!!

I thought Frenchie (both Didi in last nights role) and Carly Rae as the new Frenchie were adorable. Both captured it perfectly. Could have lived without the song add but I understand they were trying to beef up her singing part.

Love this review!

https://www.yahoo.com/tv/foxs-grease-live-was-very-wonderful-and-here-154823808.html