GREASE A MUSICAL

GREASE IS A MUSICALBY JIM JACAOBS NAMED FOR THE WORKING CLASS YOUTH SUBCULTURE KNOWN AS GREASERS.  THEY HAVE MUSIC OF EARLY ROCK AND ROLL.  ORIGINALLY IT WAS A RAUNCHY SHOW.  THEY CHANGED IT AND TAMED IT DOWN..  IT HAS BEEN PERFORMED SUCCESSFULLY IN CHICAGO.  IT HAS TEENAGE DRINKING, SMOKING, PREGNANCY, REBELLION,  AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION.

SINCE CHICAGOIT HAS BEEN PERFORMED IN LONDON. AND ON VARIOUS STAGES AND ON T.V.  THEY PLAYED OVER 3000 RUNS ON BROADWAY.  IT IS BROADWAY'S 14TH LONGEST RUNNING SHOW.

THE PROPS AT MARIA CARILLO HIGH SCHOOL WERE VERY SIMPLE AND THEY HAD A GOOD SMALL ORCHESTRA.  THE BOYS GREASED THEIR HAIR.   THE GALS 1950'S SKIRTS AND HOT COUTURE AND THRIFT STORE CLOTHING.  I SAW A LADY FROM MY CHURCH. THE HIGH SCHOOL PERFORMERS  WERE ANGLOS, CHINESE, BLACKS, EAST INDIANS.  THEY DID MUCH DANCING
AND MOST KIDS LOOKED MORE MATURE THAN HIGH SCHOOL AGE.  THEY USED FAKE CIGARETTES THAT SMOKED!

THE MUSICAL  BEGINS WITH HIGH SCHOOL REUNION WITH AN ENGLISH TEACHER.
THETWO LEADS  DANNY AND SANDY SPEND THEIR LAST DAY OF SUMMER ROMAQNCE TOGETHER.  SANDY ASKS HER LOVER IF IT IS ALL OVER AND HE SAYS IT HAS JUST STARTED.

THERE IS A SCENE WHERE THE GREASE BOYS ARE AT SCHOOL AND THE LADIES  ARE EATTING LUNCH.  THE BOYS DISCUSS A BRIEF LOVE AFFAIR  A YEAR AGO.  SANDY FOCUSES ON THEIR ROMANCE QAND DANNY EXAGERATES THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GREASE BOYS.DANNY BRUSHES HER OFF ONCE THEY SEE HER AT SCHOOL.  SANDY IS HEART BROKEN  BUT HER GIRLFRIENDS SUPPORT HER.  THE GIRLS HAVE A PAJAMA PARTY AND TALK ABOUT THE BOYS.  ONE GAL HAS A LONG DISTANCE COURTSHIP  WITH A MARINE.  SHE SINGS A SONG ABOUT HIM.  THAT SAME NIGHT THE GREASE BOYSSTEEL HUBCAPS AND TEASE A BOY ABOUT HIS NEW USED CAR.  DANNY SEES SANDY AGAIN AND TRIES TO APOLOGIZEUNSUCCESSFULLY..  ANOTHER COUPLE MOON THE AUDIENCE WITH THEIR UNDERWEAR!

THE 2ND ACT IS A SCHOOL PROM.  DANNY AND SANDY ARE NOT TOGETHER.  THEY HAVE A HAND DNCE CONTEST.   DANNY AND CHA CHA ARE WINNERS.  ONE GAL LAMENTS AS TO WHAT TO DO WITH HER LIFE AS SHE FAILED HER CLASSES IN BEAUTY SCHOOL.   DANNY AGAIN OFFERS SANDY HER RING  HE ATTEMPTS TO GET TOO INTIMATE. AND SHE LEAVES. DANNY SINGS "ALONE AT A DRIVE IN MOVIE".

THE VERSION OF THE PLAY I SAW DID NOT HAVE DANNY TOGETHER, BUT SOME VERSIONS DID HAVE THEM TOGETHER.  I SAW A VERSION THAT IS SUITABLE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES WITH NO SWEARING.  THE LATER VERSION HAS MANY MORE SONGS.