June 3, 2022

GREASE is 50?!?!

GREASE is 50?!?!

It may be hard for some of us to believe (including me), but this past Valentine’s Day – Feb 14, 2022 – marked the 50th Anniversary of the New York opening of the musical GREASE (at the Eden Theater on 2nd Avenue). And next week June 7 marks the 50th Anniversary of its official move to Broadway.

My guests on this week's podcast are that show’s original producer, Ken Waissman, and original director, Tom Moore who along with Adrienne Barbeau (the original “Rizzo”) are the editors of a new book, entitled Grease – Tell Me More, Tell Me More – Stories From The Broadway Phenomenon That Started It All.
 
Ken Waisman is a Tony Award winning producer who made his Broadway debut as producer with And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little. In addition to Grease, he went on to produce Over Here! starring the Andrews Sisters, and the long running plays Agnes Of God, and Torch Song Trilogy.
Tom Moore is a leading theater, film and television director whose work on Broadway includes his debut with Grease, Over Here!, Moon Over Buffalo starring Carol Burnett, and Night Mother.
 
Their new book is made up of a the personal, behind-the-scenes memories of the show’s creative and production teams, as well as those of scores of cast members from Grease’s original cast, its five national tours, and its record breaking eight-year run on Broadway.
 
In this episode you will hear how Ken discovered the show in a ramshackle community theater production in Chicago, why Ken chose Tom to direct the show instead of Michael Bennett, how Tom almost turned the show down, and how together they discovered more future stars than probably any other musical in history including Adrianne Barbeau, Barry Bostwick, Jeff Conaway, Carole Demas, Greg Evigan, Peter Gallagher, Richard Gere, Marilu Henner, Judy Kaye, Rex Smith, Patrick Swayze, John Travolta, Treat Williams, and Adrian Zmed. As well as future Broadway directors Walter Bobbie, Scott Ellis, and Jerry Zaks.
 
Has any other show produced that many stars?
 
Even if Grease is not your favorite show, I feel certain that you will be fascinated by their stories of how the show came together, and, of course, the casting stories of John Travolta, Patrick Swayze and Richard Gere.
 
And no other Broadway musical (with the possible exception of The Sound Of Music) has loomed larger in American and World culture! 
Sondheim
DAVID ARMSTRONG Profile Photo

DAVID ARMSTRONG

Host, Writer, Producer

David Armstrong is the producer writer and host of the popular podcast BROADWAY NATION, which was inspired by a course he teaches at the University of Washington School of Drama on the history of the Broadway Musical. During his 40 years career in the professional theater he has worked as a director, writer, producer, and choreographer on Broadway and at many leading theater companies across America. He is best known for his work at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle where from 2000 to 2018 he served as the Producing Artistic Director and Executive Producer. During his tenure The 5th produced 19 new musicals, including nine that subsequently moved on to Broadway including the Tony Award winning “Best Musicals” HAIRSPRAY and MEMPHIS.

The Lullaby Of Old Broadway!

This sequence (directed by Busby Berkley and featuring Winifred Shaw) of course has a lot more impact when seen on the big silver screen of a movie theater than it does on a laptop or phone!   I distinctly remember seeing it at the Regency Th…

The Letters Of Oscar Hammerstein II

The latest episode of Broadway Nation is streaming now!   My guest is Mark Eden Horowitz who joins me to discuss his fascinating new book: The Letters of Oscar Hammerstein II.   Mark is Senior Music Specialist in the mus…