GREASE: LIVE: L-R: Aaron Tveit and Julianne Hough. GREASE: LIVE airing LIVE Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 (7:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), on FOX. © 2016 Fox Broadcasting CO. Cr: Michael Becker/FOX
Well, the critics have been very mixed on ” GREASE LIVE” either hating it or loving it. I thought it was a magnificent telecast, and I was impressed with the dancing! I thought Julianne Hough, did an excellent job at the dancing and she held her own in the singing department. Tveit, with a Broadway theater background, did a great job.
It was great to see Didi Conn who was in the original film back with a cameo even if the cameo was small. I also enjoyed seeing Eve Plumb ( Known for Jan Brady as the gym coach. She seemed to be channeling Alice’s cousin in a very funny old Brady Bunch episode)
Vanessa Hudgens was overall the greatest performer of the night as Rizzo and appeared to make the role her own.
There were sound issues, loss of sound at times and the video seemed out of synch at times, which does happen but on the whole, the production was stellar and a fun evening. Hoping that they will continue to produce live theater for TV so that a bigger audience can embrace live theater.
Congratulations to all involved. Hoping there will be improvements in each production. My only problem with the production was that they removed some great songs and added new songs that didn’t hold up. I will never understand why people change musicals. When something works, don’t change it!
12 Million viewers is a huge success for FOX. Hoping those numbers encourage more free live theater on FOX, ABC, and all other stations. Theater is a magical thing, and many can’t afford to see a Broadway show. Hoping this will encourage others to see Live theater in every medium.
Corine Cohen entertainment reporter.
