The rama lama lama is gone

Boring is the word: The reality TV-casted ‘Grease’ falls flat on its face.

By Scott Harrah

Can reality TV audiences truly select a star? They did when millions of viewers voted for music superstars Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood on “American Idol,” but later on, people also chose Taylor Hicks — a guy who may have had a homespun charm on TV, but who didn’t do so well when he recorded actual albums and went on tour. Max Crumm, voted by American audiences on last winter’s poorly rated NBC reality series “You’re the One That I Want” as the new Danny Zuko for Broadway’s latest revival of “Grease,” can easily be called the Taylor Hicks of the Great White Way. On TV, Crumm may have had the voice and looks to win voters’ hearts, but he has almost no stage presence as a Broadway performer in this lackluster production of the classic musical set in the 1950s, now a theatrical staple worldwide.

The real star of director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall’s interpretation of “Grease” is its unforgettable score. Thanks to the 1978 mega-hit movie adaptation starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, the soundtrack of “Grease” is far more recognizable to worldwide audiences than “My Fair Lady” or “South Pacific.” Every song is a cherished oldie and a karaoke standard,” from “Greased Lightning” to “Beauty School Dropout” and “Summer Nights.” These songs are truly part of the sensibility of anyone that grew up in the 1970s and early 1980s, a time when “Grease” was a phenomenon and 1950s nostalgia swept the nation.

The show, originally mounted on Broadway in 1972, was last revived in the 1990s, when actresses like Rosie O’Donnell and Brooke Shields played the role of tough gal Rizzo. Ironically, the best thing about this production is newcomer Jenny Powers as Rizzo. Although her rendition of “Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee” is a bit weak, Powers has the brassy personality and comic timing to make the character work, and she’s nothing less than first-rate by the time she belts out the second act’s best song, “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.” Matthew Salvidar as Kenickie is also noteworthy, and he’s goofy enough to be believable as a greaser.

Laura Osnes, chosen by TV viewers as sweet, demure Sandy Dumbrowski, is certainly a more justified casting choice for the show than Crumm. She definitely can sing and hits all the right notes in her signature song “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” but there is little chemistry between her and Crumm as Danny. Despite the fact that he can sing, Crumm is never 100 percent convincing as the rough-hewn Danny, especially in his solo number “Sandy” after his prim and proper sweetheart dumps him at a drive-in. Crumm has the right look and the powerful voice, but the necessary spunk of the character just isn’t quite there.

This production lacks the panache that made previous Broadway versions and the movie so iconic. For example, in “Summer Nights,” the Pink Ladies are supposed to sing the lyrics “tell me more, tell me more” like squawky Brooklyn gun molls (although the show isn’t set in New York), but here the song is almost sung by rote, with no concept of the number’s characterization and over-the-top harmonization.

Some of the sets are positively threadbare. The cafeteria at Rydell High School is nothing more than a lunchroom table with a flimsy backdrop showing photos of food, and even real-life high schoolers could have done a better job with the decorations at the school prom than what we see here in a multimillion-dollar production, with tickets over $100.

As tepid as this production might be, it is difficult to leave the theater without humming silly but infectious lyrics like “rama-lama-lama, ka dinga da dinga dong.” The cast members all manage to keep up with Marshall’s serviceable choreography, but little of the show’s original satirical energy remains intact. All the subtle touches that made “Grease” such an on-target parody of 1950s Americana — the cartoonish “doo-wop” harmonies, the fun, funky sets — have been toned down, and the overall spirit of the show suffers as a result. However, the songs still hold up, and are entertaining and escapist despite the fact that this particular version of “Grease” is heavily flawed.