Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies

Being a fan of the original Grease I decided, why not give this a try. Set 4 years before the movie, rise of the pink ladies is cute and quirky. It points out the ridiculousness of the time while also kinda poking fun at the original movies. The songs though modern in feel have a nice retro edge to them. The characters are just as silly and shallow as the original. Definitely a cheesy feel good type of show. Very light, drama and angst free. If you go into it taking it too seriously you won't enjoy it as much. Just take it at face value without comparing it to the movies and you might like it.

There's a lot to be said for "Grease: The Rise of the Pink Ladies". First off, revisiting the characters of Rydell High is just a fun concept. I'm all about meeting the original T-Birds and their female counterparts. Junior high schoolers Frenchy and Rizzo are delightful.

Let's be real, the show is cheese. But if you're watching this, you should be okay with that. While the racial diversity, lack of smoking, music, and plot scenarios aren't exactly period, the cast is so talented and joyous to watch. The scenic design and costumes are really breathtaking and the choreography is quite reminiscent of the original film. It's just plain FUN.

It's a fun kiddie ride that is a refreshing change from much of the intense content that is so popular right now. Let's root for Rydell!

"Too much singing" Hello! It's a musical! What were you expecting! And the 5 songs in the first episode were all under 3 minutes... Heavens! 12 minutes of singing in the entire 60 minute run time! The only song reused from the original was "Grease is the word." And the lyrics were not changed so I have no idea what that person was talking about. The story had parallels to the original but completely stood on its own. People crying that it's nothing like the original or is a sad pathetic mockery... No one claimed it was a remake, it's an origin story NOT a prequel! There's a few characters sprinkled in it and let's remember, this is before they became who they are. Sure this isn't perfect but sorry neither was the original grease (not trying to rag on the original Grease, it was my childhood and it will always have a special place in my heart.) However it's totally over watched and over done as a live performance and I personally can only watch it like every 10 years now. So it's nice to have a fresh take on it that still makes you feel nostalgic to the original! If you like musical theatre, you'll like this! And if you're that upset about it go watch the original! There's space for both! And yes there's even enough room for Grease 2 <3.

Anyone is entitled to compare this to the original Grease films. It's in the title. It's used as a catalyst for the series. It would be difficult to separate the two. But it needs to be done. It's possible that you may not have liked the original Grease film if you knew more about the characters and had time to pick them apart. That's the perk of writing a movie or play instead of a series. Not every single song is incredible and well placed but that's the curse of any show that has to keep the speed up. The songs and storylines are mostly modern, which gives the show more of an era-less Riverdale vibe than a show rooted in the 50s. With all of that said, the cast seems to buy into the story and energy which makes the show watchable, even if it's eventually forgotten.

A must-see show if you love musical theatre.

Memorable moments, joyful references to the original musical and the movies. You find yourself pointing to the screen and gasping (if you are a musicals' nerd, of course) Great original songs and a lovely cast performing them. Not a jukebox musical like Glee but an original musical almost 10 hours long.

If this get packaged in a West End or Broadway show, it would be an immediate long-running hit.

Do not approach this thinking that the (old) movie Grease is the only (and perfect) way to imagine the life at Rydell High... There are other ways, this is a great one.

Always remember Grease was a theatre show before being a movie and this new Grease is more theatrical and less two-actors-centric like the original one.

I dare to say, in 2023 this show is more enjoyable than the "original" one.