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| Providence , RI Dec. 2 - Dec. 7, 2008; Providence Performing Arts Center | |
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| mouser | Sep 25 2008, 09:37 AM Post #1 |
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FIFTIES QUESTION : The most successful of the following male vocal groups had four gold records in the late 50's. Which group was it? A.....the Cadillacs B.....The Clovers C.....The Coasters D.....The Crests ----------------------------------------------------------- A LIMITED NUMBER OF MEET AND GREET AND STAND ALONE TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FROM TAYLOR'S HEADQUARTER SITE Good News! Ridell High will be back in session and taking it on the road. We are happy to announce the return of the Grease ticket and meet and great packages. But, you must be a Pink Lady or T-bird to get fist picks. That's right, Taylor Hicks Fan Club Members have the exclusive first chance to purchase the limited packages. So, log into your fan club account and gain access to the first three packages. Now onsale are ticket packages for the Grease Tour in Providence, RI, East Lansing, MI, and Minneapolis, MN. Act fast as the packages become available to the general public on Monday Oct 6, 2008. Not a member, please visit www.taylorhickshq.com to sign up! ------------------------------- December 2, 2008 - December 7, 2008 ![]() Providence Performing Arts Center 220 Weybosset St Providence, RI 02903 (401) 421-2787 TICKETS: DECEMBER 2 - 7, 2008 Tickets: $68.00 - $41.00 401-421-ARTS, on www.ppacri.org The National tour of Grease will open in Providence. The one that you want is back! GREASE, Time Magazine's 2007 pick for "#1 musical of the year," is rockin' across the country in this new production direct from Broadway. Take a trip to a simpler time of poodle skirts, drive-ins, and T-birds. "Bad boy" Danny and "the girl next door" Sandy fall in love all over again to the tune of your favorite songs: "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightnin'," and "We Go Together," as well as additional songs from the hit movie: "Grease," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," and "You're the One That I Want." So throw your mittens around your kittens and Hand Jive the night away with the show that'll make you want to stand up and shout, "A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop A-wop-bam-boom!" GREASE! Please Note: Grease tickets will not be printed and mailed out until August. Sponsored by: Subscribe Single Ticket Prices Broadway Series Performance Times: Tuesdays at 7:00pm 12/2 Wednesdays at 7:30pm 12/3 Thursdays at 7:30pm 12/4 Fridays at 8:00pm 12/5 Saturdays at 2:00 & 8:00pm 12/6 Sundays at 1:00 & 6:30pm 12/7 http://ppacri.org/show_database/grease/grease.cfm To access tickets for ALL MEET AND GREETS AT ALL VENUES: To access ticket pre-sales you must first register for the fan community. Registration is FREE. All Ticket Sales Are Final. Visit http://www.taylorhicks.com for additional ticket outlets. SEATING CAPACITY : 3100 People SEATING CHART: ![]() THE VENUE: ![]() The Theatre, which is now called the Providence Performing Arts Center, was opened as a Loew's Movie Palace on October 6, 1928. ![]() Grand Lobby and Staircase with original furnishings and artwork It was designed by George and C.W. Rapp of Chicago, brothers who became renowned as one of the finest teams of theatre architects in America. The Loew's philosophy was to sell tickets to theatres - not movies; this was the inspiration for building this opulent theatre which cost $2.5 million upon completion. On opening day, more than 14,000 people came to see Joe Stoves on the $90,000 Robert Morton organ and the film "Excess Baggage". Most people came just to see the magnificence of the interior, sparkling with gilding on intricate plasterwork, columns of imported marble, and huge crystal chandeliers. Over the years, the theatre has survived many changes - it was nearly demolished in the seventies. Now, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and plays a vital role in the City's ongoing renaissance. The stagehouse was expanded in 1995, a state-of-the-art sound system was installed in 1996, and the Grand Lobby and Arcade were painstakingly restored to their 1928 splendor in 1998. It is now a world-class facility hosting first-class Broadway touring shows, plays, contemporary acts, concerts, and much more. In place of the Morgan is a rare, five-manual Mighty Wurlitzer organ; the 28' by 51' movie screen again shines brightly with current and classic films. In the Summer of 1999, during Phase 1 of the Auditorium Restoration Project, the proscenium which frames the stage, the wall and ceiling areas under the balcony, and the front edge of the loge were meticulously researched and restored to their original ornate beauty. During Phase 2 in the Summer of 2000, the project completed the restoration work on the ceiling and walls throughout the Auditorium. ![]() In 2000, PPAC got a facelift on the when the addition of the Providence vertical and full color LED marquee. The entire Theatre was re-carpeted in 2000 in the pattern that duplicates the original from 1928. The summer of 2002 saw the installation of a state of the art computerized HVAC system which provides patrons with a more comfortable and enjoyable theatre-going experience. Standing ground water and asbestos were also removed from the basement during this project. During the summer of 2003, additional sprinklers, smoke, and heat detection equipment were installed within the Theatre, along with new lobby audiovisual equipment including plasma televisions. In summer of 2004, the open fire escapes along Page Street were replaced with covered, closed stairways for safer egress of patrons, branch wiring to fixtures and receptacles throughout the Theatre and Lobby were replaced, and a custom designed and built chandelier was placed in the main dome of the Theatre. In the summer of 2005, the auditorium's seats were replaced and an elevator installed that carries patrons between the Lobby and all other leves of the theatre. The beauty of the Theatre combined with the excellence of the productions makes every event at the Providence Performing Arts Center a work of art. ![]() images courtesy of www.film-festival.org and http://www.ppacri.org/historyinfo/index.cfm and http://www.ppacri.org/renovationinfo/restoration_picindex.cfm RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS: http://www.ppacri.org/restaurantinfo/index.cfm Restaurants http://www.hotelplanner.com/Hotels/22945-NEAR-Providence-Performing-Arts-Center Hotels POINTS OF INTEREST: The Arcade: 130 Westminster Street and 65 Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island ![]() It is the oldest remaining enclosed shopping mall in the United States, Its three-stories are currently host to a diverse array of tenants including a number of primarily weekday lunch restaurants on the ground floor and a jewelry shop, a sci-fi/fantasy book shop, and local non-profits on upper floors. College Hill Historic District Original 120 acres (30 ha) of Providence as laid out by Roger Williams; today with many well-preserved historic homes, Brown University, and Rhode Island School of Desig The community known today as College Hill was the site of the first permanent colonial settlement in Rhode Island. The area currently contains one of Providence's most extensive and distinguished collections of historic architecture. Settled around North Main Street in 1636, nearly all of Providence was originally on College Hill. By the time of the American Revolution, the foot of the hill was densely populated with wharves, warehouses, shops, public buildings, and residential houses. In 1764, Brown University was established and over the next century would begin gradually expanding. In the nineteenth century, precious metals and jewellery trading drove much business on North Main Street, and RISD was established in 1877. By the 1900s, Brown had begun expanding more aggressively, demolishing nearly 100 houses in the 1950s for a residential quadrangle area. In the post-war years, Providence went into a decline. Many of the neighborhood's more historic centers were in disrepair and were slated for demolition as part of urban renewal projects. The Providence Preservation Society[1] intervened and the area is now home to one of the country's largest restored collections of 18th and 19th century Victorians and colonials. Fleur-de-lys Studios 7 Thomas St., Providence, Rhode Island Collaboration by Sydney Richmond Burleigh and Edmund Willson is a key early work by American Arts and Crafts Movement. Unique style architecture . MEDIA AND REVIEWS: 1. Excerpts from the Sun Chronicle on Oct. 19, 2008 http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2008/10/19/news/3793496.txt Weak economy could hurt local arts and museums ... "People still have to live. You still have to enjoy life," said Margaret Brooks, chairwoman of the economics department at Bridgewater State College, who believes that entertainment, specifically local entertainment, might be the last item to survive most people's discretionary income budget. "Even when people are worried about their finances, they still need to find something to do," she said. The local arts scene, non-profit museums, small theater companies and the like, many would assume, should be worried about their survival in the midst of an economic crisis that has literally raised people's blood pressure, with documented increases in doctors' visits for that ailment. But as in turns out, many Attleboro area venues say they haven't seen a drop-off in attendance or interest, though they are keeping an eye on the bottom line..... Advanced sales for the national tour of Grease, starring American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, at the Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence are very strong even in this economic environment. 2. Meet Taylor Hicks starring in Grease!December 2 - 7, 2008 at PPAC Last Edited: Monday, 10 Nov 2008, 3:03 PM EST Created On: Thursday, 23 Oct 2008, 12:50 PM EDT http://www.wpri.com/dpp/participate/contests/contests_wpri_ppac_grease_200810231248_rev1 WPRI.com - Two lucky winners and their guest will get the chance to meet Taylor Hicks on Dec.1st at the Providence Performing Arts Center. Simply fill out the form for your chance to win! Don't miss your chance to meet Taylor Hicks starring as "Teen Angel!" in Grease December 2nd - 7th at PPAC! ABOUT THE SHOW The one that you want is back! GREASE, Time Magazine's 2007 pick for #1 Musical of the Year, is rockin' across the country in this new production direct from Broadway. Take a trip to a simpler time of poodle skirts, drive-ins, and T-birds. "Bad Boy" Danny and "The Girl Next Door" Sandy fall in love all over again to the tune of your favorite songs: "Summer Nights" "Greased Lightnin" "We Go Together" as well as additional songs from the hit movie: "Grease" "Hopelessly Devoted to You" "You're the One That I Want" So throw your mittens around your kittens and hand jive the night away with the show that'll make you want to stand up and shout, "A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-A-wop-bam-boom!" GREASE! 3. Publicity in the Providence Warwick: http://www.goprovidence.com/calendar/index.cfm?action=results&sdate=12-02-08&edate=12-07-08&keyword=&myid=1559 4. 'Idol' Taylor Hicks comes to PPAC in 'Grease' http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081127/ENTERTAIN/811270417 The national tour of the Tony Award-nominated new Broadway production of "Grease" launches at the Providence Performing Arts Center Tuesday. "Grease," starring "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel, will be at PPAC through Dec. 7. The Season Five winner made his debut on Broadway in the role this past summer. Also starring will be Eric Schneider as Danny and Emily Padgett as Sandy. Mr. Schneider made his Broadway debut in "Jersey Boys," while Ms. Padgett made her Broadway debut in "Grease," where she understudied the role of Sandy. Starring as "Rizzo" will be Allie Schulz, a contestant on NBC's "Grease: You're the One That I Want." She comes directly from the Broadway company of "Grease." This new production of "Grease," which opened on Broadway on Aug. 19, 2007, was born out of NBC's landmark talent competition TV series, "Grease: You're The One That I Want." The weekly talent competition drew 90 million viewers, and America voted for its favorite contestants to play the lead roles of Sandy and Danny on Broadway. Directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall ("The Pajama Game," "Wonderful Town"), "Grease" features book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The new production features songs from the smash hit 1978 motion picture for the first time ever in a Broadway production, including "Sandy," the Academy Award-nominated song "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Grease," and "You're the One That I Want," both of which were No. 1 hits on the Billboard Top 100 list. These songs will be heard in addition to the Jacobs/Casey songs made famous by the original stage production, including "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightnin'" and "We Go Together." Performances will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Dec. 4, 8 p.m. Dec. 5, 2 and 8 p.m. Dec. 6, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 7. Ticket prices range from $68 to $41, and all include a $3 restoration charge. Tickets for all shows can be purchased by calling (401) 421-ARTS, on www.ppacri.org any time, or in person at the box office, 220 Weybosset St., Providence. 5. American Idol meets "Grease" Grease is still the word. The record-breaking musical returned to Broadway this past year for another successful incarnation, this time boosted from a popular reality show in which the leads - Danny and Sandy - were picked. Now it is back on the road arriving at Providence’s Performing Arts Center for a 6-day run. This touring production also has a television connection in the person of Taylor Hicks, the winner of the sixth season of American Idol, who appears as the Teen Angel. The production is directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall and features a hugely successful score that features such hits as "Summer Nights," "You’re The One That I Want," and the title tune. "...you can’t do much better than Kathleen Marshall, the choreographer and director who has proved to be without peer in taking faded old musicals ("Wonderful Town," "Pajama Game") and giving them a fresh modern shine," wrote Time Magazine shortly after its Broadway opening. "Here she keeps everything sprightly and speedy without overwhelming her young stars. The dance numbers go for group precision over virtuoso acrobatics. Derek McLane’s sets are bright and witty, from the stacks of school lockers or cars at a drive-in movie, to the neon ice cream cone that opens to reveal the hunky Teen Angel in the terrific "Beauty School Dropout" number." This is also the closest the show comes to Boston (at this date) on its National tour. The retro at Rydell High begins on Tuesday, December 2 and runs through Sunday, December 8 at the Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset Street, Providence, Rhode Island. For more information visit the PPAC website. http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=culture&sc2=features&sc3=&id=83986 6. Taylor Hicks greases the skids of his career 01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, December 2, 2008 BY RICK MASSIMO Journal Pop Music Writer Taylor Hicks opens in Grease at PPAC tonight. PROVIDENCE Taylor Hicks’ Broadway debut was an uplifting experience, the R&B-belting American Idol winner says. “My debut was not actually on a Broadway stage; it was in an ice cream cone 40 feet above it!” Hicks and the rest of the cast of the touring production of Grease start their national tour with a six-night run at the Providence Performing Arts Center beginning tonight, and during a break in rehearsals Hicks, who will play Teen Angel, says that he’s not only enjoyed the experience but says that the gig is another way of staying “a working musician.” Hicks hasn’t had any acting training — “Never in a million years did I think I would be in a Broadway show,” he says. He says he’d been offered roles after Idol, but as an untrained actor he wanted his first role to be something that fit his personality and singing style, “kind of a type-casting idea that will allow my personality to be exposed, and a comfortable fit for me . . . instead of diving in [to acting] head-first and not knowing.” While performing in the musical theater is more structured than a live concert, and he obviously won’t be singing as many songs, he says, “It’s very similar to performing musically with a band and interacting with different people in the band. . . . It’s definitely a treat to work off of someone. Little nuances and stuff like that — that’s what’s great about musical theatrics.” Hicks says that he’d be interested in taking on another role once the six-month run of Grease ends, not only for its own sake but because stage appearances bring him to markets that he hasn’t toured on his own. And theaters are good places to sell records. “I think this is a great model for a live entertainer who can act a little bit and be a musician who can perform in different markets all over the country. It’s a cool way for fans to get to experience an artist.” Toward that end, beginning in January Hicks will add a post-show nightclub concert performance in every town where Grease stops. Part of the reason for the nightclub shows is that Hicks’s new record will come out in February and the Grease tour runs into the spring, so this setup is the only way he’d be able to get any touring done. There is no such appearance planned for Providence, but Hicks says “You never know; I might pop up with a local blues band. I’m not afraid of that.” After 10 years playing in clubs in and around his native Alabama, winning American Idol in 2006 was a blessing. “I’m thankful for the opportunity that it gave me to continue to keep exploring my artistic expression,” he says, and it gave him the chance to learn the ins and out of recording. At the same time, Hicks was “a working musician — that’s who I am, and that’s who I’ll always be” — before the TV show came along, and the pop-chart game is a different deal. “It definitely has its positives and negatives. It’s very short-lived, it seems, along that side,” says Hicks, who was dropped from Arista Records this year. “And for me, the key is that you always have to stay in front of people and work,” says Hicks, who adds that he did 282 shows in 2006, the year his self-titled post-Idol album came out. “That’s something that I’ll always hang my hat on.” Touring is also where the money is, because it’s something that can’t be taken away from you, and because you can always sell your records at a show. “If you’re a working musician, you’re always going to have a chance to sell your records.” Hicks has some serious backing players — guitarist Doyle Bramhall II, bassist Nathan East and drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. — on his forthcoming record, and says that “I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised about me as a songwriter. … “I think this record is going to allow me to touch on a lot of different styles, not just from a songwriting aspect but from a musical aspect as well.” The record will come out on his own label, and Hicks has signed a distribution deal with A2M. He says that going his own way was the way to go. “I must admit, having your own label is being out on the edge in your art. You don’t get the cushion, but I like that. … “I think this release is going to define who I am as a singer-songwriter. And I want to put myself on the edge that way, because I feel like that’s where I can create my best work … without people telling me what songwriters I need to work with, or what I should do.” But for now, the gig is Grease, a show that Hicks says is close to his musical heart. “I’ve always been into songs, and this show has just got some great written music. This was a pop-culture smash at one time, with songs that are timeless. I like to get around songs that are timeless, because you learn from those. … “ ‘Greased Lightning,’ night in and night out, it doesn’t get old.” He says that he wanted to take “a really hard-line, rock ’n’ roll mentality to the role,” and toward that end he plays harmonica in the show and wrote some driving horn lines to his big number, “Beauty School Dropout,” along with orchestrator Christopher Jahnke. And the role of Teen Angel spoke to him as well. “It’s kind of like rock ’n’ roll heaven — all the rock stars coming down from heaven and [saying] ‘Do something that’s solid.’ I think there’s a hidden message: Education will set you free.” Some of the appeal to the role wasn’t quite that elevated, though. “I get to wear a rhinestone-studded Nudie suit every night. It’s not a bad gig at all!” Grease runs tonight through Sunday at the Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St., Providence. Performances are tonight at 7 p.m., tomorrow and Thursday at 7:30, Friday at 8, Saturday at 2 and 8 and Sunday at 1 and 6:30. Tickets range from $41 to $68; call (401) 421-2997 or go to www.ppacri.org. rmassimo@projo.com http://www.projo.com/music/content/lb-hicks_12-02-08_30CG242_v13.65eec6.html 7. Touring Grease owes much to the movie version 01:00 AM EST on Thursday, December 4, 2008 BY RICK MASSIMO Journal Pop Music Writer Grease continues Thursday through Sunday at the Providence Performing Arts Center with evening performances each day and additional matinee performances Saturday and Sunday. Joan Marcus The production of Grease that opened a one-week run at the Providence Performing Arts Center on Tuesday owes almost as much to the 1978 movie version as to the original 1972 Broadway musical. And while that makes for a better evening of songs, it changes the story in ways that may or may not help. It’s still the tale of a group of teenagers (though the actors are all substantially older) in a ’50s high school going through changes, led by the story of Danny Zuko (played by Eric Schneider) and Sandy (Emily Padgett) and whether their across-the-tracks romance, born in the idylls of summer vacation, will last through the cauldron of school-days allegiances. The show, a touring version of last year’s Broadway revival, includes songs from the film, among them the title song; the luminous “Sandy” and “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” sung by the star-crossed lovers; and the rousing closer, “You’re the One That I Want” — in other words, most of the best-known songs from the whole Grease deal. While they’re short on ’50s authenticity (the sight of leather-jacketed greasers and poodle-skirted girls singing the Barry Gibb-penned title song is jarring), they’re big hits for a reason. And while Padgett’s voice was powerful but with too much musical-theatre enunciation for “Hopelessly Devoted,” the song’s place in the show made sense, advancing the story. The problem is, the songs from the film advance the Danny-Sandy story line and the Danny-Sandy story line only. And the rest of the show isn’t constructed to handle that. There’s either too much of Danny and Sandy or there’s too much of everyone else. The delightful “Mooning,” for instance, sung by Rump (Will Blum) and Jan (Bridie Carroll), felt like (at least) one song too many, and it’s too good a song to feel that way. There are still some quiet, dramatic moments, where the tensions of adolescent bonding make their presence known: “If it was up to me I’d never look at another chick but you,” Zuko says to Sandy; later, Sandy comes back with “Everything was just so much easier when it was just the two of us.” And the dynamic between Rizzo (Allie Schulz), Kenickie (David Ruffin) and Zuko, in which Rizzo is alternately passed between and comes between the two boys, is brought up quickly and just as quickly discarded. The sets, by Derek McLane, are mostly pastel grotesques of the ’50s high school iconography, and they’re intentionally cartoonish, and successfully so. In the scene of Rizzo’s pregnancy scare, the contrast between the dazzling banality of the suburban-basement rec room and the life-changing issues on display makes for a solid gut-punch. The show could have gotten a bit more mileage from these moments, but then it’s back to the singing and dancing. All of which was well and good, particularly the star turns by Carroll on “Raining on Prom Night” and Schulz on Rizzo’s “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.” The dancing was energetic and athletic, particularly the Hand Jive early in the second act. American Idol winner Taylor Hicks’ cameo as Teen Angel went well, as he brought a no-nonsense pop voice to the delightfully nasty “Beauty School Dropout” and threw in some of his trademark harmonica, all the while giving a funny Liberace attitude to the whole appearance. Schneider acquitted himself nicely on “Sandy” and was in good voice throughout, but didn’t have the gravity to make himself the central point of the show — Kenickie (David Ruffin) was a far more convincing alpha dog, and that threw the thing off balance a bit. The miles are starting to show on the show itself: If you’re not pushing retirement age, you weren’t actually a teenager in this time, so the nostalgia is vicarious. And don’t even get me started on the gender politics. Still, as a two-and-a-half- hour collection of ’50s and ’50s-through-the-lens-of- the-’70s songs, it holds up great. rmassimo@projo.com 8. 'Grease' still gets your toes tapping Text Size: A | A | A By Gwenn Friss gfriss@capecodonline.com December 04, 2008 PROVIDENCE, R.I. — "Grease" opens with DJ Vince Fontaine (Dominic Fortuna) leading the audience in a singalong — and dance-along — to oldies and goodies, such as Dion's "Run Around Sue" and Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls of Fire." Fortuna is one of several cast members who was a contestant on the NBC TV show, "You're the One That I Want," in which the grand-prize winners earned a spot in the 2007 Broadway revival of "Grease" that spawned this national tour. It opened Tuesday at the Providence Performing Arts Center. Fortuna's corny charm (he offered to meet a woman in the audience who said she was celebrating a divorce) and pulsating energy not only gave latecomers a chance to get seated Tuesday but also set the tone for a rollicking trip back to Rydell High in 1959. The "Grease" band is electrifying. The score that has had people singing, "ooh, ooh, ooh, you're the one that I want" for decades seems to leap effortlessly from their instruments. It's a chore to stay in your seat, rather than dance in the aisles. And Kenneth Posner's lighting design is breathtaking. A veteran of 30 Broadway plays and musicals, Posner makes heavy use of spotlights — sometimes two dozen at a time — to create the 1950s warm optimism of a country coming out of World War II. (It is a feeling reinforced by Derek McLane's almost surreal set design.) The lights come in bright blue, orange and green as well as white, and are sometimes filtered: In the number "Greased Lightnin'," silvery strands of spotlight fall like rain against a starry night's backdrop in a scene that deserved its own standing ovation. (Lighting people are so underappreciated.) Those are the things I will remember about this production of "Grease." I'll also remember that I'm glad "American Idol" fifth-season winner Taylor Hicks brought his harmonica. Playing the role of Teen Angel, Hicks descends to earth encased in a giant ice cream cone to counsel Frenchy (Kate Morgan Chadwick) in the song "Beauty School Dropout." The song brings Hicks back to the crooner style he displayed in the singing contest. Having seen Hicks touring with his band, I think his strength is in Southern rock, not ballads. His singing is fine, but he doesn't bring out the humor and whimsy in this wonderful song that both pokes fun at and pays tribute to '50s love songs. Two bright moments: Hicks' brief harmonica performances and Frenchy's sidling up next to him and saying, "I voted for you." Tour producers announced early on the casting of Hicks, who made his Broadway debut in the role last summer. It felt like casting meant to sink a celebrity hook to carry a mostly unknown cast, with only a few experienced Equity actors. Eric Schneider, who played Frankie Valli in the Broadway production of "Jersey Boys," is Danny Zuko, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks who falls for Sandy Dumbrowski, a girl from the other side. Schneider is passionate and sensitive, although he seems a little light on the tough attitude you'd expect from the greaser gang's leader. As Sandy, Emily Padgett is incredibly graceful, seeming to float through life like Sandra Dee, to whom she is compared. The voices are fine throughout, and some of the big production numbers (namely "Greased Lightnin'," "We Go Together" and "Born to Hand-Jive") are toe-tappingly enjoyable. But the only couple that has real chemistry is Roger and Jan, chubby misfits played by Will Blum and Bridie Carroll. Individually, there's nothing wrong with other performances, but the actors are emoting like crazy without seeming to connect very often. That infectious energy that starts this production waxes and wanes, making for an uneven visit to the '50s. http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081204/LIFE/812040301/-1/NEWS 9. Review: GREASE at PPAC Thursday, December 4, 2008; Posted: 02:12 PM - by Randy Rice http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Review_GREASE_at_PPAC_20081204 The current tour of Grease features performers from the reality show Grease: You're The One That I Want, which chose the ‘Danny' and ‘Sandy' for the current Broadway production, which will close January 4th. Some of the actors from the Broadway production are on tour with this production. The tour is also a vehicle for former ‘American Idol' Taylor Hicks, who has a turn as ‘Teen Angel', a role he first tackled in the Broadway production. The last tour of Grease I saw starred Rosie O'Donnell as ‘Rizzo'. That script was molded around Rizzo's pregnancy scare, to give the star as much stage time as possible, which made for a very funny show. This production is more true to the original story. The evening begins with an artistically weak, but effective, opening, in which Dominic Fortuna, as WAXX DJ Vince Fontaine, is essentially an opening act. Fortuna warms up the crowd with some Golden Oldies sing-a-longs and dance-a-longs; finally, the play begins. Danny (Eric Schneider) and Sandy (Emily Padgett) are reunited on the first day of School at Rydell High after a magical summer by the beach, but peer pressure may keep them apart. Kenickie (David Ruffin) loves Rizzo (Allie Shulz), whether or not she is having his baby. Frenchie (Kate Morgan Chadwick) drops out of school, before she can flunk out, goes to beauty school, flunks out and goes back to graduate from Rydell. Schneider and Padgett as Danny and Sandy, and Ruffin as Kenickie and Schulz as Rizzo are fine performers. Each of them in perfectly prepared and can sing and dance quite well. There is not a lot of chemistry between the two pairs of lovers, but as they are surrounded by an exceptional supporting cast and a fast-moving story, it hardly matters. The cast shines in the all-ensemble numbers like ‘Summer Nights', ‘We Go Together' , ‘Born to Hand Jive' and for the first time in the play, 'You're the One That I Want'. The all-guys ‘Greased Lightning', pops. The choreography in these numbers is fresh, clever and tight. The are some moments of real "Oh, wow!" brilliance. Paul Crum as Doody and Scot Patrick Allan as Eugene stand out in their supporting roles. Crum for his deep, rich, voice and Allan for his dancing. Taylor Hicks, whom the audience adores, has a magical entrance and does a fine job as Teen Angel. While Hicks may be a draw to bring the audience into the theater, he does not rely on gimmickry. Hicks understands the campy nature of the role but approaches Teen Angel with artistic integrity. He gets to wail a few bars on his harmonica, which adds another dimension to the character. Martin Pakledinaz's costumes are brilliant. The colors, proportion and style and cut are all top-notch. The bright-red jacket Danny wears at the beginning evokes James Dean, which is a nice touch. The sets, designed by Derek McLane and the lighting design by Kenneth Posner, feel more substantial than I expected for a touring show. The malt shop set is especially dreamy. If Grease shares the same place in your heart that it does in mine, you will adore this incarnation. Everything you are looking for in a production of Grease is here. A word of advice to the folks who like to sneak out, just before the show ends, to get to their car quicker. Don't. If you do, you will miss a really terrific curtain call number. Directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, Grease will be at Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) through December 7th. Ticket prices range from $41-$68 and can be purchased online at www.ppacri.org, at PPAC's box office window or by calling 401-574-3162. Photos by RD/Leon/Retna Digital 10. Grease big hit at PPAC, while Broadway’s show nears close 01:00 AM EST on Saturday, December 6, 2008 http://www.projo.com/theater/content/lb_grease_closes_12-06-08_1CCH8K4_v9.1afbf8f.html The cast of the Broadway musical Grease performs at the Tony Awards in New York earlier this year. AP / Jeff Christensen When one door closes another opens. As Grease launched its national tour at the Providence Performing Arts Center this week, producers of the New York production announced the 1950s-era musical will close on Jan. 4, the ninth Broadway show scheduled to fold next month. The revival will have played 554 performances, compared with 3,388 for the original 1972 show. The new version, which like the original is set in and around the fictional Rydell High School, attracted national attention by casting its leads from a television program. But the new national tour, headlining American Idol winner Taylor Hicks, is doing well at its first stop in Providence. Lynn Singleton, president of PPAC, said he expects the show to gross about $1.1 million this week, or about 10 percent better than Legally Blonde, which opened its national tour here in September. “We’re very pleased,” said Singleton. “The market has responded well in a daunting time, and on top of that the crowds seem to love the show.” Singleton said he expects the show to play to about 80 percent capacity before it closes in Providence tomorrow. From Providence the touring show leaves for stops in 13 other cities by the end of May. Seven Broadway shows will close on Jan. 4, including Young Frankenstein, Hairspray, Boeing-Boeing, 13 and holiday engagements of White Christmas and Slava’s Snowshow. “January historically is a terrible time for Broadway,” said Drew Cohen, president of Music Theatre International, a New York company that licenses musicals to theaters and schools. “The tourists go home. That’s when a show that’s on shaky ground takes the opportunity to close.” Cohen said that given the recent suffering of investors, it’s not clear how many new productions will fill the vacant theaters. 11. 'Idol' deserves a hand Hicks shines as Teen Angel TaylorHicks.jpg By Jessica Braley GateHouse News Service Posted Dec 05, 2008 @ 02:56 PM Last update Dec 05, 2008 @ 03:16 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROVIDENCE — Consider yourselves warned. The number of times I voted for Taylor Hicks to win “American Idol” may directly interfere with my ability to be partial when reviewing the touring production of “Grease” at the Providence Performing Arts Center. At first, I was skeptical at the Idol winner’s ability to pull off the teen role first made famous by Frankie Avalon, but with a booming voice and a few flashes of his harmonica skills, Hicks made a believer out of me. Catching a glimpse of the star posing for pics with fans on his way into the theatre certainly helped. Bringing a personality and a personal history to the role, Hicks delivered a shining, literally and figuratively, performance as Teen Angel and his performance of “Beauty School Dropout” was certainly one of the high points of the show. Descending from a glittering, fur-lined ice cream cone to the stage in a sequined, glittering suit complete with flashy angel wings, Hicks mesmerized Frenchy and the audience. Frenchy, played exquisitely by Kate Morgan Chadwick, snagged a few laughs when pleading with Hicks as she toyed with his open shirt, “You know ... I voted for you.” Another reality show alum, Allie Schulz, who finished third in NBC’s “Grease: The One That I Want” was outstanding vocally and even more fun to watch, as she stole scene after scene from the stars. Schulz barely resembled her blonde-self, donning a dark brown wig and a smoking habit as the Pink Ladies tough-on-the-outside leader with a heart. Kenickie (David Ruffin), Doody (Brian Crum), Marty (Kelly Felthous) and Jan (Birdie Carroll) also did their fair-share of scene stealing, from leads Eric Schneider, who played everyone’s favorite T-Bird Danny Zuko, and Emily Padgett, who played prude-turned-Pink Lady Sandy Dombrowski. Schneider and Padgett were certainly up for the task vocally, with Padgett nailing renditions of “Summer Nights” and “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and Schnieder channeling John Travolta’s Zuko during “Sandy,” but the duo was outsung by Crum and Carroll throughout the production and nearly upstaged by Schulz, Ruffin and Felthous. “Grease” runs through Sunday at the Providence Performing Arts Center, 220 Weybosset St., Providence. Tickets range in price from $41 to $68, plus a $3 restoration charge. For more information, visit www.ppacri.org or call 401-421-ARTS. Jessica Braley may be reached at rsvp@heraldnews.com. SOUL PATROL MEMORIES: NO SINGLE SUNG NOR AFTER SHOW FOR THIS VENUE courtesy of amyrebo1. maggie The place was packed - and he was without question - the STAR. He got the most applause. 2. Marci3 The theater is GORGEOUS. The show seems better than New York. More "raunchier", "more Energetic", just more FUN! Huge applause after every single number. Marci3 3. Marci and Pattie .... show was so great! The band was awesome... When Frenchy rubs his chest, instead of saying "I love you" she said "I voted for you." Encore - Grease is the word - his harp playing was much longer and they circled him - highlighted that. They also did Greased Lightnin' courtesy of pearlpattie4 Dawniebelle A friend of mine bought tickets to go see Grease on Rhode Island last night. Now, being a novice to all things "Idol" I had only really heard of Taylor Hicks when he won and then not again until last night. It was a night I'll never forget! He might have a bit role, but,make no mistake about it, he is without question, the star of the show. ....the good news is as a non-fan I can't wait to see this incredibly talented man in concert when he is out of character. One thing that struck me is his soul shines through. courtesy of s123viv5. ladybugfortaylor Taylor was just great! The crowd absolutely loved him--lots of applause, whoos & cheers when he came out, when he left in the cone, when he took his bow at the end, & at the final #. It looked like a full house. The lady behind me said she couldn't get 2 more tix...... I could see every expression on his face, & he sure had plenty of expressions! His voice was strong & excellent! He was also very funny. He makes the most of his appearance, that's for sure. courtesy of twinmiracles276. PatP ( at the Meet and Greet) He talked about the music business saying the even though he is where he is now it is really a tough business. He seemed to really stress that. 7. lukeasiliveit. December 5 omg omg omg just saw grease at ppac. well, saw it last night. but it hit me so hard that it feels like i just saw it. see now i feel bad because i honestly enjoyed it, and those last two sentences make it seem like i didn't. so, to clarify, i did enjoy the performance. but what i enjoyed most was TAYLOR HICKS awww yeah he's too old to play any of the main characters so he played 'teen angel' and sang 'beauty school drop out' to frenchie. and i'll be the first to tell you that i was never really big into mr. hicks, there. or american idol at that moment. but now that i saw this show? well, i will also be the first to say that he stole the show. really, he did. good song, good acting, really enjoyed himself. of course, he has sang this song hundreds of times, but he seemed to really enjoy it. and thus, i did too. 8. UHadMeAtWooHoo I actually preferred the road show to the Broadway version. The cast had a little more 'wiggle room' with the lyrics/dialogue and Taylor hams it up even more. 9. dg90001 Taylor was over the top as usual. But he did come out of the cone - turn around and literally shake his bottom for the crowd. It was fun. 10. The NEW Mrs. Taylor Hicks I went to the Dress REhearsal on Monday the night before opening night.... It was AMAZING. He sang beautifully and looked BEAUTIFUL as well. But I couldn't help but laughing as the ice cream cone was lowere to the ground. 11. Andrea W P- Providence RI group trip to see Grease! My photo file says Dec 2008 ...can that be right?? The panty incident was both embarrassing and hilarious. We had a Secret Santa exchange in the hotel lobby, these custom made black panties were my gift!! ![]() I told Taylor that his friend Bill (seen behind him) sold them to me at the merch table. :p He replied "The least I can do is sign them for you". What a trooper! I was happy and had a story for my husband when I got home. |
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2:37 AM Jul 11