1973
25
GREASE London run: New London Theatre, June 26th (236 Performances) Music & Lyrics: Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey Director: Tom Moore Choreographer: Patricia Birch Musical Director: Barry Booth Producer: Paul Elliott & Duncan Weldon
Cast: Richard Gere (Danny Zuko), Stacey Gregg (Sandy), Jacquie-Ann Carr (Rizzo), Peter Armitage (Kenickie), Stephen Alder (Teen Angel), Derek James (Doody) Songs: Summer Nights, Freddy My Love, Greased Lightning, Mooning, Look at Me I’m Sandra Dee, We Go Together, It’s Raining on Prom Night, Beauty School Drop Out, There are Worse Things I Could Do
Notes: Originally an offBroadway show, it moved into the mainstream for an 8 year run with 3,388 performances. For some unknown reason the London production did not take off and only managed a mere 236 performances. During the run Elaine Paige took over the role of Sandy. The film version in 1978 made a great difference as far as London was concerned, and future revivals of “Grease” have been hugely successful. Left: Elaine Paige & Paul Nicholas who took over from (Right) Richard Gere
WEST SIDE STORY (1st Revival) London run: Collegiate Theatre, July 3rd (Summer season) Music: Leonard Bernstein Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents Director: Bill Kenwright Choreographer: Robert Arditti Musical Director: Ed Coleman Producer: Bill Kenwright (David Gordon Productions)
Cast: Jim Smilie (Tony), Rosamund Shelley (Maria), Roger Finch (Riff), Michael Howe (Diesel), Peter Daly (Bernardo), Clovissa Newcombe (Anita) Notes: This production had come to the Collegiate (now known as the Bloomsbury Theatre) following a long UK tour.. See Original London Production, Her Majesty’s , December 1968 (See also Shaftesbury Theatre, December 1974)
Credit Unknown
Story: The setting is Rydell High School where the greaser Danny Zuko is attracted to the prim and proper Sandy Dumbrowski, who eventually learns that in 1950s Chicago there is no fun in being virtuous. The show is a satirical, bang-on-target look at the dress, manners, morals and music of teenagers at the beginning of the rock’n’roll era, where kids had little on their minds except hanging out and making out. Underneath it all, the show mocks individuality and champions eventual conformity with the real world of 1950s America.