Grease - The New Broadway Cast Recording (2007 Broadway Revival Cast) [CAST RECORDING]

Laura Osnes (Artist), Max Crumm (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 2, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Sony Classics
• ASIN: B000V9KF96
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #37,194 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Prologue

2. Grease

3. Summer Nights

4. Those Magic Changes

5. Freddy, My Love

6. Greased Lightnin'

7. Rydell Fight Song

8. Mooning

9. Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee

10. We Go Together

11. Shaking at the High School Hop

12. It's Raining on Prom Night

13. Born to Hand-Jive

14. Hopelessly Devoted to You

15. Beauty School Dropout

16. Sandy

17. Rock 'n' Roll Party Queen

18. There Are Worse Things I Could Do

19. Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee (reprise)

20. You're the One That I Want

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

America spoke, and in the end, Laura Osnes and Max Crumm were voted in as the leads for the new revival of Grease that opened on Broadway in August 2007, five months after the close of the casting call/reality show, Grease: You're the One that I Want! Fortunately, "Small Town Sandy" and "Slacker Danny" prove that America did make the right choice, especially for their fans who remember them singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Sandy" during the competition with the runners-up (would-have-been-acceptable Ashley Spencer and talented-but-charmless Austin Miller). The irony with a cast recording, though, is that picking the leads is a bit of much ado about nothing since Grease gives so many of its big songs to the ensemble, all of whom are solid here: "Those Magic Changes" (sung by Ryan Patrick Binder as Doody), "Freddy, My Love" (Robyn Hurder as Marty), "Greased Lightnin'" (Matthew Saldivar as Kenickie), "Mooning" (Daniel Everidge and Lindsay Mendez as Roger and Jan), "Look at Me, I'm Sandra Dee" and "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" (Jenny Powers as Rizzo), and "Beauty School Dropout" (Stephen R. Buntrock as Teen Angel). The question for cast-recording enthusiasts who didn't watch the reality show is, "Do I need another Grease?", just as the earlier question might have been, "Does Broadway need another Grease?", only a dozen years after the last revival. Grease: You're the One that I Want! was never really about what Broadway needed, of course--it was about what NBC needed to attract its Sunday-primetime audience, and that was a perennially popular musical with an iconic film and even a hit Disney Channel version (High School Musical). Compared to the 1972 original Broadway cast, the 1978 movie soundtrack, and the 1994-95 revival, this recording provides the best mix of songs from the stage and screen, and even if it's not essential, it's enjoyable and should hold up to repeat listenings. --David Horiuchi

Product Description

America has spoken! After 12 weeks of nationally televised auditions, 90 million viewers and millions of voters, LAURA OSNES and MAX CRUMM are the ones that America wants to play the iconic roles of "Sandy" and "Danny" in the new Broadway production of GREASE. The two winners were announced during the live finale episode of the NBC talent competitions series "GREASE: YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT" on Sunday, March 25, 2007.

GREASE, by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, is the all-American musical, based on the sub-cultures of high school life in the 1950's. The show takes place at the hyperactive Rydell High School, where Danny Zuko fronts his gang - the raucous T-Birds - who romance their sassy female equivalents - the Pink Ladies. When the "good-girl" Sandy Dumbrowski arrives in town, the Pink Ladies take her under their collective wing.

In 1978, GREASE became "the word" with the hit feature-film adaptation starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as the lovelorn leads. A Broadway revival played from 1996 - 1998.

The new Broadway production will feature the smash Jacobs-Casey songs made famous by the original musical including "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightning" and "We Go Together" as well as the additional film songs "Grease is the Word," "You're The One That I Want," "Hopelessly Devoted to you" and "Sandy."

GREASE is now playing on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 256 West 47th Street.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some Solid Renditions, Still, Latest Incarnation Lacks Energy, October 4, 2007

By	E. Banson "filmguy78" (Tracy, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"Grease" doesn't have much depth to it, true, but the latest revival of the now-classic show feels empty and dry, lacking anything truly original, offering up nothing new. On stage, I found it to be rather paint-by-numbers. It's as if the cast, especially reality-show stars Laura Osnes and Max Crumm, are told and expected to hit their marks and that's it. Forget characterization or chemistry. The ensemble performs the show dutifully, with refrigerated smiles and sharp dance moves . . . yet despite the polished on-the-mark performances, it still feels like the pep and vim of the show has been zapped out of it.

Sadly, it's apparent in this new cast recording. Chris Jahnke's orchestrations play it safe, with perhaps a few exceptions. 'Those Magic Changes' nicely homages that 60's beach party ballad reminiscent of the Beach Boys or Jan & Dean, complete with bongos and vocal oohs. 'You're the One That I Want' is probably the only track that has the necessary energy with its new rockabilly arrangement, but it comes at the end of the show--coming alive a little too late. 'Summer Nights' is oddly boring and could have been recorded by any of the countless regional/amateur theatre groups who have put "Grease" on. Even the show's signature ballad 'There Are Worse Things I Can Do' is unimaginatively rendered by Jenny Powers' Rizzo.

If you're an avid fan of "Grease" then this is obviously for you. Yet it's one recording you'll hardly go back to for repeat visits. And why should you? The original 1972 Broadway cast recording is definitely a treasure. The 1978 film version stands on its own merits and the 1994 Broadway revival is probably the most definitive with its daring arrangements and tenacity. (Okay, we won't put the 1993 London revival in the same league, with its synthesized orchestrations and lazy performances). This new revival is solid, I'll give it that. But it's nothing to write home about.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Music and Ensemble, November 14, 2007

By	MusicBuff (NJ) - See all my reviews

I love Max Crumm and Laura Osnes and have seen the Grease on Broadway. I definitely enjoy listening to the whole CD. It really has good music.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Grease is great fun!, November 2, 2007

By	Auntie Em (Las Cruces NM USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

I have been a Max Crumm fan ever since I first heard him sing "Summer of 69". He has indeed "just started". He is going to do it all. America knows talent when they see it and they got this one right. Max and Laura are excellent on this CD. Max's rendition of "Sandy" is the best of anyone who has ever done it. Laura's "Hopelessly Devoted" is done flawlessly. They stand out every time they perform. The rest of the cast are also quite talented. Daniel Everidge's "Mooning" is perfection and Lindsay Mendez's voice accompanies him beautifully. Jenny Powers makes every word count in "There are Worse Things I Could Do". I know in the screenplay Kenicke rather than Danny sings Grease Lightning and my only criticism of this CD is I think Max would have done a better job-course I could be prejudiced. All the cast is very talented and this CD has so much energy and bounce; it is a real feel good musical experience. Sometimes our generation asks what the world is coming too but if these talented hardworking young people are any example of today's generation, we have nothing to worry about. If you need an upper, feel like dancing or just want to sing along (they even include the lyrics), this CD is a must. A great treat for yourself, friends or family.