2016-06-04T20:50:24Z http://www.theatreface.com/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=David+Korins&feed=yes&xn_auth=no tag:www.theatreface.com,2016-02-01:2529492:Topic:192372 2016-02-01T21:02:04.557Z Jacob Coakley http://www.theatreface.com/profile/JacobCoakley

<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/cKnzGdTqAJ7XU610wKmsIgVdw6C6qSdyXnluBD6eNZQAWFBX1U5YWbKdMvMdPVpJ5afqpU5TiYP-HOQO7jsxamlOfYxN6xhX/greaselivegreasedlightning.jpg" target="_self"><img class="align-left" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/cKnzGdTqAJ7XU610wKmsIgVdw6C6qSdyXnluBD6eNZQAWFBX1U5YWbKdMvMdPVpJ5afqpU5TiYP-HOQO7jsxamlOfYxN6xhX/greaselivegreasedlightning.jpg?width=250" width="250"></img></a> So <em>Grease: Live</em> hit Fox last night, and blew away all the ratings for live theatrical events. I'm not surprised -- while I'm not a huge fan of Grease, that production had a great cast, technical wizardry, and one big secret weapon: A live audience. </p> <p><em>Grease</em> didn't totally…</p>

<p><a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/cKnzGdTqAJ7XU610wKmsIgVdw6C6qSdyXnluBD6eNZQAWFBX1U5YWbKdMvMdPVpJ5afqpU5TiYP-HOQO7jsxamlOfYxN6xhX/greaselivegreasedlightning.jpg" target="_self"><img src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/cKnzGdTqAJ7XU610wKmsIgVdw6C6qSdyXnluBD6eNZQAWFBX1U5YWbKdMvMdPVpJ5afqpU5TiYP-HOQO7jsxamlOfYxN6xhX/greaselivegreasedlightning.jpg?width=250" width="250" class="align-left"/></a>So <em>Grease: Live</em> hit Fox last night, and blew away all the ratings for live theatrical events. I'm not surprised -- while I'm not a huge fan of Grease, that production had a great cast, technical wizardry, and one big secret weapon: A live audience. </p> <p><em>Grease</em> didn't totally eliminate the awkwardness of having a stage show filmed live, but it was a far sight more relaxed and less clunky-feeling than NBC's live musicals, which have seemed stilted and dated. Having an audience highlighted the sheer theatricality of it all, rather than try and ignore it, and it made it easier to accept the theatricality of it for me.</p> <p>P<a href="http://www.playbill.com/news/article/15-things-grease-live-did-absolutely-right-383238?r=n" target="_blank">laybill has a list of 15 Things <em>Grease: Live</em> did right</a>, and it's worth a look. I completely agree with a few of them, including shout-outs to David Korins' set design and William Ivey Long's costumes. The opening sequence walking through all the set pieces and backstage areas was exhilarating, setting the energy and world of the show, while Long's costumes were dazzling throughout -- and when they worked together, like in the "Freddy My Love" number, it really was some amazing theatrical magic. </p> <p>Did you catch the show? What do think they got right? What made you cringe? </p>