Full casting has been announced for the West End return of Grease, which found its leads, Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden, through the ITV talent contest Grease Is The Word.
Joining Bayne and McFadden, who play Danny and Sandy when the show opens on 8 August, are Sean Mulligan as Kenickie, Jayde Westaby as Rizzo, Lee Martin as Doody, Richard Hardwick as Roger, Bennett Andrews as Sonny, Alana Phillips as Frenchy, Laurie Scarth as Jan, Charlie Cameron as Marty, Jason Capewell as Vince/Teen Angel, Tim Newman as Eugene, Marie Daly as Miss Lynch and last year’s How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? finalist Siobhan Dillon, who was already announced in the role of Patty.
This production of Grease first opened in the West End in 1993, playing for six years. It has since been touring nationally and internationally. Commenting on the show, David Ian, producer and head judge on Grease Is The Word said: “Grease is the people’s musical and to be bringing it back into London’s West End with two brand new stars discovered in this exciting new ITV series, is as exciting as it gets”.
Written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease is set in 1950s America and follows the students of Rydell High in their final year of school. Sandy enjoyed a holiday romance with Danny, and when she starts her new school she is delighted to find that he is a student there. But Danny Zuko, leader of the T-birds, acts too cool for school and snubs the straightlaced Sandy. He spends the rest of the show trying to win her back. Along the way they and their schoolmates sing such popular tunes as Hopelessly Devoted To You, Summer Nights, You’re The One That I Want and We Go Together.
Grease opens at the Piccadilly on 8 August after previews from 25 July. em>CB