Show guide
Grease
Grease is a high-energy jukebox-style rock and roll musical set in an American high school in the late 1950s, built around the on-again, off-again romance of Danny and Sandy.
- Broadway premiere
- 1972
- Music by
- Jacobs & Casey
- Genre
- Rock/Pop
- Setting
- 1950s
Grease: quick answers
What is Grease about?
- Grease follows greaser Danny Zuko and wholesome Sandy Dumbrowski, whose summer romance runs into trouble at Rydell High once Danny has to keep up his tough image in front of his gang.
When did Grease open on Broadway?
- Grease opened at the Eden Theatre on February 14, 1972, moved to Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre on June 7, 1972, and ran 3,388 performances until April 13, 1980, then the longest run in Broadway history.
What kind of musical is Grease?
- Grease is a rock and roll musical comedy with an original score by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey written in 1950s style, not a jukebox musical. The first Chicago version was far rawer than the Broadway show.
Where and when is Grease set?
- Grease is set at Rydell High School in Chicago in 1959.
Has Grease played in London's West End?
- Grease opened in London in 1973 at the New London Theatre with Richard Gere as Danny, and a 1993 revival at the Dominion Theatre starred Craig McLachlan.
Is there a Grease movie?
- The 1978 film, directed by Randal Kleiser and starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, was the highest-grossing film of that year. Fox's Grease: Live aired in 2016 with Aaron Tveit and Julianne Hough.
The story of Grease
Set at Rydell High in the late 1950s, Grease follows greaser Danny Zuko and the sweet, new-to-town Sandy as they navigate a summer romance that turns awkward once school starts and their separate social circles collide. Around them swirls a colorful cast of leather jacket toughs and pink-jacketed girls, each dealing with their own version of growing up, fitting in, and figuring out who they want to be.
The show leans into teenage anxieties about image and belonging, wrapping them in humor and nostalgia. It is less concerned with deep drama than with capturing the attitude, slang, and swagger of a very specific American moment just before the cultural upheavals of the 1960s.
The music and the makers
Grease was written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, and its score is a loving, energetic pastiche of early rock and roll and doo-wop, full of hip-shaking rhythms and catchy hooks. The songs are designed to sound like they could have come straight off a 1950s jukebox, with tight harmonies and a rebellious, guitar-and-sax-driven energy.
Unlike many Golden Age shows built on lush orchestral ballads, Grease favors short, punchy numbers that move fast and hit hard, mirroring the restless energy of its teenage characters.
Grease on Broadway
Grease arrived on Broadway in the early 1970s, tapping into a wave of nostalgia for the 1950s that was sweeping American pop culture at the time. Its scrappy, low-budget charm and irreverent humor made it stand apart from more polished Golden Age productions, and it found an audience hungry for something looser and more rebellious.
Its staying power comes from that nostalgia combined with instantly catchy songs, and it remains a favorite for audiences who want an evening of pure fun, easy singalongs, and a vivid trip back to soda shops and drive-in movies.
Grease: frequently asked questions
Is Grease a jukebox musical?
No. Grease has an original score by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, written in the style of 1950s rock and roll rather than compiled from existing hits, which is what defines a jukebox musical. Some revivals also add songs written for the 1978 film, such as You're the One That I Want.
What is Grease the musical about?
Grease follows greaser Danny Zuko and new student Sandy Dumbrowski at Rydell High in the late 1950s, as their summer romance turns on-again, off-again once Danny tries to act cool in front of his gang, the Burger Palace Boys.
Is Grease a play or a musical?
Grease is a musical, not a straight play. It is a full length musical comedy built around an original score of rock and roll style songs.
Did Grease win the Tony Award for Best Musical?
No. Grease was nominated for seven Tony Awards in 1972, including Best Musical, but won none. The award went to Two Gentlemen of Verona that year.
Is Grease still running on Broadway?
No. The original production closed on April 13, 1980, after 3,388 performances, at the time the longest run in Broadway history. Broadway revivals that opened in 1994 and 2007 closed in 1998 and 2009.
When did Grease open on Broadway?
Grease opened on Broadway in 1972.
Who wrote Grease?
The show was written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.
What era is Grease set in?
It is set in the late 1950s at an American high school.
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