Trip to ‘Grease’ at MGM Grand proves a bit redundant

Joe Delaney

Friday, May 5, 2000 | 9:13 a.m.

"Grease," a presentation of the Troika Organization and Fantasma Productions, is being performed in the MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre through May 30. After a quiet Chicago start in 1971, the musical story of the Rydell High School reunion moved to New York City's off-Broadway area, then went uptown to the theater district for 3,338 consecutive performances.

Ranked as the fifth-longest running musical in Broadway history when it closed in 1980, "Grease" was revived there in 1994. The first time around it was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including best musical. Another three Tony nominations were earned by the revival, including best revival. ... It was also made into a successful motion picture, co-starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta.

Cindy Williams, Shirley in the long-running sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," is the best Mrs. Lynch of the versions I've seen. Eddie Mekka, also a sitcom winner as Carmine Ragusa in "Laverne & Shirley," scores heavily doubling as disc jockey Vince Fontaine and the Teen Angel. The duo carry the show, which, for a few moments, never rises to the level of Mekka's pre-show warm-up and Williams' welcoming speech from the audience.

The story line has the sweet, naive transfer student, Sandy Dumbrowski, being inducted into the school's Pink Ladies group, where she tells of her summer romance with a boy who turns out to be Danny Zuko, who changes character, trying to maintain his position as king of the Burger Palace Boys, losing Sandy in the process.

Shannon Hastings is an appealing Dumbrowski, and Ryan Williams as Zuko is more Travolta than Zuko. Neither is particularly believable, and Sandy's transformation to tough girl misses entirely.

Next to the efforts of Williams and Mekka, the cast standout is Christine Rudman as Betty Rizzo, the tough leader of the Pink Ladies. Rizzo's rendition of "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" is a show highlight. The rest of the cast does the best it can with the dated dialogue and repetitive score.

When I first learned "Grease" was being booked into the MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre, one word popped into my mind. It kept recurring during the 90-minute performance. That word was "Why."