Photo Coverage: 'Grease' Cast Meet Fidelity FutureStage Students

On Wednesday, March 5, 2008, the "students" at Rydell High from Broadway's Grease met 60 students from Hillcrest High (Queens) in a post-show talk-back hosted by Fidelity FutureStage, following their free-admittance matinee performance at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre (256 West 47th Street).

Laura Osnes (Sandy) and many members of the Grease cast spoke to the under-privileged students who art participating in the landmark theatre program.

Fidelity FutureStage is a comprehensive arts education initiative designed to bring professional theater into the classrooms of participating New York City schools created by Fidelity Investments, LEAP (Learning Through An Expanded Arts Program) and The Viertel/Frankel/Baruch/Routh Group. Now in its second year, the program provides a unique playwriting and production curriculum for more than 800 area students, representing 10 underserved inner-city schools. Fidelity FutureStage affords students the extraordinary opportunity to learn from some of the Broadway community's leading playwrights, directors, designers and actors - both in their classrooms and at Broadway theatres - and ultimately experience the thrill of bringing their own creativity to life on a professional stage.   In June, one play from each participating school will be selected for the Fidelity FutureStage landmark finale event, marking an unprecedented New York theatrical debut for every student involved.

Grease opened on Broadway at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Sunday, August 19, 2007 following preview performances which began on Tuesday, July 24, 2007.  Directed and choreographed by two-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall, Grease features book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.

After spending a hopelessly devoted summer with Sandy Dumbrowski (Laura Osnes), the new girl in town, Danny Zuko's (Max Crumm) world is thrown upside down when Sandy appears at Rydell High on the first day of school. What follows is a rock n' roll celebration of growin' up, cruisin' with friends and goin' steady.  The new production of Grease features songs from the smash hit 1978 motion picture for the first time ever on Broadway including "Sandy," the Academy Award nominated song "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Grease" an "You're the One That I Want" both of which were #1 hits on the Billboard Top 100 list.  These songs will be heard in addition to the Jacobs/Casey songs made famous by the original stage production including "Summer Nights," "Greased Lightnin'" and "We Go Together."

Tickets for Grease are $121.50 - $71.50 and are available through TicketMaster at (212) 307-4100 or www.ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Brooks Atkinson box office. Group Sales are available by calling Nederlander Group Sales at 212-840-3890.  Premium seating is available. Performances are Tuesdays at 7PM, Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM, Wednesday and Saturday at 2PM and Sunday at 3PM.  For more information on the show and ticket availability, please visit our website, www.greaseonbroadway.com.

Photos by Peter James Zielinski