Jackie Hoffman & More Join GREASE Prequel Series RISE OF THE PINK LADIES

Paramount+ has unveiled the cast of Grease: The Rise of the Pink Ladies, a new prequel series that takes place four years before the iconic movie musical. Principal photography has begun in Vancouver.

Deadline reports that the prequel series will star Jackie Hoffman as Asst. Principal McGee, Marisa Davila as Jane, Cheyenne Isabel Wells as Olivia, Ari Notartomaso as Cynthia, Tricia Fukuhara as Nancy, Shanel Bailey as Hazel, Madison Thompson as Susan, Johnathan Nieves as Richie, Jason Schmidt as Buddy, and Maxwell Whittington-Cooper as Wally.

The series will take place four years before the 1978 film. Before the T-Birds were high school royalty, four outcast girls made the decision to create their own fun on their own terms, triggering a moral panic that will affect the history of Rydell High forever.

Justin Tranter will create new, original music for the series. Tranter recently worked on high-profile pop albums, such as "Chromatica" by Lady Gaga, "Future Nostalgia" by Dua Lipa, and "Gaslighter" by The Chicks.

Jamal Sims will choreograph the musical numbers and Alethea Jones will direct the first episode of the series. Annabel Oakes, the writer behind the hit Netflix series Atypical and Awkward, will serve as showrunner of the 10 episode series and will executive produce the project with Marty Bowen and Erik Feig.

The show was originally announced as an HBOMax series, titled Grease: Rydell High, but was scrapped as part of a management change for the streaming service. A Grease film prequel is also still in the works under the title, "Grease: Summer Lovin'". Brett Haley is currently attached to direct.

Best known for her Emmy nominated role of 'Mamacita' from FX's "Feud: Betty and Joan," Jackie Hoffman has been seen onstage in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Addams Family, Hairspray, On the Town, and Xanadu.