Susan McFadden and Danny Bayne
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Full casting has been announced for the forthcoming West End revival of the musical
Grease, which opens at the Piccadilly Theatre on 8 August, following previews from 25 July. The show’s two lead roles of Danny Zuko and Sandy Dumbrowski were awarded to newcomers Danny Bayne and Susan McFadden last week, when they won the final of ITV’s casting contest show,
Grease is the Word, as
previously reported.
Joining the pair on stage will be Sean Mulligan as Kenickie, Jayde Westaby as Rizzo, Lee Martin, Richard Hardwick, Bennett Andrews, Alana Phillips, Laurie Scarth, Charlie Cameron, Jason Capewell, Tim Newman and Marie Daly. As previously reported, the cast also features Siobhan Dillon as Patty Simcox. Last year, Dillon was second runner-up on the TV casting show that initiated the current vogue for the genre, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?.
Grease started life as an off-Broadway musical in 1972 and went on to become a massively successful 1978 movie and an international stage phenomenon. Its most recent West End presentation played at the Dominion and then at the Cambridge Theatre from 1993 to 1999, and it is that production of the show that is being revived at the Piccadilly. Since 1999 it has toured the U.K. extensively and has returned to London on occasion for short runs.
Among its many memorable songs, written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, are “We Go Together”, “Hopelessly Devoted to You”, “Beauty School Dropout”, “You’re the One That I Want”, “Greased Lightnin’” and “Summer Nights”.