Grease Sing-A-Long

Front Row at the Movies by Shirrel Rhoades

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We all wanna be in pictures, but getting a role as an extra in a movie is not so easy (much less a starring role).

But you can become part of the entertainment with “Grease Sing-Along.”

Like “Rocky Horror Picture Show” or the “Mamma Mia” ABBA songfests, this is a special showing of “Grease” that invites the audience to participate – singing along with the stars and extras up there on the big screen.

Everybody remembers “Grease,” that 1978 musical romantic comedy starring a limber young John Travolta (“Saturday Night Fever” was his big hit back then) as Danny Zuko and a Sandra Dee-ish Olivia Newton John (the British-Australian pop singer) as Sandy Olsson.

This is the musical where the nice blonde transfer student (Newton-John) falls for the slick-haired greaser (Travolta) in the leather jacket.

In the process, Danny and Sandy join the T-Birds and Pink Ladies in singing such familiar songs as “Grease,” “Summer Nights,” “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “Greased Lightnin’,” “It’s Raining on Prom Night,” and “There Are Worse Things I Could Do,” among others.

Also you get such classics as “Tears on My Pillow,” “Hound Dog,” “Blue Moon,” and “Born to Hand Jive” delivered by Johnny Casino and the Gamblers (vocalized by Sha-Na-Na).

The soundtrack album was the second bestselling album of 1978.

The cast includes such familiar faces as Stockard Channing (TV’s “West Wing”) as a Pink Lady, Jeff Conaway (TV’s “Taxi”) as a T-Bird, Eve Arden (TV’s “Our Miss Brooks”) as the high school principal, Edd Byrnes (TV’s “77 Sunset Strip”) as an on-air personality, Joan Blondell (“Lady for a Night”) as a waitress at the Frosty Palace, Sid Caesar (TV’s “Your Show of Shows”) as the high school coach, and Frankie Avalon (“Beach Blanket Bingo”) as Teen Angel. John Travolta’s sister Ellen also pops up as a waitress in the film.

To set the mood, the high school in the film is named after pop singer Bobby Rydell.

American Film Institute picked “Grease” as the 20th Greatest Musical. And ranked “Summer Nights” as Number 70 in AFI’s 100 Years …100 Songs tribute.

This sing-along screening takes place next Wednesday night at Tropic Cinema. There will be two showings. The 6:30 p.m. showing is family friendly with the sing-along being led by members of the Key West High School Drama Club.. The 8:55 p.m. showing is adults only with many of Key West’s local performers leading the party.

Costumes are encouraged at both screenings, so dress as a Pink Lady or a T-Bird.

Go ahead – release your inner greaser and join the on-screen cast along with audience members in this fun musical outing. Don’t worry if you don’t know all the songs. Lyrics allowing you to follow along will appear on the big screen.

Email Shirrel: srhoades@aol.com