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Keeling and Spencer Will Be Danny and Sandy in Grease in July

By Andrew Gans
and Kenneth Jones
25 Jun 2008

Ashley Spencer and Derek Keeling

It's official. Finalists Ashley Spencer and Derek Keeling of the reality TV audition series "Grease: You're the One That I Want" will be the new Sandy and Danny of Broadway's Grease beginning July 22.

Playbill.com had reported June 24 that Spencer and Keeling would likely join the revival at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre following the departure of original stars Max Crumm and Laura Osnes. Producers of the musical have now confirmed the casting. Crumm and Osnes will offer their final performances July 20.

Keeling was most recently seen in the West Coast premiere of All Shook Up and also played Danny Zuko in a national tour of Grease. Spencer was recently on Broadway playing Amber von Tussle in the Tony-winning musical Hairspray.

Osnes and Crumm were winners in the 2007 televised competition that sought to cast the new Broadway revival of Grease. Spencer placed second. Keeling was a finalist.

The current cast of Grease, directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, includes Janine DiVita as Rizzo (starting June 26), Crumm as Danny, Osnes as Sandy, Ryan Patrick Binder as Doody, Susan Blommaert as Miss Lynch, Will Blum as Roger, Jeb Brown as Vince, Allison Fischer as Patty, Robyn Hurder as Marty, Lindsay Mendez as Jan, Jose Restrepo as Sonny, Matthew Saldivar as Kenickie, Jamison Scott as Eugene, Kirsten Wyatt as Frenchy and American Idol winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel. The ensemble comprises Josh Franklin, Natalie Hill, Matthew Hydzik, Keven Quillon, Allie Schultz, Brian Sears, Christina Sivrich, Amber Stone and Anna Aimee White.

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"After spending a hopelessly devoted summer with Sandy Dumbrowski (Osnes), the new girl in town," Grease press notes state, "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."

Grease features scenic design by Derek McLane, costume design by Martin Pakledinaz, lighting design by Kenneth Posner and sound design by Brian Ronan.

Grease features book, music and lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The new production also boasts songs from the hit 1978 film, which co-starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Among the film songs heard in the Broadway revival are "Sandy," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Grease" and "You're the One That I Want."

The new cast recording of Grease is available on the Masterworks Broadway label.

Grease debuted on Broadway in February 1972 with a cast that included Barry Bostwick (Danny), Carole Demas (Sandy) and Adrienne Barbeau (Rizzo). The musical closed in April 1980, after playing 20 previews and 3,388 performances. The 1994 revival cast Rosie O'Donnell in the role of Rizzo.

Grease is produced on Broadway by Paul Nicholas and David Ian, Nederlander Presentations, Inc. and Terry Allen Kramer by arrangement with Robert Stigwood.