TOTAL BROADWAY THROWBACK: GREASE: YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT!

by Mike Haber | Sep 7, 2024 | Blog, Broadway, Casting, Shows

Time for a little TOTAL BROADWAY THROWBACK. Every artist has that ultimate goal of wanting to be on Broadway. It takes hard work, dedication, passion, and courage to get there in the world of auditioning. Over the years, we’ve seen rising talents take on the blood, sweat, and tears for the one “YES!”. One of those moments takes us back to 2007.

In 2007, the most recent Tony nominated Broadway revival of the beloved musical GREASE teamed up with NBC for major casting reality show. Appropriately entitled GREASE: YOU’RE THE ONE THAT I WANT, it followed a major audition casting call of a lifetime….. the chance for lucky 2 newcomers to star in the lead roles of “Sandy” and “Danny” on Broadway. This reality show came off the success of how the UK was doing a lineup of reality casting talent shows to find new stars of the West End. This was the first for Broadway!! What a process that they went through in 8 GRUELING WEEKS as America voted their standout performers in landing their Broadway debuts.

The first few episodes followed the Open Casting Call tour for the new GREASE began in the Fall of 2006. Thousands of hopefuls HAND JIVED to NYC, LA, and Chicago as they attempt to impress the panel of judge….. The GREASE revival’s director and choreographer Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall, co-writer Jim Jacobs, and producer David Ian. Some wowed them. Some not so great. From all the great talents, the judges began cutting it down to THE TOP 50 for the next level.

THE TOP 50 “Sandys” and “Dannys” made their way over for the ultimate callback experience. In true RYDELL HIGH fashion, GREASE ACADEMY. It was an intense bootcamp of acting, singing, and dancing as they learned to step into the worlds of “Sandy” and “Danny” making the part their own. At the end of GREASE ACADEMY came a private showcase performance for The Judges which then chose the TOP 12 who would go on to compete in the LIVE TELECAST SHOW. In the end, it became THE TOP 14 as the Judges gave a 2nd chance to an additional “Sandy” and “Danny”.

Next level came the LIVE SHOW. This is where America came in to cast their VOTES on the winning “Danny” and “Sandy”. The TOP 14 (7 “Sandys” & 7 “Dannys”) take the stage to perform a variety of songs from GREASE, but also random songs inspired by their own personalities that can motivate their take on the role. Each week, the contestants would perform and be critiqued by Marshall, Jacobs, and Ian. In several episodes, there would be an additional guest judge on board. Some of them included Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jon Secada, and the iconic 1975 film’s “Sandy” herself….. the late Olivia Newton John. After those performances is when America would vote afterwards. The next day would be the ultimate ELIMINATION ROUND…… The 2 “Sandys” and “Dannys” with the weakest performance and low votes, would face a pressure “Sing Off” for the judges to save themselves. From there, the judges would determine who stays and who goes home. It keeps going and going and going till the FINALE.

At the end of the talent competition alone, America chose newcomers Laura Osnes and Max Crumm as the “Sandy” and “Danny” on Broadway!!!

That most prior Kathleen Marshall directed and choreographed revival of GREASE played the Brooks Atkinson Theatre (now the Lena Horne Theatre) for 31 previews and 554 performances. It went on to also be nominated for a 2008 Tony Award for only Best Revival of A Musical but lost the category. Osnes and Crumm stayed for a whole year with the production before runner-up contestants Ashley Spencer and the late Derek Keeling taking over till the closing.

Life after the reality show, the “Sandys” and “Dannys” even went on to have even grander epic Broadway careers afterwards. Notably…..

Laura Osnes – A 2-time Tony Award nominee for Bonnie & Clyde and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella plus also appearing in South Pacific, Anything Goes, and most recently Bandstand. She’s also been appearing in various Hallmark Christmas movies & released 3 solo recordings.

Max Crumm – Appeared on Broadway in Seth Rudetsky’s Disaster along with Off Broadway’s The Fantasticks and Emojiland. They also appeared in the movie Easy A.

Ashley Spencer – Made her Broadway debut in Hairspray before replacing Osnes as “Sandy”. She also appeared in Rock of Ages and the original cast of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Notably she is married to Tony nominee Jeremy Jordan.

Derek Keeling – Later went on to replaced Max as “Danny” after his contract ended and appeared on the National Tour of Million Dollar Quartet. Sadly, passed away in December 2018. RIP

Kathleen Monteleone – Broadway’s Hands on a Hardbody but also the National Tour of Legally Blonde.

and

Kate Rockwell – Broadway’s Legally Blonde, Bring It On, and a scene-stealing performance as “Karen Smith” in Mean Girls,

We are so happy to share that all episodes are available right here. Check them out.

FIRST 6 EPISODES: Grease You’re the One That I Want Ep 1-6 (youtube.com)

LAST 5 EPISODES: Grease You’re the One That I want Ep 7-11 (youtube.com)

Who remembers this reality show?