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Grease, Tell Me More, Tell Me More: Stories from the Broadway Phenomenon That Started It All
“Grease, Tell Me More, Tell Me More is a fabulous rockin’ and rollin’ origin story with every juicy inspiration that went into creating it. . . . A must read for all Grease fans.” —Didi Conn, Grease’s “Frenchy”
What started as an amateur play with music in a converted trolly barn in Chicago hit Broadway fifty years ago—and maintains its cultural impact today.
Grease opened downtown in the Eden Theatre February 14, 1972, short of money, short of audience, short of critical raves, and seemingly destined for a short run. But like the little engine that could, this musical of high school kids from the 1950s moved uptown. On December 8, 1979, it became the longest running show—play or musical—in Broadway history.
Grease: Tell Me More, Tell Me More is a collection of memories and stories from over one hundred actors and musicians, including the creative team and crew who were part of the original Broadway production and in the many touring companies it spawned.
Here are stories—some touching, some hilariously funny—from names you may recognize: Barry Bostwick, John Travolta, Adrienne Barbeau, Treat Williams, Marilu Henner, Peter Gallagher, and others you may not: Danny Jacobson, creator of Mad About You; Tony-winning Broadway directors Walter Bobbie and Jerry Zaks; bestselling authors Laurie Graff and John Lansing; television stars Ilene Kristen, Ilene Graff, and Lisa Raggio, and many, many more.
Read about the struggles, the battles, and the ultimate triumphs achieved in shaping the story, characters, and music into the iconic show now universally recognized the world over.
What started as an amateur play with music in a converted trolly barn in Chicago hit Broadway fifty years ago—and maintains its cultural impact today.
Grease opened downtown in the Eden Theatre February 14, 1972, short of money, short of audience, short of critical raves, and seemingly destined for a short run. But like the little engine that could, this musical of high school kids from the 1950s moved uptown. On December 8, 1979, it became the longest running show—play or musical—in Broadway history.
Grease: Tell Me More, Tell Me More is a collection of memories and stories from over one hundred actors and musicians, including the creative team and crew who were part of the original Broadway production and in the many touring companies it spawned.
Here are stories—some touching, some hilariously funny—from names you may recognize: Barry Bostwick, John Travolta, Adrienne Barbeau, Treat Williams, Marilu Henner, Peter Gallagher, and others you may not: Danny Jacobson, creator of Mad About You; Tony-winning Broadway directors Walter Bobbie and Jerry Zaks; bestselling authors Laurie Graff and John Lansing; television stars Ilene Kristen, Ilene Graff, and Lisa Raggio, and many, many more.
Read about the struggles, the battles, and the ultimate triumphs achieved in shaping the story, characters, and music into the iconic show now universally recognized the world over.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2022
21 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 15, 2022
A fun, quick read. Heartfelt and humorous stories shared by the people who have made the musical GREASE the phenomenon it is.
August 31, 2022
Super fun! I still want more!
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May 1, 2022#netgalleyarc This was an entertaining quick read. I love Grease, both the movie and the play. Grease is a big part of my childhood and I enjoyed this leak into the 411 behind the musical.
January 22, 2022
If you've only seen "Grease" in the movies, you missed something great on Broadway when, in the early 70's, two nice Jewish guys, usually the victims of high school Greasers, decided to make a show about the "cool" crowd. Suddenly, they and a lot of other high school theatre nerds became the coolest kids in town (with apologies to Hairspray).People from every Broadway cast and every tour of the show have shared their memories of what it was like to be cast in their first Equity production, and to learn that a Broadway show is often a family. However, Grease appears to have been much more. For one thing, it was a huge producer of future stars: Barry Bostwick, Treat Williams and John Travolta (who actually started in a supporting role) were just three of the big name actors who were Grease alumni. Adrienne Barbeau, who went of to TV fame in Maude, was the original Rizzo. Jeff Conaway was promoted from Keneckie to Danny. The casts of Grease actually sound like a giant checkerboard with producers moving "kids" from cast to cast, at least once almost killing the cast in a tiny Piper Cub caught in a violent storm over Maryland. One seemingly shared experience was the casting call was for Actors who could sing and move, i.e., actors who couldn't dance were acceptable. Patricia Birch, the original Anybodys in West Side Story, was the brilliant choreographer, universally lauded for her ability to make klutzes into passable "movers". This book is enormously fun, amazingly informative, and details how the "Greasy" sausage was made. While Adriene Barbeau chose the title of the book (Tell me more, Tell me more), the authors might just as well have called it "Grease is the Word" because it seems to be the best words on the little show that could and became beloved to Broadway and movie audiences alike.
June 18, 2022
The history of the Broadway production of GREASE is a case of a plucky original musical that beat all the odds. Word-of-mouth made GREASE--which opened to mixed reviews on February 14, 1972--a popular show. Later in the year, it garnered seven Tony nominations. When it closed after 3,388 performances on April 13, 1980, it had broken the record as the longest-running play or musical on Broadway.
This oral history, as told by the original actors and crew, is skillfully assembled by Tom Moore (the musical's original Broadway director), Adrienne Barbeau (who earned a Tony nomination playing bad-girl Rizzo) and Ken Waissman (who co-produced the show with Maxine Fox). The producers auditioned 2,000 actors to find the original 16 cast members. Barry Bostwick, who played the original Danny Zuko, recalls that the "cruelty of the process was unnerving." Ilene Graff reminisces about playing Sandy during her two-and-a-half-year run, starring opposite 11 actors who played the role of Zuko, including Bostwick, Richard Gere, Jeff Conaway and Treat Williams. Eighteen-year-old John Travolta remembers taking a role in the touring company against advice from other industry professionals. There's also a funny and delightfully starstruck round-robin of memories from the 1976 cast, who recalls the time Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton attended performances and invited the cast out to Sardi's for a drunken gathering.
Five decades haven't dimmed the memories of the cast and crew members of GREASE, who have built affectionate friendships. Packed with photos (most are backstage pictures taken by the actors) and warm memories, this engaging oral history is a treat for theatre buffs and earns its standing ovation.
This oral history, as told by the original actors and crew, is skillfully assembled by Tom Moore (the musical's original Broadway director), Adrienne Barbeau (who earned a Tony nomination playing bad-girl Rizzo) and Ken Waissman (who co-produced the show with Maxine Fox). The producers auditioned 2,000 actors to find the original 16 cast members. Barry Bostwick, who played the original Danny Zuko, recalls that the "cruelty of the process was unnerving." Ilene Graff reminisces about playing Sandy during her two-and-a-half-year run, starring opposite 11 actors who played the role of Zuko, including Bostwick, Richard Gere, Jeff Conaway and Treat Williams. Eighteen-year-old John Travolta remembers taking a role in the touring company against advice from other industry professionals. There's also a funny and delightfully starstruck round-robin of memories from the 1976 cast, who recalls the time Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton attended performances and invited the cast out to Sardi's for a drunken gathering.
Five decades haven't dimmed the memories of the cast and crew members of GREASE, who have built affectionate friendships. Packed with photos (most are backstage pictures taken by the actors) and warm memories, this engaging oral history is a treat for theatre buffs and earns its standing ovation.
May 19, 2023
GREASE: Behind the Scenes offers an immersive and entertaining exploration of the beloved musical phenomenon that became a cultural sensation. This oral history takes readers on a journey through the original Broadway production and its various tours, providing a firsthand account of what it was like to be part of this transformative show.
The book reveals the remarkable story of two Jewish creators who defied stereotypes and turned high school Greasers into the "cool" crowd, making waves within the theatre community. It celebrates the tight-knit bonds formed among cast members, who became like families, and showcases the extraordinary talents that emerged from the production, including future stars like John Travolta, Barry Bostwick, and Treat Williams.
Through a combination of funny, touching, and insightful anecdotes, this book captures the essence of being young, hungry, and driven to make one's mark on stage. It sheds light on the immense effort, dedication, and sacrifices required to bring a live theater performance to life, reminding audiences of the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into creating an effortless and captivating show.
GREASE: Behind the Scenes serves as a testament to the enduring impact and ongoing evolution of this beloved musical. It is an enormously fun and informative read, offering a glimpse into the making of the "little show that could" and its enduring legacy in the hearts of Broadway and movie audiences alike. So sit back, enjoy the show, and appreciate the incredible work and passion that make it all possible.
Thank you Netgalley for this lovely arc in exchange for my honest review
The book reveals the remarkable story of two Jewish creators who defied stereotypes and turned high school Greasers into the "cool" crowd, making waves within the theatre community. It celebrates the tight-knit bonds formed among cast members, who became like families, and showcases the extraordinary talents that emerged from the production, including future stars like John Travolta, Barry Bostwick, and Treat Williams.
Through a combination of funny, touching, and insightful anecdotes, this book captures the essence of being young, hungry, and driven to make one's mark on stage. It sheds light on the immense effort, dedication, and sacrifices required to bring a live theater performance to life, reminding audiences of the behind-the-scenes magic that goes into creating an effortless and captivating show.
GREASE: Behind the Scenes serves as a testament to the enduring impact and ongoing evolution of this beloved musical. It is an enormously fun and informative read, offering a glimpse into the making of the "little show that could" and its enduring legacy in the hearts of Broadway and movie audiences alike. So sit back, enjoy the show, and appreciate the incredible work and passion that make it all possible.
Thank you Netgalley for this lovely arc in exchange for my honest review
June 4, 2024
I'm not a fan of Grease, but I am a fan of theatre stories, so I knew I would eventually read this. I'm glad I did! I really didn't know anything about the original production of Grease. I think I vaguely knew about Barry Bostwick's involvement, but I didn't know how long he was in it. It was fascinating to read about their wild road to Broadway, especially their early roots in Chicago (in a theater without seats). It was also great to just generally read the memories of those involved over the years. There's an entire chapter about Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor connecting with the cast! It's organized primarily by date, so there are stories of hijinks throughout.
I really appreciate as well the way the book talks about the sense of family that was built during the show while also giving space to the people who felt less-than in the midst of that. There's quite a bit from understudies and replacements who talk about feeling isolated or unwelcome, which is refreshing to not see brushed over. There's also a fair amount about substance abuse issues.
I'd definitely recommend this one. It's a quick read and loaded with photos and contributions from people across the spectrum of involvement (designers, performers from Broadway and the tours, writers, the director, etc.).
I really appreciate as well the way the book talks about the sense of family that was built during the show while also giving space to the people who felt less-than in the midst of that. There's quite a bit from understudies and replacements who talk about feeling isolated or unwelcome, which is refreshing to not see brushed over. There's also a fair amount about substance abuse issues.
I'd definitely recommend this one. It's a quick read and loaded with photos and contributions from people across the spectrum of involvement (designers, performers from Broadway and the tours, writers, the director, etc.).
December 30, 2022
So much fun. This oral history of the original Broadway production and the various tours and tent shows that it spawned is funny, touching, and offers a collection of stories from performers and the creative team that show what it's like to be young and hungry (sometimes literally) and driven to show your stuff.
Some of the storytellers went on to become big stars; some didn't; but all took so much away from their time in the show. The various casts became families, and remain so to this day.
Above all, I'd like to remind anyone who attends a live theater performance that, while it might look easy, the amount of work and time and blood/sweat/tears that go into making it seem effortless is immense, so please keep that in mind as you watch. You're seeing a culmination that is also still a work in progress. Yes, that's possible.
Enjoy the show.
Some of the storytellers went on to become big stars; some didn't; but all took so much away from their time in the show. The various casts became families, and remain so to this day.
Above all, I'd like to remind anyone who attends a live theater performance that, while it might look easy, the amount of work and time and blood/sweat/tears that go into making it seem effortless is immense, so please keep that in mind as you watch. You're seeing a culmination that is also still a work in progress. Yes, that's possible.
Enjoy the show.
April 24, 2022
Thank you, Netgalley, publisher, and authors!
First off, I would like to say that I think a book about Grease was absolutely necessary, and it was great that many of the actors and other people involved in the play could create this. It's nice to read about their anecdotes and their experiences, the good and the bad. This is history. I'm not going to lie, I'm not exactly a Grease fan. I've seen the movie and I know the songs, but that's it. Still, I wanted to read this. I'm a nerd, I want to learn about everything. The photos were a nice touch, too.
In my opinion, though, the book is a bit long. I know it has many details, but at times all those details weren't that interesting, so I skipped several pages.
First off, I would like to say that I think a book about Grease was absolutely necessary, and it was great that many of the actors and other people involved in the play could create this. It's nice to read about their anecdotes and their experiences, the good and the bad. This is history. I'm not going to lie, I'm not exactly a Grease fan. I've seen the movie and I know the songs, but that's it. Still, I wanted to read this. I'm a nerd, I want to learn about everything. The photos were a nice touch, too.
In my opinion, though, the book is a bit long. I know it has many details, but at times all those details weren't that interesting, so I skipped several pages.
June 24, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It's comprised of little snippets of memories from various cast members through the years. This format doesn't always work in some books but in this one the stories flowed well and were entertaining. I didn't even know who many of the people were but that didn't matter - some of the stories were serious - even heartbreaking - - while others were hilarious. And they were all interesting.
It was fascinating seeing how this show grew from a little idea the writers had to the phenomenon it turned out to be. I've seen the stage production 4 times during the national tour in 2009. And of course I've seen the movie several times. But reading this book makes me want to run out and see it again for the infectious fun.
It was fascinating seeing how this show grew from a little idea the writers had to the phenomenon it turned out to be. I've seen the stage production 4 times during the national tour in 2009. And of course I've seen the movie several times. But reading this book makes me want to run out and see it again for the infectious fun.
June 27, 2022
This book is a collection of memories from the people who were involved with Grease from its inception to the final show. It talks about the casting, performances, problems, the tours, and camaraderie experienced by the directors, producers, and performers. Some of the aspects were funny, some were actually painful, and some dangerous. Broken bones during the performances happened more than once. Some cast members were held up at their hotel. Some members showed up stoned. Well, it was a show about the greasers! It’s an entertaining and quick read, and you’ll probably learn more about the tours then you really want to know. Just don’t expect anything about the movie - it didn’t make the cut.
November 24, 2022
Do you enjoy The Stars in the House on YouTube? Did you love the film? Were you in Grease yourself?
Take a seat, relax and enjoy the happy and behind-the-scenes tales from the people who lived Grease, the Musical! From very very humble beginnings to the Global Phenomenon it has become, meet most of the original cast, production team, creators, and further legacy holders in interviews about all things Grease! From Tony Award nominations to paint-still-drying sets, dive into the world of Grease like never before!
This is the only Grease book...it's the one that you want!
Take a seat, relax and enjoy the happy and behind-the-scenes tales from the people who lived Grease, the Musical! From very very humble beginnings to the Global Phenomenon it has become, meet most of the original cast, production team, creators, and further legacy holders in interviews about all things Grease! From Tony Award nominations to paint-still-drying sets, dive into the world of Grease like never before!
This is the only Grease book...it's the one that you want!
July 14, 2022
Some great stories in here, and a fun book to read, even if I did spend hours Googling these people to find out who they were (or what they were talking about) because the Broadway run ended years before I was born.
How upset this made me that I have only seen high school productions of this musical set in high school, and now the versions with the 40 year old actors!
How upset this made me that I have only seen high school productions of this musical set in high school, and now the versions with the 40 year old actors!
April 18, 2025
This was a fun read. I spent so much of my professional acting career in this show (it was my Lear), that reading about the development and history was fascinating. It's told as an oral history so it goes very fast and you hear from so many terrific actors that all went through Rydell High. The book does run out of gas toward the end but there are great stories throughout.
January 9, 2023
I’m a massive grease fan. The book was enjoyable. Loved learning about the history of the show. The movie wouldn’t exist without this show. A must read for Grease Fans. It was necessary for a book to be written about Grease.
January 13, 2023
For anyone who has ever seen GREASE on stage, had the opportunity to be in a production of GREASE, or even loved the movie, this book takes you back to where it started. One simple thought and Grease is still the word all these years later.
July 6, 2022
Awsome read, forgot all of the actors that starred in Grease and went on to have huge careers!!!
August 30, 2022
Im a super Grease fan. Great story, great book. Learned some new things.
December 31, 2022
Just came upon this read it one day
My daughter is the big Grease fan. I did not expect to enjoy this as I did. Great read for everyone
My daughter is the big Grease fan. I did not expect to enjoy this as I did. Great read for everyone
January 3, 2023
Fun book about the original production. Focuses more on the casts and their memories than the formation and growth of the show but a fun read nonetheless
January 9, 2023
A 2022 staff favorite recommended by Lori C. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore...
January 11, 2023
A little bit of a slow read but I am a huge Grease fan. I enjoyed going behind the scenes with the cast.
February 9, 2023
It was a fun book to read! I didn’t know all the stars that were in Grease on stage back in the early seventies! It was cool to get to know all that it takes to make a broadway show!
April 16, 2023
Fun, breezy, a “quick read”! If you like musical theater, you will enjoy this book.
August 24, 2024
This book made me feel like I was living in NYC. Through my eyes, I could read this book over and over and I would still start crying every time
April 24, 2022
Like most theater kids, I have been a part of a Grease production and have seen the movie countless times. This book is a great oral history of the musical from it's conception through it's eventual close on Broadway and all the hijinks that went with it.
It's fun to hear from so many different people and learn fun trivia about the show and cast. It's told as a peek-behind the curtains with everyone giving their candid stories, it's a familiar feeling to having a group of old friends together and playing the "remember when" game. Sprinkled in are photos that give the whole book a community feel.
Personally, it felt a little long and since it's mostly personal anecdotes there isn't any larger exposition or deep meaning, but it's overall a fun book and delivers on it's promise of everything you'd want to know about being in Grease on a professional level.
Netgalley ARC
It's fun to hear from so many different people and learn fun trivia about the show and cast. It's told as a peek-behind the curtains with everyone giving their candid stories, it's a familiar feeling to having a group of old friends together and playing the "remember when" game. Sprinkled in are photos that give the whole book a community feel.
Personally, it felt a little long and since it's mostly personal anecdotes there isn't any larger exposition or deep meaning, but it's overall a fun book and delivers on it's promise of everything you'd want to know about being in Grease on a professional level.
Netgalley ARC
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews