No Frills, a Couple of Thrills–“Grease: You’re the One that I Want”
No Frills, a Couple of Thrills–“Grease: You’re the One that I Want” by Roxanne McDonald
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The auditioners sometimes more fit to be the people the characters are based on than sing them, “Grease…” tryouts just okay. |
A young woman sings the hallmark Stockard Channing/Betty Rizzo song, “There are Worse Things I Could Do” and sounds great…but sings and looks more like Olivia Newton John/Sany Olssen than any other character, let alone Rizzo.
A gorgeous-looking guy steps onto the audition stage in a most apropos thug jacket, hair greased into a DA, and body that will not quit…for a Bronx gang leader or street tough. His singing, however more than departs from Travolta’s Danny Zuko…it flies off the charts of harmonious and in-key.
And a young woman this viewer would immediately peg as a Rizzo, aims to try out as Sandy, saying, “Some people might not see me as a Sandy, but I can daaaance [like nobody’s business]!”
The tryouts for “Grease: You’re the One that I Want” aired
on NBC this Sunday, January 07, 2007, offering audiences a look at an actual stage play audition (bare stage, auditorium with regular old seats, and three “directors”—in this case, judges, Kathleen Marshall, Jim Jacobs, and David Ian). But further, while “Grease…” is set up as a standard audition series with a more pointed objective (as opposed to a general title of winner, say), it also takes from contemporary TV reality/talent shows, first, of course, televising what are usually closed auditions and second, inviting viewers to vote (ala Idol, et.al reality talent shows).
With the a capella singing, the blank slate of a stage, and the generally quiet and reserved commentary of the judges, viewers might decline calling in (or texting in, as is the most contemporary of interactivities—a term which you will have to add to your Microsoft dictionary, by the way). They might even change the channel or fast-forward their TiVos (yes, another word to add to the lexicon).
But the judges add a touch of entertainment as the dancers try out and as the audio picks up the judges’ commentaries (whereas on American Idol, we only see the judges making facial expressions or whispering, and don’t hear what they are actually saying while the performers are trying out): “I don’t like him, do you like him, that one there…?” “She’s quite a sexy one, isn’t she?” and “How about that cute little one in the yellow…she’s quite good.”
The good singers (like the hottie who does an Elvis number) and the good dancers (such as the “one in the yellow”) will likely keep the show aloft…if there are enough of them.
And the requisite signature dismissal line—which is in this case, “You’re not the one that I/we want”—gives the show its cohesiveness, with its resulting shrugs, sobs, and slumps in defeat.
I don’t know…. “Grease: You’re the One that I Want” may come off as weak as entertainment (or pre-entertainment entertainment) now, then take off later. But how many
weeks of auditions could there be, and what more can sustain us or our attention the way the badadadada screams intros to American Idol, the way Ryan Seacrest with his signature sayings and signoff suck us in, and the way the auditions are run in flashy and flagrant failings and subsequent straight up slams from the judges, especially Simon?
It may seem unfair to compare, but it is also inevitable that any show trailing the monolith American Idol is going to have to answer to Idol fanatics and live up to their now Idol-enhanced expectations. That, or go the way of, what was it? Making of a Star?
SirLinksAlot Grease: You’re the One That I Want Links
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