The Stage

Grease reality TV winners ‘will play eight shows a week’

Published Thursday 29 March 2007 at 18:10 by Alistair Smith

The winners of forthcoming reality TV show Grease is the Word will perform all eight shows a week when they appear in the West End, despite the recent injury to Sound of Music star Connie Fisher, who was discovered through a similar talent search.

Fisher has recently had to reduce the number of shows she performs each week to six and has been off sick for a fortnight, after damaging a vocal cord. However, David Ian, a producer on both The Sound of Music and the forthcoming production of Grease, has insisted that the pair he discovers through ITV talent search Grease is the Word will be on stage for every show, health permitting.

He said: “Danny and Sandy will be contracted to do eight shows a week, which is absolutely the West End norm. It’s not always normal for certain roles but I’ve always contracted Danny’s and Sandy’s to do eight shows a week and subject to them being fit, healthy and well, they’ll be on stage for eight shows a week.

“Maria in The Sound of Music is a huge thing and Connie would be the first to admit that the mistake she made was to sing through a cold. Maria has considerably more to do than Danny and Sandy. Grease is very much an ensemble piece.”

The reality TV talent contest Grease is the Word will be screened on ITV1 from April 7 and the West End production of Grease will open at the Piccadilly Theatre from August 8.