You know these shows, the kind where a musical number pops up for no apparent reasons, where a lifetime of struggle between lovers can be reconciled in one duet, and where the story is secondary to a slew of hummable tunes. We all grew up on these kinds of shows, and even though critics dismiss fluff musicals as merely popular inartistic trash, we love them. They have the power to leave a collective carefree smile on the audience's face, and in these days of cynicism, maybe a lighthearted comedy is just what we need.
Grease is exactly that kind of show.
Everyone knows the story and has seen the show on stage and in the movies innumerable times. It is truly a slice of American culture, and yes, it is fluff. But it is fluff in a good way, fluff which can reveal just as much about life and how to live it as any play by Arthur Miller or Eugene O' Neill. Sure, this musical is not very deep, but we never intended to put on a show that was. Miller and O'Neill are important because they make you think in a profound way, and Grease is important because it does not make you think at all.