Broadway Features and Reviews
Britney Spears In "Grease"?
By Edith Haight, Broadway Magazine
Here we go again, only this time it makes a bit more sense. The Celeb-Broadway rumor of the week today comes from the UK (where the Katie Holmes on Broadway rumors started as well, and that appears to be quite real). The rumor is that Britney Spears is being considered for the lead role in the London production of Grease. Citing her recent success on television in the hit show "How I Met Your Mother" and the recent rumors about her playing Blanche DuBois in London, it looks like the Britney-as-Sandy rumor was inevitable.
According to the UK's Entertainmentwise, they are recasting the London production in July. The report cites the newspaper Metro, where a source disclosed "The producers were bouncing around the idea of casting Britney in the role of Sandy... They thought Britney looked like Sandy. She would be terrific."
Spears-related Broadway rumors are the new spring fashion on Broadway. Including the Blanche DuBois rumor, she's been linked to the hit musical "Chicago" on Broadway as well. Added to these rumors is the K-Fed starring in "Legally Blonde" rumor, which also didn't pan out.
The Broadway incarnation of Grease recently got a bolt of magic when American Idol Taylor Hicks was announced as the show's newest cast member. The Broadway production continues to please audiences, though it didn't capture Tony nominations. While the latest Britney-Broadway rumor seems more like a publicity stunt for the London production, then an actual possibility, one never knows. "Britney in Grease" has a unique ring to it.
Following in the path of Clay Aiken, Fantasia, and Diana DeGarmo, and Frenchie Davis as former American Idol contestants who have made a home on Broadway. Idols traditionally fare well on Broadway, and Hicks demographic appeal should line up perfectly with the Broadway summer tourist season. Though the revival did not have universal praise, the production remains a fan favorite. Having cast its leads last summer in an "American Idol"-style audition process, the show has long survived its casting gimmick to become a genuine hit on Broadway with audiences. Hicks will no doubt bring additional audience members nostalgic not only for the musical, but also for his time on American Idol.
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