I love the story and music from "Grease."

I was only 8-years-old when the film version hit screens in 1978, so when the original musical story created by Chicago great Jim Jacobs first danced on the stage at The Kingston Mines Theater in 1971 in the Windy City, I was still sitting in a high chair.

Broadway in Chicago has "Grease" playing as part of a national tour now through Jan. 18 at the cavernous Auditorium Theatre at Chicago University.

This latest mounted version features "American Idol" Season Five winner Taylor Hicks in the Frankie Avalon Teen Angel role made famous in the film.

It's a "blink or you'll miss him" kinda role. But not to fear (okay, maybe a little afraid), he has his handy harmonica along for the ride assuring your ears will know when he's around.

And as a bonus, Allie Schulz, a contestant on NBC's "Grease: You're the One That I Want," (remember that ill-fated summer reality show from a couple years ago?) stars in the role of bad girl Rizzo and certainly does a very nice job, adding a few of her own touches.

But something is missing from this production.

It lacks luster. The sets seem small and cheap and get swallowed up by the large stage space at this beautiful venue.

No worries though.

The story is still the same.

After spending a hopelessly devoted summer with "new girl in town" Sandy Dumbrowski played by Emily Padgett in the role Olivia Newton-John made famous in the 1978 film, tough guy Danny Zuko played by Eric Schneider in the John Travolta film role, finds his world is thrown upside down when Sandy appears at Rydell High on the first day of school.

This new stage version of "Grease," also, for the first time ever in a Broadway production, includes many of the original songs from the smash hit 1978 film including "Sandy," and the Academy Award-nominated song "Hopelessly Devoted to You."

But some of the staging and songs feel very out-of-sequence and oddly projected by actors and actresses as characters who seem to just be "going through the motions" rather than "emotions" and misses the heart, soul and sentiment which make this story and music so cherished.

The new version of the musical also includes the songs from the film adaptation, "Grease" and "You're the One That I Want," both of which were Number 1 hits on the Billboard Top 100 list.

This newest and latest stage production of "Grease" opened on Broadway on Aug. 19, 2007, and was born out of the NBC reality show I previously described, a weekly talent competition that drew 90 million viewers and allowed America to vote for its favorite contestants to play the lead roles of Sandy and Danny on Broadway.

The Broadway production, along with quite a few other of the big shows on the White Way right now, just closed on Sunday.

For anyone who loves Hicks or any incarnation of this popular stage musical, this ticket will please. But for those looking for the dazzle and magic remembered by so many after the first time they watched the story on stage, alas, this version makes that recollect seem like a 1950s faded memory.

Tickets are $26 to $85 at (312) 902-1400 or BroadwayInChicago.com.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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