2013 Grease revival to record cast album

CONFIRMED: The new Australian revival cast of GREASE will be releasing a cast album.

Despite the high calibre of Australian musical theatre productions, Aussie cast recordings are what Producer John Frost of Gordon Frost Organisation (GFO) rightly describes as “a rarity these days”. Thankfully, Australia’s most prolific theatre producer seems keen to turn the tables and help our wonderful Aussie productions live on once the curtain comes down.

John Frost and Universal Music today announced that Grease – The Australian Cast Recording will be made available for purchase soon, making it the second GFO production to be immortalised in the form of a cast album in as many years (his production of Annie starring Anthony Warlow was released in 2012).

It is understood that the 17 tracks have been recorded in Sydney over the last few weeks and that favourites like You’re The One That I Want, Grease Is The Word, Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted To You, Sandy and Greased Lightnin’ will all feature on the album.

Grease is set to open at QPAC’s Lyric Theatre in Brisbane this month, and an unprecedented demand for tickets saw the production’s opening night pushed forward a week to accommodate. The popularity of this multi million dollar musical combined with the stellar cast are no doubt factors in the decision record the production.

The full company featured on the recording are as follows:

Rob Mills as Danny
Gretel Scarlett as Sandy
Bert Newton as Vince Fontaine
Todd McKenney as Teen Angel
Anthony Callea as Johnny Casino
Val Lehman as Miss Lynch
Lucy Maunder as Rizzo
Stephen Mahy as Kenickie
Francine Cain as Frenchy
Eli Cooper as Eugene
Chris Durling as Doody
Antoniette Iesue as Patty
Sam Ludeman as Sonny
Duane McGregor as Roger
Laura Murphy as Jan
Karla Tonkich as Marty
Andrea Arena as Cha Cha

Ensemble: Jared Bryan, Elisha Chin, Stefanie De Castro, Euan Doidge, Heath Keating, Mitchell Mahony, Natasha Marconi, Scott Morris, Shannon O’Shea, Daniel Raso, Stephanie Silcock and Jessica White.

Wait list open at greaseistheword.com.au

Interestingly, Dr Zhivago was slated to release an album in 2011 and talks with Actor’s Equity had begun for the An Officer and a Gentleman album, but sadly neither came to fruition. Both were Frost’s productions. South Pacific (co-produced by Frost and Opera Australia) and Love Never Dies (Really Useful Company) have been captured on film but neither have produced cast albums.

Do you think Australian cast recordings are an important part of our theatrical culture? Would you buy Australian cast recordings over international cast recordings?

Grease will be heading to Sydney from 13 October before transferring to Her Majesty’s Theatre Melbourne from 2 January. 

Check out more Australian recordings on our Aussie Recordings Page