From a theatre standpoint (I have been involved in theatre since I was 9 years old), they did a very nice job. There were some stand-out performances (Julianne Hough and Vanessa Hudgens to name two) and some not so great performances (I won't go into details there). There were iconic moments (when Frenchy meets Frenchy, and Boys II Men) and some let downs (why did they change Sandy's last name...Sandra Dee just doesn't have the same double meaning when her name is Sandy Young). **edit - the original movie had her as Sandy Olson...it was the stage show where her last name did in fact start with a D...Dombrowski**
But this post is more about the production from a live television point-of-view. It was AMAZING. The steady-cam work was top notch. There wasn't a moment of shaky camera work (ok, there was one shot that was obviously not ready yet).
The size of the set was incredible. 100 cast members and 200 crew members pulled together for an almost flawless event. Ok, there was some audio trouble. But isn't that why we watch live events? To see what might go wrong? Did you catch a wrong name in the sleepover-party scene? My son was very excited to see a "professional" goof. In a 3-hour live event that has so many moving parts, 1 minute of lost audio and some crackles are (almost) overlooked. I'm sure the production team doesn't think so, though. I'd sure hate to be in that production booth at the time!
It's not like goofs don't happen in live theatre...just in front of a much smaller audience. My husband and I saw a production of Cabaret on Broadway in the historic Studio 54 where they actually had to stop the show because the Emcee had to leave the show and the understudy had to come in! It happens - we are all human after all. (Side note, he was fine, just had an injury that had to be seen by a doctor.)
Grease: Live comes just days after the EVP crew orchestrated coverage of a 7-camera event. While it wasn't being broadcast live, we were recording it happened live. I just love the feel of working a live event - I guess that's why I do what I do, both in video production and in community theatre. Here are 5 things that I feel make a live event go off with minimal goofs.
1. Communication. There is nothing more important than communication. Not only do the crew members need to communicate with each other, but the cast members need to communicate with the crew members and vice-versa. It is extremely important that every single member of the production be on the same page and have the same goal in mind. Everyone should know what is happening, when there is a delay, when there is a last minute change, who is doing what and when and how the producer and director envision the full event coming together.
2. Team Work. If all 100 cast members and over 200 crew members were each in it for themselves, the production would be a hot mess. You could see the comradery between the cast members in the final scene when it was all over and they were just relieved that they made it! You saw the real people having real emotions, not the characters "acting". This comradery has to extend beyond the leads. Each person involved in the production has to be part of the team. Everyone has their role and it contributes to the whole. No matter what the role - producer or stage sweeper, everyone has an important job. And if each team member treats all other team members with respect, then the production will show it.
3. Preparation. Of course, the old saying fits here - how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, Practice, Practice. No production can go off without a hitch without endless hours of practice! I heard somewhere that 1 minute of production of a stage show requires an hour of rehearsal. You can do the math...and not every production requires the same amount of preparation, but you can be certain that ANY live performance requires SOME preparation.
4. Patience. Thing will go wrong. Let me say that again. Things will go wrong. Nothing is ever 100% perfect. You must have patience when doing a live production and stay cool when things do go wrong so that you can fix them immediately. If the audio crew gave up and got frustrated when the audio went out on Grease: Live, the we would have missed the last hour of the production! Patience and a cool head are important.
5. Have Fun! Anyone in production - whether on stage, television, movies, or somewhere else - does it because they love it! It's easy to get caught up in the frustration of the small things going wrong or the personality clashes that inevitably come with creative types, but the important thing is to take a step back and remember why you are doing this. Have fun! When the EVP crew did the live event last week, I had a blast! Yes, things went wrong. Yes, it was stressful at times, but all-in-all, the rush of having to get it right the first time made my adrenaline pump and I had an amazing night.
Darcie King
Executive Producer
E Video Productions, LLC
darcie@evideoproductions.net
732-349-4762
And in case you are a theatre nerd or video geek like me - here are some interesting stats from Variety.com
Run time of the show: 3-hour broadcast
Days of rehearsal: 52
Number of song/dance numbers in the musical: 23
Number of stages: 2 sound stages, plus the entire Warner Bros. backlot and built-out exterior locations throughout the lot
Number of sets: 21
Number of cameras: 20
Number of cast members: 24 principal cast members, 20 ensemble and dancers
Number of extras: 60
Number of live audience members: 650
Number of costumes: More than 600 — 407 for principal cast, Boyz II Men, DNCE and Jessie J; 226 for background ensemble and dancers
Breakdown of costumes: 60% vintage; 40% custom made
Number of quick changes during live show: 392 quick changes — just for principal cast alone!
Record quick changes during one single number: Danny and Doody each have 5 costume changes during the song “Magic Changes”
Quickest quick change: 11 seconds for Rizzo, Frenchy and Jan
Number of people in the control room during the live show: at least 40
Number of staff members working the set the night of the show: More than 200
- 13 camera operators
- 15 stage managers
- 11 audio mixers
- 25 audio assistants
- 7 communications directors
- 15 camera utilities
- 30 costumers
- 36 riggers and electricians
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