March 25, 2007

'Slacker Danny,' 'Small-town Sandy' cast in 'Grease'

"Slacker Danny" Max Crumm and "Small-town Sandy" Laura Osnes will star in this summer's revival of "Grease" on Broadway, as picked by the viewers of NBC's "You're the One That I Want."

Twenty-year-old Osnes, who postponed her wedding to appear on the final episode, is from Eagan, Minn. "She's got a sweetnes to her, but shes also got a sexiness," Jim Jacobs, the show's original co-creator said of her. She's an actress who had been playing "Sandy" in a production of "Grease" in Minnesota.

To secure the role on Broadway, she beat out "Ballerina Sandy" Ashley Spencer from Massillon, Ohio.

Crumm, the 21-year-old gym receptionist from Phoenix was a stand-out in the first show (NewYorkology flagged him then along with Spencer,) but he just barely made the judges' cut. "I don’t like either of these guys," Jacobs said when having to choose whether Crumm or another contestant would stay in the competition.

Crumm beat out "Hot Danny" Austin Miller, who appeared in the Vegas and touring version of "Hairspray." At the beginning of tonight's show, "Grease" producer David Ian summed up the competition: "You’ve got Austin against Max. That’s Tom Cruise vs. Ben Stiller. Fantastic professional performer against a quirky comedian with bundles of heart."

Previews for "Grease" begin July 24 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre with opening night set for August 16. Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster as far out as December 16. The musical will be directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, who served as a judge on the NBC show and won a Tony Award in 2006 for choreographing "The Pajama Game."

March 25, 2007 10:10 PM in Broadway

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