Picture this: It’s 1954, and you’re dreading to depart from a steamy, romance-filled summer but geared up to walk into Rydell High for yet another year of high school. You dream of running for student council with the arm candy you’ve messed around with all summer as your running mate. But there’s a hold-up — that arm candy, the one you’re “going steady” with, has leaked rumors that you went all the way. Gasp. Hands to the face. Rydell High is abuzz, and your reputation is swindled. What will these 1950s teenagers do with such juicy gossip? This is the story of Jane Facciano (Marisa Davila, “Atypical”), the new, innocent girl at Rydell High who comes all the way from New York. “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” is a 10-episode musical series spin-off of the 1978 classic “Grease.” It takes an uplifting twist to the life of 1950s teens.
You may be wondering, if it’s a “Grease” spin-off and includes multiple musical numbers in each episode, who the hell wrote the new music? Your answer, the musical genius behind this work of art, is Justin Tranter, a singer-songwriter who has co-written with famous artists, including Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani.
Since I hold musicals dear to my heart, the choice to write about “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” was an easy one. The show uses its musical numbers to uplift deserving topics but also brings excitement to the series. I will use this as an opportunity to comment on some of my favorite songs from the first two episodes, in no particular order.
“Grease is the Word”
“Grease is the Word” is a banging opener for the series with an infectious beat that makes you want to get up and shake your hips. The audience is introduced to the four “pink ladies,” and each of their dense, flavorful and unique sets of pipes. While the lyrics are the same as the song “Grease” from the 1978 film, this version is much quicker and appears less like a rock song with its fast-paced, pop rhythm. I couldn’t help but think of the film series I grew up on, “High School Musical,” after listening to this opener a couple of times. “Grease is the Word” gives a similar beat as “Get’cha Head in the Game” and immediately brings a feeling of high school nostalgia (something that I constantly dreamed about before my high school career). Whether you’re in high school, graduated or on the precipice of freshman year, series and songs like “Grease is the Word” glamorize some of the least glamorous moments of life. I love it.
“I Want More”
There’s no just way to describe this song other than to say that it’s incredible. Davila handles this song and these chords with amazing talent, and you can tell it comes from deep inside her. In this scene, Jane realizes that her college dreams could be crushed after her ex-boyfriend spread rumors that they had sex. She’s been shamed by other girls at the school for something she didn’t do and feels beaten. Coupled with the sympathetic lyrics and heartfelt performance, Jane’s dancing sets the tone for the weight of the song. She lifts her arms and cranks her back like she’s Frankenstein’s monster, and crunching sounds complete the tone (think of the music video for “Thriller”). She’s a walking shell of a personality that once was. The thing that I like most about this song is that it represents women who are emotionally and physically pressed to their limits, but still fight back for what they know they deserve. Jane is better than the treatment she receives, and she’s pissed for good reason. Unfortunately, her reputation lies on the shoulders of those who decide to believe or not believe the truth. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
“Good Girl Act”
One of the fellow Pink Ladies, Olivia (Cheyenne Isabel Wells, debut), aims to put an end to Jane’s self-deprecation and instead give her the confidence to get past the spreading rumors. After emotionally navigating her own “scandal,” Olivia has learned to lean into what people are saying rather than fight it. Give them what they want, right? Olivia wants Jane to stop preserving the reputation of her family and ex-boyfriend and instead start channeling the lioness-like female pride that Jane likely saw in New York. In the 1950s, sex stereotypes often placed women in a box, not giving them room to see beyond marriage and the raising of their husbands (you’re supposed to laugh here) and children. In a most likely intentional act, this musical number takes place in Rydell High’s home economics class, where solely women learn “cooking, cleaning, rearing children, sewing and budgeting for the home.” Not only does “Good Girl Act” have a bouncy, empowering air to it, but it cuts through the box Jane has been forced into and where she is trapped, criticizing the societal norms of the time. Just as in the original “Grease,” Jane is advised to change herself. However, rather than become the apple of her boyfriend’s eye by changing her style and hair like Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John, “Xanadu”) did for Danny Zuko (John Travolta, “Pulp Fiction”), Jane gains confidence in herself and does what she wants for her own benefit. It’s refreshing.
“World Without Boys”
“Imagine, imagine, no more obsessing in the mirror, no more covering up ourselves, we’re way more than just exterior.” This is how “World Without Boys” begins. After being roofied by the “popular boys” at a party, the two cliques of chicks (the Pink Ladies and the “popular girls”) join forces in this musical number to imagine what their lives would be like without boys. What I appreciate most about this song is the subconscious acknowledgment of the relationship between the male gaze and actions that women perform to live up to it, such as dressing a certain way or wearing makeup to look more socially acceptable rather than for personal enjoyment. Throughout the party, the women are objectified by the boys who time how long it takes for them to have sex in a closet, cop a feel of their breasts during “spin the bottle” and shamelessly make remarks about how the women identify themselves. Imagine what a “World Without Boys” would do for female confidence. Imagine what a “World Without Boys” would do for female mental health. Imagine what a “World Without Boys” would do for girls everywhere.
The 1978 film looks at the complicated romance of Danny and Sandy. Just as the original, “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies,” has your jocks, greasers, popular girls, nerds and outcasts, but this spin-off focuses less on romance and more on the empowerment of underdog personalities. Both the series and the original movie chose strong female leads to belt the chords necessary to make chill-inducing scenes. For example, the critically acclaimed rendition of “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from “Grease” was first released in Australia in 1978 and quickly reached No. 2 on their billboard and later No. 3 in the U.S. While the numbers from the original movie are a spectacle, the 2023 spin-off takes a different direction. It appears that “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies,” is not about romance with another person but loving oneself and redemption for the cruel world we live in.
“Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” awaits eight more episodes, which will air on Paramount Plus, and I will surely be there to watch them. If you’re a fan of poodle skirts, leather jackets, slicked-back hair and unforgettable musical lines, take my hand and twist into the final episodes with me.
Daily Arts Writer Eliza Shearing can be reached at elizamae@umich.edu.