But then it fizzled with a cut to an underlit, underconceived ballet out of West Side Story that never took flight. Stubbs (Ephraim Sykes), another black character bristling at being a second-class citizen, unpacked a much-needed electrical charge. One of the best numbers, “Run and Tell That,” sung by Motormouth’s son Seaweed J. The ‘ 60s retro score by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman remains a consistent, spritzy pleasure, but too often the directors made mystifying choices that stifled the songs. Even with the audio glitches, clunky camera moves and unforgivable lighting that plagued this production throughout, that late blast of fun made up for some of the shortcomings. Choreographer Jerry Mitchell wisely resurrected his exuberant Broadway dance moves for the number, and it also was one of the few times the studio audience was actually seen, not just heard.

The original finale number, “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” also worked, simply because that song slays - it’s a shot of sheer triumphant joy, the musical equivalent of a cork popping.

Enlisting Grease‘s live television director Alex Rudzinski to work alongside Leon made this seem a promising team.Īnd yet somehow the sparks flew only occasionally, most spectacularly when Jennifer Hudson, playing community leader Motormouth Maybelle, tore the roof off with the equality anthem “I Know Where I’ve Been.” This was the one moment where the show’s ongoing relevance really hit home, and the powerful, velvety roar of Hudson’s lustrous vocals means her performance is the one people will be talking about. With his buoyant direction of The Wiz Live! last December, Leon improved considerably on NBC’s shaky start with The Sound of Music in 2013 and the unwatchable Peter Pan the following year. That was one of many elements for which NBC and show director Kenny Leon took their cue from Fox’s Grease: Live, which aired in January and remains the best of the recent live TV musicals.

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