TV presenter and winner of Strictly Come Dancing, Ore Oduba will play the role of Teen Angel at certain performances at Leeds Grand Theatre, the opening venue of the UK and Ireland tour of Grease. Ore alternates the role with the previously announced Peter Andre. Ore will play the role on 24 & 25 June and from 29 June to 16 July. Grease opens at Leeds Grand Theatre on 19 June, running there until 20 July 2019. The tour then continues until October 2019. This new production of Grease is directed by Nikolai Foster and choreographed by Arlene Phillips.
Since his Strictly Come Dancing triumph in 2016, Ore Oduba has gone on to present some of TV’s biggest shows, including This Morning and The One Show. He also hosts the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour and is a familiar voice to listeners of BBC Radio 2, having deputised for the likes of Zoe Ball, Claudia Winkleman and Steve Wright.
Ore Oduba said, “Grease is one of the most iconic musicals of all time, so to be making my stage debut in such a well-loved piece is a dream come true. I can’t wait to start rehearsals with our talented young cast and creative team; I just know this show is going to be truly electrifyin’!”
Also in the cast are Dan Partridge as Danny, Martha Kirby as Sandy, Louis Gaunt as Kenickie, Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky as Rizzo, Jordan Abey as Doody, Ryan Anderson as Roger, Damian Buhagiar as Sonny, Eloise Davies as Frenchy, Natalie Woods as Jan, Tara Sweeting as Marty, Dale White as Eugene, Jessica Croll as Patty Simcox, Corinna Powlesland as Miss Lynch, Abigail Climer as Cha Cha, Darren Bennett as Vince Fontaine and Will Haswell as Johnny Casino. Completing the cast are Thea Bunting as Cynthia, Emily Beth Harrington as Carly, Jonathan Hermosa Lopez as Bobby, Dom Hutcheson as Mickey, Ruby May Martinwood as Sofia, Lindsay McAllister as Donna Sue and Kevin O’Dwyer as Chad.
Grease originally opened in Chicago in 1971, followed by a move to Broadway in 1972, where it received seven Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical. During the show’s eight-year run, at the time, little known actors, including Peter Gallagher, Patrick Swayze and John Travolta, all appeared in the production, with Richard Gere understudying many roles before going on to star as Danny Zuko in the 1973 London premiere.
