Grease parody Vape! is getting a surprise guest star at this weekend's performances: RuPaul's Drag Race star Darius Rose, aka Jackie Cox! Rose/Cox will star as Teen Angel for five performances only, November 22-24 at Theater555.
Rose, a top-five finalist from season 12 of RuPaul's Drag Race, has previously been seen Off-Broadway in Make Me Gorgeous, and is poised to make a feature film debut this holiday in Song Sung Blue. Appropriately, Rose/Cox has also previously starred as Teen Angel and Ms. Lynch in Grease proper, ni a production at Musical Theater West.
The cast also includes Ryan Avoux as Kenickie, Dante Brattelli as Sonny, Jen Clark as Jan, Meg Guiney as Marty, Scott Silagy as Danny, SLee as Rizzo, Kristen Amanda Smith as Frenchy, and Lara Strong as Sandy. Casting is by Cindi Rush.
The musical officially opened its 10-week limited engagement at Off-Broadway's Theater 555 November 3. The work is written by Catie Hogan and Sketchworks Comedy, with lyrics and additional book by Billy Recce and Danny Salles. Following a world premiere in Atlanta in 2018, the musical had been slated to come to NYC in 2019, only for a protracted legal battle with the rights holders of Grease to thwart those plans. Following a successful lawsuit defending the work's right to exist under parody laws, the musical made its NYC premiere with a one-night-only concert at Town Hall in 2024.
Jack Plotnick (Disaster!) directs the production, which features choreography by Ashley Marinelli, music supervision and arrangements by Lena Gabrielle, scenic design by David Goldstein, costume design by Matthew Solomon, lighting design by Zach Pizza, sound design by Daniel Lundberg, and prop design by Brendan McCann. Visceral Entertainment serves as executive producer and general manager. Alex Dash and Ian McQueen are stage managers.
Tickets are at VapeTheMusical.com.
Scott Silagy and Lara Strong in Vape! The Grease Parody
Scott Silagy, Ryan Avoux, and Slee in Vape! The Grease Parody
Jen Clark, Scott Silagy, Ryan Avoux, and Dante Brattelli in Vape! The Grease Parody
Slee, Lara Strong, Kristen Amanda Smith, and Meg Guiney in Vape! The Grease Parody
Scott Silagy, Jen Clark, Ryan Avoux, and Dante Brattelli in Vape! The Grease Parody
Meg Guiney, Lara Strong, Slee, and Kristen Amanda Smity in Vape! The Grease Parody
Jen Clark, Scott Silagy, Ryan Avoux, and Dante Brattelli in Vape! The Grease Parody
Dante Brattelli, Scott Silagy, and Ryan Avoux in Vape! The Grease Parody
Company of Vape! The Grease Parody
Dante Brattelli, Ryan Avoux, and Jen Clark in Vape! The Grease Parody
