"Grease" starts a new national tour on October 12, 2010. The first scheduled stop, Denver's Buell Theatre.
Each time the show hits the road there's a different pop culture icon in one of the starring roles. Last time around it was season five "American Idol" winner Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel.
This time Eddie Mekka will star in the show as DJ "Vince Fontaine." Children of the 1970s will recognize Mekka as ‘Carmine Ragusa, The Big Ragu' from ABC's hit sitcom "Laverne & Shirley." He played the role of Carmine for the show's entire run.
Mekka also had parts on "The Love Boat," "Fantasy Island," "Moonlighting," and "The New Rockford Files" as well as roles in the movies "Beaches" and "A League of Their Own."
"Grease" first hit the stage in Chicago back in 1971, before making its New York premiere off-Broadway at the Eden Theatre on February 14, 1972. After 128 sold-out performances, the show made it to Broadway on June 7, 1972.
"Grease" was nominated for seven Tony Awards in its initial run. After 3,388 performances, it closed as the longest running show in Broadway history. In 1978, "Grease" was released as an enormously popular movie starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John. The film is still re-released every few years.
"Grease" will play at the Buell Theatre from October 12 -17, before heading over to Vancouver, British Columbia.
Seats for all shows are available online for between $60 and and $290.
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