GREASE: LIVE to Debut on CTV Before Launching Exclusively on CraveTV

Star-studded Television Event Airs Live with Network Broadcast January 31 at 7 p.m. ET*

– First-ever live television production based on the massively popular crossover musical, Grease, and Paramount Pictures' 1978 feature film adaptation –
– GREASE: LIVE stars Julianne Hough, Aaron Tveit, Vanessa Hudgens, Carlos PenaVega, Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen, Keke Palmer, Kether Donohue, David Del Rio, Jordan Fisher and Andrew Call –
– English singer-songwriter Jessie J, singer/actor Joe Jonas and his pop-disco group DNCE, host/actor Mario Lopez, R&B group Boyz II Men, plus two stars from the original 1978 film, Didi Conn and Barry Pearl, to make special cameo appearances –
– Executive produced by acclaimed film, television and theater producer Marc Platt and directed by Tony Award-nominated director Thomas Kail (Hamilton, In the Heights) overseeing the stage direction and Alex Rudzinski (DANCING WITH THE STARS) as live television director –

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/1KqRhM9

TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2016 /CNW/ - Grease is the word! CTV and CraveTV™ have joined forces to bring GREASE: LIVE first to audiences on CTV and CTV GO and then exclusively to subscribers of premium streaming service CraveTV. The television event is the latest big-buzz title to join CTV's impressive January schedule when it airs coast-to-coast Sunday, January 31 at 7 p.m. ET live* to audiences exclusively on CTV (check local listings). Following its network debut, the special will launch exclusively Feb. 19 to subscribers of CraveTV, where it will join the very popular Music Collection.

A Paramount Television production, the first-ever live television production of Grease will draws upon both the hit crossover musical and iconic 1978 feature film to create a never-before-seen version with many modern surprises. Featuring a young ensemble cast, GREASE: LIVE will reintroduce and reimagine some of the show's most memorable moments, great music, and timeless love story to an entirely new generation.

"When it comes to event television appeal, GREASE: LIVE delivers. We are excited for CTV to be the home of such an iconic, anticipated special featuring this perfectly cast group of talented performers and are thrilled to deliver it exclusively in a fast-follow to CraveTV subscribers," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks and CraveTV.

**Media Note: Download photography for GREASE: LIVE at BellMediaPR.ca 

GREASE: LIVE stars Julianne Hough (Safe Haven, Rock of Ages) as the angelic Sandy – Rydell High's most talked-about newcomer; Aaron Tveit (GRACELAND, Les Miserables) as bad boy Danny Zuko; Vanessa Hudgens (Broadway's Gigi, Spring Breakers) as iconic bad girl Rizzo; Keke Palmer (SCREAM QUEENS, MASTERS OF SEX) as sassy Pink Lady Marty Maraschino; Carlos PenaVega (BIG TIME RUSH) as Kenickie, Danny's tough-guy sidekick; multi-Platinum Grammy^® Award-nominated singer and songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen as Pink Lady and beauty school dropout Frenchy; Kether Donohue (YOU'RE THE WORST) as Pink Lady Jan; David Del Rio (Spare Parts, THE TROOP) as T-Bird Putzie; Jordan Fisher (TEEN WOLF, THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER) as Doody; and Andrew Call (AS THE WORLD TURNS) as Sonny.

The live event also features special cameo appearances by multi-platinum pop superstar Joe Jonas and his pop-disco band DNCE as Johnny Casino and the Gamblers; actor and television host Mario Lopez as Vince Fontaine in the iconic high school dance scene; and Grammy Award^®-winning R&B group Boyz II Men as Teen Angel, singing "Beauty School Dropout." Plus, two stars from the original 1978 film Grease, Didi Conn (Frenchy) and Barry Pearl (Doody), will also make an appearance. English singer-songwriter Jessie J will give a live performance of the program's title track, "Grease (Is The Word)" written by Barry Gibb. Carly Rae Jepsen will also perform an original song, "All I Need Is An Angel," composed by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey.

In this live television adaptation of the musical classic, the beginning of senior year means the end of Danny (Aaron Tveit) and Sandy's (Julianne Hough) summer romance – until Sandy unexpectedly transfers to Danny's high school. Can Danny maintain his bad-boy image as the coolest member of the T-Birds, once he and Sandy start going together, and can Sandy remain a good girl after she joins the Pink Ladies? With their friends Rizzo (Vanessa Hudgens) and Kenickie (Carlos PenaVega) pulling them in different directions, it's up to Danny and Sandy to stay hopelessly devoted, as they make their way from Rydell High to a new frontier.

GREASE: LIVE is based on the original 1971 musical "Grease," by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, and Paramount Pictures' 1978 feature adaptation. The film, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, grossed nearly $400 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing movie musical ever. 

GREASE: LIVE is produced by Paramount Television. Acclaimed film, television and theater producer Marc Platt (Wicked, Into the Woods) is the executive producer; Tony Award-nominated director Thomas Kail (Hamilton, In the Heights) is the director overseeing the stage direction and Alex Rudzinski (DANCING WITH THE STARS) serves as the live television director. The live television adaptation is written by Broadway writers Robert Cary (Anything but Love, Ira & Abby) and Jonathan Tolins (Buyer & Cellar, The Last Sunday in June).

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Twitter:
@GoGrease
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television

Facebook:
facebook.com/GoGrease
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About Paramount Television
Paramount Television develops and finances a wide range of creative television programming across all media platforms.  Paramount Television is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.  PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a global content company with premier television, film and digital entertainment brands.

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 14 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

About CraveTV
Created for TV lovers and devoted to television, CraveTV is Canada's premium TV streaming service, providing the most robust lineup of superior television content in the country. From TV's most-acclaimed dramas and beloved comedies to documentaries, music, and factual programming, CraveTV features thousands of hours of premium non-kids TV programming, representing hundreds of unique titles including the entire off-air library of HBO's iconic programming catalogue and hundreds of hours of acclaimed SHOWTIME series and specials. CraveTV is available directly to all Canadians with access to the Internet, as well as to customers of Eastlink, TELUS Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV, Bell Satellite TV, Bell Aliant FibreOP TV, Access Communications, Northwestel, SaskTel, Cable Cable, Hay Communications, Mitchell Seaforth Cable TV, Tuckersmith Communications, Wightman Telecom subscribers, NRTC Communications, WTC Communications, Tbaytel, Execulink Telecom, and VMedia. Available through traditional set-top boxes, mobile apps on iOS, Android, and Microsoft Windows 8.1, the web, Apple TV, Chromecast, and select Samsung Smart TVs, and CraveTV will soon be available via select game consoles. CraveTV is from Bell Media, Canada's premier multi-media company with more than a decade of leadership delivering Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed television programming across the Pay, Specialty, Digital, and Network TV landscapes. For more on CraveTV, visit www.CraveTV.ca.

* PT tape delayed

SOURCE CTV

Matthew Almeida, CTV Networks, 416.384.2629 or [email protected]; Allie Page, CTV Networks, 416.384.4596 or [email protected]