READ OUR Q&A WITH STAR OF GREASE OZ

Danny Zuko is an iconic character in both theatre and film. What drew you to the role, and how do you make it your own on stage?

Danny Zuko has really cemented himself as one of those iconic characters in pop culture, especially after John Travolta’s portrayal in the film. What drew me to the role was that that this was a new production of the show and I knew very early on that the director and the team didn’t want to just recreate the film on stage with the same Travolta Zuko but were interested in the Danny Zuko that I would find. As an actor, you don’t get to work on new musicals very often and to be given the reins and permission to explore and find moments of insecurity that might not have been found in the past, or simply to put Joe Spanti into the circumstances of Danny Zuko really excited me and I knew that it would be one to remember!

Danny undergoes significant character development throughout the musical. How do you navigate his journey from a tough guy image to revealing his vulnerabilities?

 I have realised Danny has quite significant character switch in this show that people don’t always associate with the character. For our version, the director Luke Joslin and I spoke a lot about how when we meet Danny Zuko at the beach that is his true self or the intimate Danny, the Danny he would never show at school or to even the T Birds. This is masked in moments at school where he portrays this hyper bravado, cool guy persona because he doesn’t actually know how to deal with his emotions especially in real life. Sandy really represents, to him, a future where he can be his true self. I think audiences will have an interesting time, seeing the little moments where Danny lets down his guard in one on one moments with Sandy, and then seeing that immediate switch when the T Birds enter the room. Navigating these moments can be quite hard too, but I think finding the realism and the reason for his switch is important because if it’s real for me, the audience will believe it too. 

What are the challenges of performing such energetic and iconic songs, and how do you keep it exciting every night?

Performing these high energy numbers like We Go Together, Summer Nights and of course Born to Handjive can be a little bit of a challenge because you need to muster up the energy and power every night. and if you don’t you run the risk of the audience just not believing it. For me, I find I need to remember that these are real 50s kids. They are all about energy, fun and, to be honest, sex. Realising that when they are at school that is their on time, where they are full of power and energy… and I also have a little moment to remember this right before I go on. It’s helps lift my spirits before dancing up a storm!

The costumes and styling of GREASE are iconic. How do these elements help you get into character as Danny, and how do they contribute to the overall atmosphere of the show?

Our costumes in our version of GREASE are quite stylised, and live somewhere between the film hyper stylistic version and the real, raw grungy reality of the 50s. I found that for me, the leather jacket had to be right. When people think of Danny Zuko they think of that iconic leather jacket and that greaser hair. A lot of the character attributes are found simply by looking in the mirror in costume and asking the question if you believe this person looking back at you. I have to say there is something quite natural about putting on the leather jacket and doing the Zuko hair that seems to transport me to the Zuko that I have always had deep down.

What do you hope audiences take away from your portrayal of Danny in this production of GREASE?

Being such an iconic character in pop culture, people always associate Danny Zuko as the bad boy that he is. But with my portrayal, I really wanted to highlight the Danny Zuko behind closed doors and the intimate Danny where he lays down his hard exterior and shows his real self to Sandy, and for that real persona to be the thing that’s sparks Sandy’s love for Danny!

And finally, have you ever had any mishaps on stage? If so, what and when was it?

In this show I haven’t had too many slip up’s. But I think audiences who have enjoyed a version of “you’re the one that I want” in Melbourne where I sang the line “cause I need a man”. I think the entire cast had a little giggle.