Garish Is the Word for This Nostalgia-Loaded ‘Grease’

The longer “Grease!” runs, the more baffling is the secret of its longevity. The road company now at the Wilshire Theatre is an extension of the 1994 Tommy Tune production (which Jeff Calhoun directed and choreographed). Outfitted with a garish set and sensibility but nary a human moment, this 1972 “ ‘50s” rock musical is now being aimed cynically at the dollars of nostalgia-prone baby boomers and their TV-addicted offspring.

Casting coffers have been scraped, and the marathon of semi-celebs that have recently adorned the show include Joe Piscopo, Sally Struthers, ex-Monkee Davy Jones and Olympic gymnast Dominique Dawes. (Can Picabo Street be far behind?) Most of the considerable energy poured into this venture is marketing energy. With every moment oversold and amplified, a tale of high school love can feel like an assault.

This time around, Sheena Easton stars as Rizzo, the bad girl of Rydell High who provides the show’s one nanosecond of drama--will she or won’t she get a visit from “her friend”? Easton’s dusky pop voice is pleasant as she maintains her sultry-annoyed expression throughout, though she often seems most annoyed at her own tight skirt. As her iconic rival, blond good girl Sandy Dumbrowski (Lacey Hornkohl) sings a plaintive “Since I Don’t Have You.” Roy Chicas bring innocence and a set of pipes to “Those Magic Changes.” Struthers is, well, bustling as the ineffective disciplinarian Miss Lynch. The book, music and lyrics are by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.

* “Grease,” Wilshire Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Tuesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays-Sundays, 2 p.m. Ends April 27. $30-$55. (213) 365-3500. Running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes.