Fox's Grease Live Wins Big at Creative Arts Emmys

Fox's Grease Live won big this past weekend at the Creative Arts Emmys, held over two ceremonial evenings on September 10 and 11. The live musical telecast earned four awards, including Outstanding Special Class Program, beating out the 69th Annual Tony Awards, the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards, the Oscars, and the Super Bowl 50 halftime show.

Grease Live also took home awards for Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Limited Series, Movie or Special; Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Nonfiction, Event or Award Special (production design by David Korins, Tony-nominated set designer of Hamilton); and Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special.

The January 31 broadcast, Fox's first contribution to the new wave of live musicals, was executive-produced by Marc Platt and directed by Tony winner Thomas Kail (Hamilton). The cast starred Aaron Tveit as Danny Zuko and Julianne Hough as Sandy, with Vanessa Hudgens as Betty Rizzo, Carlos Pena Vega as Kenickie, Keke Palmer as Marty, Carly Rae Jepsen as Frenchy, Kether Donohue as Jan, David Del Rio as Putzie, Mario Lopez as Vince Fontaine, and Ana Gasteyer as Principal McGee.

Adapted by playwrights Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins, the broadcast version of Grease was based on the original stage musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey and its 1978 screen adaptation.

An edited presentation of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards will air on FXX on September 17.