Hollywood Bowl announces Didi Conn will host ‘Grease,’ adds concert by Phoenix and Grizzly Bear
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When “Grease” makes its singalong debut at the Hollywood Bowl this summer, one of the movie’s (pink-haired) stars will be leading the way.
Didi Conn -- who played Frenchy, beauty school dropout and member of the Pink Ladies -- will host the June 25 screening, the Bowl announced Friday. She will emcee a costume parade and other activities culminating in the showing of the 1978 Paramount Pictures version of the Broadway musical about high school love and ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Assn., which oversees programming at the Bowl, also announced it is adding a Sept. 18 concert by French electronic-rock band Phoenix, Brooklyn folk rockers Grizzly Bear and San Francisco’s Girls.
The show joins two other non-subscription indie music events recently added to the summer lineup: Vampire Weekend, Beach House and The Very Best will play on Sept. 26 and Pavement, Sonic Youth and No Age on Sept. 30.
Among other new or recent additions to the 2010 season:
The pop duo the Carpenters, singer Donna Summer and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet will be inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame on opening night June 18. Composer-musician Herb Alpert will be among the presenters.
Todd Rundgren will join the July 9-11 “A Beatles Celebration” with Patti Austin, Rob Laufer, Bettye LaVette and Brian Stokes Mitchell. (Joe Jackson has withdrawn from the show.)
Taj Mahal will join the July 21 “Jazz at the Bowl” concert with Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin.
Soprano Alexia Voulgaridou, the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus have been added to the cast of the Aug. 1 concert version of Bizet’s “Carmen,” with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Harry Connick Jr.’s Big Band will join the singer and the Los Angeles Philharmonic on Aug. 13 and 14. Connick also will serve as conductor for the evening.
Jason Mraz will join the Aug. 25 “Gershwin Across America” program with Monica Mancini, BeBe Winans, Nancy Wilson and St. Vincent.