Innovation took centre stage with Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical, Secret Cinema's world-first format redefined brand realisation and thrilled over 80,000 audience members in just 5 and a half weeks.
For over 18 years, Secret Cinema has worked with the world's biggest Movie studios to innovate how audiences connect with beloved IP. We create theatrical worlds where audiences step inside their favourite stories, craft their own adventures and see iconic moments burst to life around them.
Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical marked the beginning of a whole new era for Secret Cinema, innovating the way we work with IP holders to bring beloved brands to life.
In the words of WhatsOnStage "Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical is a joyful, communal experience that comes with zero FOMO..., the show is a hybrid of the film and stage musical and it works beautifully."
Immersive theatre without the FOMO encapsulates what we set out to create with Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical. We chose Grease deliberately - it is the world's most-loved movie musical, with broad, cross-generational appeal.
We licensed both the musical and the iconic 1978 film, which allowed us to realise the Grease brand in an entirely new way. Through an innovative partnership with Paramount Pictures, the show transforms the iconic film into a full participatory experience, allowing audiences to live truly within the world of Grease, with live performances featuring a 30-strong cast as the film plays out on 20+ screens around you.
The show was designed so audiences could engage with the story at their preferred levels of immersion, with an innovative roam and return ticket type; allowing the purchase of a dedicated table in the Drive-In or Frosty Palace Diner, that guests could remain at throughout the experience, or return to in between bouts of getting up close and personal with the action.
The spectacular musical numbers were pulled off the screen and staged in 360 degrees around the high-fidelity set. Stage and lighting design and choreography were inspired by the original film, but then extrapolated into highly polished production numbers.
The high-demand central location (a core part of removing barriers to attending this immersive show) meant strictly limited timings onsite. Whereas a conventional West End musical typically takes 6-12 weeks for build, technical, rehearsal and previews, Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical achieved the impossible in just 20 days. The venue was transformed in only 9 days of build, followed by a lightning-fast 6 days of tech and just 3 days of dress rehearsals before the first audience was welcomed.
The impact of this innovation is both measurable and profound. Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical welcomed over 80,000 audience members in just 5 and a half weeks, the highest attendance for Secret Cinema since the pre-pandemic era.
Beyond numbers, the production pioneers a model for future studio partnerships, brand realisation and immersive storytelling, demonstrating how live events can be reimagined for accessibility, scale and audience choice. Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical represents true innovation in brand realisation, transforming how audiences engage with IP - we are proud to put it forward for the Blooloop Innovation Awards.
Partners
- Paramount Pictures; Marie Marks (Senior Vice President, Global Experiences), Dave Rossi (Director, Experience Design and Development)
- The Estates of: Jim Jacobs & Warren Casey (Book, Music and Lyrics)
- Secret Cinema; Matt Costain (Director), Merritt Baer (Lead Producer), Ben Hosford (Executive Producer)
- TodayTix Group; Brian Fenty (CEO & Co-Founder), Merritt Baer (President & Co-Founder)
- GBA Live; Zoe Snow (Line Producer), Erin Witton (Production Manager), Richard Seary (General Manager)
- Jennifer Weber (Choreographer)
- Tom Rogers (Set Designer)
- Steve Sidwell (Music Supervisor)
- Iestyn Griffiths (Musical Director)
- Howard Hudson (Lighting Designer)
- Gareth Fry (Sound Designer)
- Ian William Galloway (Video Designer)
- Ryan O'Connor (Art Director)
- Grace McInerny (Casting Director)
- Susan Kulkarni & Martina Trottmann (Costume Designer)
- Farida Ghwedar & Jessie Deol (Wigs, Hair and Make Up)
- Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical is produced by Secret Cinema & TodayTix (Merritt Baer, Producer & President; Ben Hosford, Executive Producer), Sander Jacobs, Elizabeth Williams, Jack M. Dalgleish, Grove Entertainment, Sing Out, Louise! Productions, Remmel T.Dickinson, Front Row Productions, Inc., Willette and Manuel Klausner, James Yeoburn, Mickey Liddell / Pete Shilaimon, Hugo Six, Creative Partners Productions, Eastern Standard Time, Fiona Howe Rudin, Barry & Fran Weissler.
