In 1978 Grease told the story of Danny, Sandy and their classmates dealing with life through their senior year of high school. Vape! The Grease Parody is a hilarious spoof of the gang at Rydell High as seen through a 2026 lens.

After a successful run in New York, Vape! debuted at Apollo Theater Chicago a few days ago and runs through January 3. Knowing my old friend Jodie is a huge fan of Grease, I had to see it with her.

The show follows the basic story of Grease but with plenty of twists. Danny (Will Leonard) and Sandy (Jenna Smith) meet in the summer prior to senior year. One difference is Sandy is a mermaid, somehow unbeknownst to Danny. After parting ways (for no reason and without maintaining contact as the musical mocks), they are reunited at school (what luck!). All the major scenes were represented including the slumber party, car restoration, drag race, school dance and big final carnival, but each has its own wonderfully hilarious and often sarcastic twist. I won’t spoil the almost-ending, but keep an eye on Rizzo (Suzanne Sole), who steals the show in many ways during the entirety of the production.

All the original melodies are there but with different words and meanings. “Greased Lightning” became the environmentally aware “Green Lightning.” “Hopelessly Devoted to You” got edgy with “Hopelessly Gaslighted by You.”

Throughout the production, characters poke fun at several of the elements of Grease, including the ages of the actors, some outdated messages and other topics. There are a handful of inside joke references, like Sandy having “never been mellow,” a nod to Olivia Newton John. I might have missed a few jokes, as they came rapid fire at times.

The cast did a great job with acting, singing and dancing. Some played a few roles, seamlessly switching characters. For some reason, the Patty Simcox character was played by a puppet, adding to the quirkiness. In addition to the performers previously mentioned, Shae Hopkins (Kenickie), Corey Barlow (Sonny), Emma Dunlop (Jan), Sophia Brazada (Marty) and Mai Hartwich (Frenchy) all did great jobs as main characters and multiple roles.

I don’t remember laughing so much or so hard in a long time. Perhaps even more impressive, Jodie loved it. Having been in her high school production of Grease, she is very protective of the integrity of the legacy.

Built in 1978, Apollo Theater Chicago is a beautiful 440-seat venue in the Lincoln Park neighborhood on the north side of Chicago. Featuring just 11 rows, every seat has a great sightline to the stage. The closeness often makes it feel like you are on stage with the cast.

— John Wroblewski, online writer