Join Danny and Sandy for 'Grease Sing-A-Long' at AMC Veterans 24 in Tampa

Grease is the word again in theaters nationwide, and this time you can sing it.

One Tampa Bay theater — AMC Veterans 24 in Tampa — booked the karaoke-style reissue of the 1978 musical for two weekends, starting Friday. Only a few dozen prints are circulating around the United States, so availability and engagements are limited.

You'd better go like greased lightning to join the fun. Grab your 1950s poodle skirt or leather jacket and don't be shy. Nobody's listening. Honest.

Newly restored with splashy subtitles for singing along, Grease is one of those pop culture treasures that shouldn't — nay, couldn't — be remade.

Which makes you wonder what might happen if it were.

Who could replace John Travolta in his dancing prime as Danny Zuko, and Olivia Newton-John as sweet then saucy Sandy Olsson? Not to mention the T-birds, Pink Ladies and high school squares orbiting their puppy love.

We don't seriously believe a cultural touchstone like Grease should be remade. But if it must happen, these are the ones that we want (ooh, ooh, ooh, honey!).

DANNY ZUKO (John Travolta) — Grease director Randal Kleiser was recently asked who he'd cast in a gay remake of his biggest hit. Kleiser said Taylor Lautner and Zac Efron, but didn't say who'd be Danny or Sandy. We'll give Danny's role to Efron, who proved his singing and dancing chops in the High School Musical flicks and Hairspray. And we'll keep our remake straight.

SANDY OLSSON (Olivia Newton-John) — Amanda Seyfried is perfect for the exchange student stealing Danny's heart. She displayed a supple singing voice in Mamma Mia! and has a strong following among teenage girls after Letters to Juliet. And if you've seen Seyfried's turn as an erotic escort in Chloe, you know she would fit nicely into Sandy's sexy makeover.

BETTY RIZZO (Stockard Channing) — We need someone easy to dislike and forgive for the trampy way Rizzo razzes poor Sandy. Let's go with Megan Fox, if we can pull her out of the center of her own universe. Of course, she'll probably flub Rizzo's sarcastic showstopper: "Look at meeeee … I'm MEGAN FOX!"

KENICKIE (Jeff Conaway) — Like most 20th century teen flicks, Grease could use a bit of cultural diversity (I know, Hairspray did it first, but work with me here). Danny's best friend and Rizzo's future crush can be handled by Columbus Short, who already saved a last dance and stomped the yard in popular teen movies. Check him out as blues legend Little Walter in Cadillac Records and be convinced.

TEEN ANGEL (Frankie Avalon) — We need a practically forgotten yet nostalgically talented pop idol. Avalon could reprise his role, but in the interest of "originality," let's go with Donny Osmond.

FRENCHIE (Didi Conn) — Let's pump up the sex appeal here, shall we? Conn gave a nice performance as the ditziest Pink Lady but wasn't exactly a pinup girl. The funniest hottie working today is Anna Faris, so she's our pick.

PRINCIPAL MCGEE (Eve Arden) — Michelle Pfeiffer, if only to make amends for starring in Grease 2.

VINCE FONTAINE (Edd "Kookie" Byrnes) — Who can act cooler than he is while introducing Johnny Casino and the Gamblers at the big dance contest better than Ryan Seacrest?

Steve Persall can be reached at persall@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8365. Read his blog, Reeling in the Years, at its new address, tampabay.com/blogs/movies.