Booked & Scene

For this edition of Off Book & On the Record, I sat down with Nick Cortazzo, who’s stepping into the iconic role of Danny Zuko in Grease at North Shore Music Theatre. From the thrill of leading “Summer Nights” to the challenge of balancing Danny’s swagger with his softer side, Nick shared what makes this production special — and why Grease continues to capture hearts decades after its debut.

Rehearsals just started. On day one, where do you dive in first—vocals, character, something else?
This is actually my second time playing Danny—I first did it two summers ago at the Fulton Theatre in Pennsylvania. The material is mostly the same, with just a few line changes. The biggest shift is that in my last production, we started with the “Alma Mater,” but here we open with “Grease Is the Word,” which I think is a much better way to kick things off.

We started with some vocal work yesterday, and because it’s the same role, I already know the bones of it. But working with a brand-new cast, in a brand-new space, and for the first time in the round, has been a really fun challenge. It’s messing with my head in the best way. By tomorrow, we’ll have finished learning Act 1—and that’s in just two and a half days of rehearsal, which is wild.

When you start a new show—whether it’s Grease or something else—what’s your personal entry point?
I grew up obsessed with the Grease movie. I had a karaoke machine in my bedroom and a little play table I used as a stage. I’d get up there and sing “You’re the One That I Want” into that mic like my life depended on it. Along with The Wizard of Oz, it was one of my two big movie musicals growing up.

So for me, it’s about honoring the movie and the actors who’ve played Danny before, but also bringing myself to it. Grease is about going against the grain, being yourself, the ways love can change you—all things anyone can relate to.

I do some character analysis, but I try not to lock myself into one way of saying a line. Live theatre grows and changes, especially as you react to your scene partners. When I did it at Fulton, we later transferred to Atlantic City, and by that point, the show was fully lived-in. Now, I get to rediscover it with new interpretations, a director whose style I love, and two more years of life experience—including coming in from a very different place personally than I was last time.

Grease is about going against the grain, being yourself, the ways love can change you—all things anyone can relate to.

-Nick Cortazzo

Grease is iconic, and a lot of people only know the movie. How do you balance honoring that while making Danny your own?
The script actually helps with that. The musical came first, and we’re working from the original script, not the movie’s. Of course there have been tweaks—some language updated, things made more family-friendly—but it’s not the same dialogue you’ve memorized from John Travolta. Musically, you’ll recognize songs from the film, but the book is from the stage show.

Once I got the role the first time, I stopped watching the movie. I don’t want to mimic it. Kevin, our director, keeps reminding us these characters were based on real people the writers knew—Sandra Dee is Sandra Dee, Danny’s inspired by Bobby Darin. He doesn’t want caricatures; he wants us to bring ourselves to real, relatable people.

The movie leans into camp, and that’s fine—but here, it’s a young cast telling these stories with heart, plus the hits people love. I think we’ve found a really cool blend.

What’s something about being a working actor that people don’t talk about enough?
Separating your self-worth from the work you book. When you’re in a show, you feel great—you’ve got purpose, you’re busy, you’re doing the thing you love. But shows end. Suddenly you’re asking, “Who am I without this?”

You need hobbies and a support system, but I still struggle with it. I’ve been lucky—13 shows since graduating college in 2021, two national tours, regional work—but that doesn’t stop the inner saboteur from whispering, “Will there be another job? Am I good enough?”

Auditioning can be dehumanizing. Our job is literally to be judged, and rejection—while rarely personal—can still feel like a dagger. And it’s often about things you can’t control: your height, your look, whether you fit a costume.

Separating your self-worth from the work you book. When you’re in a show, you feel great—you’ve got purpose, you’re busy, you’re doing the thing you love. But shows end. Suddenly you’re asking, “Who am I without this?”

-Nick Cortazzo

What’s something you learned later in your career that you wish you knew earlier?
The eight-show-a-week grind is real. In school, you might do five or six shows a week, but eight is different—especially on long runs. I did The Hunchback of Notre Dame for nine months and Hairspray for over a year, and keeping it fresh and giving your best every night is a challenge.

A professor once told me, “You can’t give 110% every performance. If today you’ve got 60%, give your absolute best 60%.” That’s sustainable. You learn to leave whatever’s going on in your life at the door.

How do you define a successful performance—for you, not the audience or director?
If I was truly living and breathing in the circumstances, not judging myself, not thinking about what I looked or sounded like—that’s a win. Even if I fell out of a turn or missed a note, if I was present, it was a good show.

That’s harder now with bootlegs and clips floating around online. Sometimes your “off” day is what ends up recorded and shared, which can be tough. But I try to remember—mistakes happen. Recovery matters more.

A professor once told me, “You can’t give 110% every performance. If today you’ve got 60%, give your absolute best 60%.” That’s sustainable. You learn to leave whatever’s going on in your life at the door.

-Nick Cortazzo

First time performing in the round. What’s been the biggest adjustment so far?
No stage right or stage left—it’s all a clock system: 12, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Right now in the rehearsal room, it’s just tape on the floor, but in the theatre, there will be markers—lipstick, hubcaps—so we know where we are. It’s a fun mental challenge. I’ve been performing since I was 10, and this is my first time doing a show in the round.

Give me your elevator pitch for this production of Grease.
Rock music, a timeless love story, and characters everyone can relate to. It’s everything you love from the movie—plus more. And if you hate the movie? It’s completely different, and you should still come.

If you could replace “break a leg” with something new, what would it be?
I say “slay” a lot. Or “work, bitch.” Something sassy and fun—something that feels younger and fresher.

Slay.

-Nick Cortazzo

You can catch Nick Cortazzo and the rest of the cast bringing all the hand-jives, high notes, and heart to Grease at North Shore Music Theatre through August 24.