Wireless Mics and Projection for Grease: School Version
Show guide · School Edition · 17 principals plus a student ensemble · Reviewed by Stage Gear staff, October 2026
Short answer: plan on 17 channels. 15 body mics for the Pink Ladies, Burger Palace Boys and featured roles plus 2 spares. Cover the hand jive and big group numbers with 2–3 area mics at the stage edge.
Stage Gear supplies wireless mics, rentals and projection to school and community theatres across the U.S. Our staff work in theatre; this guide is how we'd mic Grease: School Version.
Who gets a mic
We counted everyone who sings a solo or carries lines over music: Danny, Sandy, Rizzo, Kenickie, Frenchy, Marty, Jan, Doody, Roger, Sonny, Patty, Johnny Casino, Teen Angel, Vince Fontaine and Miss Lynch. That is 15 body mics plus 2 spares, for 17 channels.
Borderline: Cha-Cha and Eugene. Both have lines but no solos, and Cha-Cha's dance-contest moments can usually ride Vince's mic and the area mics. Johnny Casino and Teen Angel are often doubled by one actor; if so, they can share a pack because the two roles are never on stage together. Check your blocking before you pair them. The "Radio Voice" in "It's Raining on Prom Night" is an offstage voice, so use a wired or handheld mic in the wings.
Bigger budget: add Cha-Cha and Eugene for 19 channels. If budget is tight, mic the six Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies leads first and cover Miss Lynch and Vince with a handheld or area mic.
Mic plot
| Ch | Role | Mic | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Channel 1 | Danny Zuko | Hairline, black | Lead; mount at the pompadour hairline, tape firmly. |
| Channel 2 | Sandy Dumbrowski | Hairline, beige | Lead; mic under the wig survives her final-scene change. |
| Channel 3 | Betty Rizzo | Hairline, brown | Big solo; hide mic under the wig line. |
| Channel 4 | Kenickie | Headset, black | "Greased Lightnin'" is the show's most physical number. |
| Channel 5 | Frenchy | Hairline, beige | Wigs and hair changes; carries scenes with dialogue. |
| Channel 6 | Marty | Hairline, brown | Sings "Freddy, My Love"; mount under the wig. |
| Channel 7 | Jan | Hairline, beige | Sings "Mooning" and has many comic lines. |
| Channel 8 | Doody | Hairline, black | Sings "Those Magic Changes" with a guitar. |
| Channel 9 | Roger | Hairline, black | Sings "Mooning" and "Rock 'n' Roll Party Queen." |
| Channel 10 | Sonny LaTierri | Hairline, black | Lines in most greaser scenes and "Summer Nights." |
| Channel 11 | Patty Simcox | Headset, beige | Cheerleader moves and baton in "Rydell Fight Song." |
| Channel 12 | Johnny Casino | Headset, brown | Leads the hand jive; constant movement at the dance. |
| Channel 13 | Teen Angel | Hairline, beige | Solo in "Beauty School Dropout"; often in a wig. |
| Channel 14 | Vince Fontaine | Hairline, brown | DJ patter over music during the dance contest. |
| Channel 15 | Miss Lynch | Hairline, beige | Carries school-scene dialogue; usually in a period wig. |
| Channel 16 | Spare | Hairline, black | Swap in fast for any greaser. |
| Channel 17 | Spare | Headset, beige | Backup for a dancer's mic during the hand jive. |
Every Bodymic is wired for one transmitter family: Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, MiPro or Creative Audio. Build your Bodymics to match the packs you own. Cast Pack: every 4 Bodymics of the same style and capsule size earn a 5th free. This plot is a starting point; change any row to suit your cast.
The ensemble
The Rydell students fill out "Summer Nights," "We Go Together" and the dance at the gym. Cover them with 2–3 area or choir mics along the stage edge, and keep them off when principals are talking. If the band is live on stage for the dance, place area mics away from the amps. An ensemble member with a solo line can borrow a spare body mic.
Show notes from our team
- Pomade and sweat. Hair grease and hairspray clog mic elements. Use element covers, keep pomade away from the capsule and wipe every mic after each show.
- "Born to Hand-Jive" and the dance. The gym dance has Johnny Casino, Vince, the band and a dance contest at once. Build a cue for each speaker and keep every unused mic off.
- "Greased Lightnin'". Kenickie and the guys climb on a car and dance hard. Use mic belts, tape cables flat to the neck and check every greaser mic right after the number.
- Offstage radio voice. "It's Raining on Prom Night" pairs Sandy with an offstage radio singer. Put that singer on a wired or handheld mic in the wings and blend them under Sandy.
Projection
Rydell High, the Burger Palace and the gym dance work well as projected scenery, and the drive-in scene is a natural fit for a projected movie screen. Most school auditoriums need 7,000–10,000 lumens with the right lens; smaller black boxes need less.
Our sister company Broadway Media makes Scenic Projections for Grease: School Version. Not sure which projector? Read Stage Projectors for Digital Scenery.
Rent it for the run, or own it
| What you get | Next step | |
|---|---|---|
| Rent for the show | A 17-channel wireless rental, Monday to Monday around tech week. Tested before it ships, return labels in every case. | See rental systems |
| Own it | Creative Audio Show-Ready, 24 channels: receivers, bodypacks and antennas racked, programmed and tested. $ 16,785.57. | See the system |
| Mics for the packs you have | Bodymics for the whole cast: hairline from $79, earsets and headsets from $99. | Build your Bodymics |
Buying for a school? U.S. public schools can pay by purchase order. How school ordering works.
Common questions
- How many wireless mics does Grease: School Version need?
- Plan on 17 channels: body mics for Danny, Sandy, Rizzo, Kenickie, Frenchy, Marty, Jan, Doody, Roger, Sonny, Patty, Johnny Casino, Teen Angel, Vince Fontaine and Miss Lynch, plus 2 spares.
- How do we mic the Rydell chorus in Grease?
- Use 2–3 area or choir mics along the stage edge for "Summer Nights," "We Go Together" and the dance. Keep them off during dialogue, and place them away from any live band amps.
- Can Johnny Casino and Teen Angel share a wireless pack?
- Yes, if one actor plays both. The roles are never on stage together, so one pack works. Label the pack for both roles and confirm the blocking at your first run-through.
- Can we rent mics just for our show week?
- Yes. Stage Gear rentals run Monday to Monday around tech week, so you have mics for rehearsals and every performance. Systems arrive tested with return labels, and school purchase orders are welcome.
Doing Grease: School Version this year?
Get mic tips for your show and a reminder before rental season books up.
Stage Gear is not a show licensor. Grease: School Version is licensed through Concord Theatricals; production rights come from them. Stage Gear sells and rents the equipment. See you on stage!
