After three successful years on tour boasting numerous sold out engagements, this new adaptation of the worldwide smash-hit film, currently celebrating its 30th Anniversary, will continue to dazzle in more than 50 markets in North America, including Prince George, at the CN Centre for one night only on Sunday, May 6, 2018, promoted by TN Touring. Tickets on sale Friday, December 1, 10 a.m. at TicketsNorth – www.ticketsnorth.ca.
Producers also announced today new direction by Sarna Lapine (Sunday in the Park with George – Broadway; War Horse – North American tour). Leading a company of 24 are Aaron Patrick Craven as Johnny Castle and Kaleigh Courts as Francis “Baby” Houseman. They are joined by Anaïs Blake as Penny Johnson, Erica Lee Cianciulli as Marjorie Houseman, Nickolaus Colõn as Billy Kostecki/Singer, Ryan Cupello as Robbie Gould, Buddy Daniels Friedman as Mr. Schumacher, Rick Grossman as Max Kellerman, Demitra Pace as Lisa Houseman, Owen Russell as Neil Kellerman, Christopher Robert Smith as Dr. Jake Houseman and Ramond Thomas as Tito Suarez. The ensemble is comprised of Alex Caldwell, Ayla Ciccone-Burton, Amanda Clement, J’royce Jata, Hunter Mikles, Honza Pelichovksy, Erica Philpot, Joshua Clifton Powell, Hannah Straney, Jay Stuart, Kelsey Walsh and Aidan Ziegler-Hansen.
Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage features an eight-piece band that performs the timeless hits on stage, led by Conductor Jonathan Marro (Keyboard). The band also includes Ethan Hack-Chabot (Guitar), Michael Bliss (Reeds), Adam Hradisky (Drums), Ryan McCausland (Percussion), Jared Pasimio (Bass) and Patrick Stouffer (Trumpet).
The production’s book is written by Eleanor Bergstein, author of the original script of the film, and the North American tour is choreographed by Michele Lynch based on the original choreography by Kate Champion. The creative team also includes Mikiko Suzuki (Scenic Design), Ken Billington (Lighting Design), Jennifer Irwin (Costume Design), Leon Rothenberg (Sound Design), Bernie Ardia (Hair Design), Conrad Helfrich (Music Supervisor and Orchestrations) and Alan J. Plado (Music Director). Stewart/Whitley is the casting director for this tour.
“As I learned how many people watched the movie over and over and over,” said Eleanor Bergstein, screenwriter of the film Dirty Dancing and book writer for the production, “I began to think that what they really wanted was to share more physically in the event, to step through the screen and be there while the story was happening. And if that was true, then its natural form was theatre – live audiences watching live bodies dancing and singing here and now in the present – on the log, on the bridge, on the dance floor and in the staff quarters at Kellerman’s. Writing it for the stage, I was also able to add more scenes with Baby and Johnny, more about the family, more about the period in which it was set, more songs I couldn’t afford last time, and, best of all – more dancing. We have added 20 new original scenes and 36 numbers of live music played by an eight piece band onstage, which invite the audience to come into Kellerman’s and experience the story in a whole new way as a live event as it happens.”
