A new stage musical adaptation of Dirty Dancing will launch a North American tour this August at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The production will be directed by Lonny Price (Sunset Boulevard, Company) with choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie (Fat Ham, Beyonce’s World Tour).
Dirty Dancing: The Musical will feature a book by Eleanor Bergstein (original screenwriter of the film) and live music of hit songs from the original film.
The announcement was made today by producers Lionsgate, in conjunction with Showpath Entertainment Limited and Magic Hour Productions and follows Lionsgate’s recent announcement of a Dirty Dancing film sequel from Hunger Games producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson and starring Jennifer Grey, set to begin production this year.
Additional information with specific production dates, tour cities and casting will be announced at a later date. A 2014 touring stage musical adaptation of the film was directed by James Powell.
Sources close to the production say an eventual Broadway landing is being eyed.
“In the years after I wrote and co-produced the original film Dirty Dancing,” Bergstein said in a statement, “I was grateful and astonished by the generations of audiences who responded with open hearts to the themes of honor and courage beneath the surface. Years later, sensing our audiences wanted to ‘be there’ while the story was happening, I wrote and co-produced a stage show. Its reception all over the world exceeded my sweetest dreams. I am happy to revisit the show with my old friend Lonny Price by my side.”
The new adaptation promises “a fresh creative approach” to the story first told in the 1987 film starring Grey and the late Patrick Swayze.
The creative team includes set design by Brett J. Banakis, costume design by Linda Cho, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Kai Harada, video design by David Bengali, and hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe.
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