Following its recent Sydney season, Melbourne is set to have the Time Of Their Lives as the worldwide hit musical Dirty Dancing opens at the Princess Theatre.
It’s the summer of 1963, and 17 year old Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman is about to learn some major lessons in life as well as a thing or two about dancing. On holiday in New York’s Catskill Mountains with her older sister and parents, Baby shows little interest in the resort activities, and instead discovers her own entertainment when she stumbles upon the staff quarters when an all-night dance party is in full swing.
Mesmerised by the raunchy dance moves and the pounding rhythms, Baby can’t wait to be part of the scene, especially when she catches sight of Johnny Castle the resort dance instructor. Baby’s life is about to change forever as she is thrown in at the deep end as Johnny’s leading lady both on-stage and off with breathtaking consequences.
Featuring hit songs including Hungry Eyes, Hey! Baby, Do You Love Me? and the iconic (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life, Dirty Dancing has become one of the most popular musical productions of all time starring Kurt Phelan as Johnny Castle and Kirby Burgess as “Baby” Houseman.
Classical music singer Mark Vincent makes his musical theatre debut as Billy Kostecki, Johnny’s cousin. Baby’s father and mother, Jake and Marjorie, are played by Adam Murphy and Penny Martin, her older sister Lisa by Teagan Wouters, and in the role of dance instructor Penny is So You Think You Can Dance favourite Maddie Peat.
Following its season in Melbourne, Dirty Dancing will play the QPAC’s Lyric Theatre (Brisbane) from 27 May, and Burswood’s Crown Theatre (Perth) from 2 August. For more information, visit: www.dirtydancingaustralia.com for details.
Image: Kurt Phelan as Johnny Castle and Kirby Burgess as Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman in Dirty Dancing – photo by Jeff Busby