DIRTY DANCING – THE CLASSIC STORY ON STAGE ANNOUNCES EXCITING CAST FOR
FORTHCOMING 2018/19 UK TOUR
UK TOUR HITS THE ROAD SEPTEMBER 2018 AT
THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON
WITH NEW DATES ON SALE FRIDAY 20 JULY
Producer Karl Sydow is delighted to announce casting for the new 2018/19 UK tour of Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage, as well as additional dates for 2019 in Ipswich, Manchester, Guildford, Grimsby, Glasgow and Bristol – on sale on Friday 20 July.
The show opens in Brighton on Thursday 20 September 2018 before touring to Dartford, York, Stoke, Hastings, Southend, Birmingham, Preston, London (New Wimbledon Theatre), Plymouth, Oxford, Gateshead, Bradford, High Wycombe, Torquay, Swansea, Bromley, Edinburgh, Woking, Aylesbury and Wolverhampton.
Further 2019 dates to be announced.
The iconic story of Baby and Johnny, featuring the hit songs ‘Hungry Eyes’, ‘Hey! Baby’, ‘Do You Love Me?’ and the heart stopping ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’, returns to the stage, following two blockbuster West End runs, three hit UK tours, and multiple sensational international productions.
Michael O’Reilly will star as ‘Johnny Castle’, one half of one of the best-loved duos in popular culture. Michael is making his professional debut in the show after graduating in dance and musical theatre from Bird College, and is thrilled to be donning Johnny’s iconic shades and leather jacket. While training he performed as a dancer at The Classic BRIT Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards and appeared in Magic Mike Live on the Britain’s Got Talent 2018 final.
Kira Malou, will star as idealistic ‘Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman’. Kira is a member of the Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage family already, having played the role of ‘Baby’ regularly during the 2016-17 UK tour, as well as being a member of the ensemble. A previous winner of The Stage Scholarship, Kira has performed as a dancer with Ellie Goulding on Children in Need, and at the UEFA World Cup opening ceremony. She has also just finished her first TV series playing the lead role of ‘Mimy’ in the new Disney series School Hacks.
Simone Covele will star as ‘Penny Johnson’. Since graduating in 2013, Simone has performed extensively in her home country of Australia, as well as internationally, and was a soloist at the world-famous Moulin Rouge in Paris.
Joining Michael, Kira and Simone will be Lynden Edwards as ‘Dr. Jake Houseman’, Lori Haley Fox as ‘Marjorie Houseman’, Lizzie Ottley as ‘Lisa Houseman’, Alex Wheeler as ‘Billy Kostecki’, Jack McKenzie as ‘Max Kellerman’, Greg Fossard as ‘Neil Kellerman’, Colin Charles as ‘Tito Suarez’, Mark Faith as ‘Mr Schumacher’ and Sian Gentle-Green as ‘Elizabeth’. Also joining the company are Amelia Armstrong, Tom Bowen, Shaquille Brush, Stan Doughty, Katie Eccles, Millie Hood, Kieran Kuypers, Ben Mabberley, Sophia McAvoy, Alessia McDermott, Carlie Milner, Oliver Ramsdale, Ashley Rumble, Miles Russell and Austin Wilks.
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, she shows little interest in the resort activities, and instead discovers her own entertainment when she stumbles across an all-night dance party at the staff quarters. 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.
Her 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, and two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.
Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage originally opened at London’s Aldwych Theatre in 2006 with a record-breaking advance of £15 million, making it the fastest ever selling show in West End theatre history. The production became the longest running show in the history of the Aldwych Theatre and played to over 2 million people during its triumphant 5 year run.
Since its Australian debut in 2004, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage has become a worldwide phenomenon, with productions staged in the USA, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, South Africa, Hong Kong, Singapore and throughout Europe, consistently breaking box office records. Recent tours in France, Germany and Australia were all sell out smash hits. The first ever UK tour of Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage launched in 2011 and then returned to the West End in 2013 playing at the Piccadilly Theatre in London, prior to launching a second UK and Ireland tour. A further tour and West End Christmas season followed in 2016/17.
Produced by Karl Sydow & Joye Entertainment in association with Lionsgate, Magic Hour Productions and Triple A Entertainment Group, and written by Eleanor Bergstein – script writer of the phenomenally successful 1987 film – the production features the much-loved characters and original dialogue from the iconic film, as well as exciting extra scenes.
www.dirtydancingontour.com #dirtydancing /@ddonstage
DIRTY DANCING 2018/19 TOUR DATES
Thu 20 – Sat 29 September 2018
Theatre Royal Brighton
0844 871 7650
On sale now
Mon 1 – Sat 6 October 2018
Dartford Orchard Theatre
01322 220 000
On sale now
Tue 9 – Sat 13 October 2018
York Grand Opera House
0844 871 3024
On sale now
Mon 15 – Sat 20 October 2018
Stoke Regent Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/regent-theatre
0844 871 7649
On sale now
Tue 23 – Sat 27 October 2018
Hastings White Rock Theatre
01424 462 288
On sale now
Tue 28 October – Sat 3 November 2018
Southend Cliffs Pavilion
01702 351 135
On sale now
Mon 5 – Sat 10 November 2018
Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre
0844 871 7647
On sale now
Tue 13 – Sat 17 November 2018
Preston Guild Hall
01772 804 444
On sale now
Mon 19 – Sat 24 November 2018
London New Wimbledon Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/new-wimbledon-theatre
0844 871 7646
On sale now
Tue 27 Nov – Sat 1 December 2018
Plymouth Pavilions
0845 146 1460
On sale now
Tue 4 – Sat 8 December 2018
Oxford New Theatre
0844 871 3020
On sale now
Sat 19 – Fri 25 January 2019
Gateshead Sage
0191 443 4661
On sale now
Mon 28 January – Sat 2 February 2019
Bradford Alhambra Theatre
01274 432 000
On sale now
Mon 4 – Sat 9 February 2019
High Wycombe Swan
01494 512 000
On sale now
Mon 11 – Sat 16 February 2019
Torquay Princess Theatre
0844 871 3023
On sale now
Mon 18 – Sat 23 February 2019
Swansea Grand Theatre
www.swansea.gov.uk/swanseagrandtheatre
01792 475715
On sale now
Mon 25 February – Sat 2 March 2019
Bromley Churchill Theatre
020 3285 6000
On sale now
Mon 4 – Sat 9 March 2019
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
0131 529 6000
On sale now
Mon 18 – Sat 23 March 2019
Woking New Victoria Theatre
0844 871 7645
On sale now
Mon 25 – Sat 30 March 2019
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
0844 871 7607
On sale now
Mon 1 – Sat 6 April 2019
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
01902 429212
On sale now
Mon 8 – Sat 13 April 2019
Ipswich Regent Theatre
01473 433 100
On sale Friday 20 July
Mon 22 – Sat 27 April 2019
Manchester Palace Theatre
0844 871 3019
On sale Friday 20 July
Tue 30 April – Sat 4 May 2019
Guildford G Live
01483 369 350
On sale Friday 20 July
Mon 6 – Sat 11 May 2019
Liverpool Empire
0844 871 3017
On sale Friday 20 July
Tue 14 – Sat 18 May 2019
Grimsby Auditorium
0300 300 0035
On sale Friday 20 July
Mon 20 – Sat 25 May 2019
Glasgow King’s Theatre
0844 871 7648
On sale Friday 20 July
Mon 1 – Sat 6 July 2019
Bristol Hippodrome
0844 871 3012
On sale Friday 20 July
FURTHER DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED