For a very limited time you can see Dirty Dancing at the Aronoff Center for the Arts thanks to Broadway in Cincinnati. If you go to this show you will have the time of your life! Sorry, I had to say it! But it’s true, if you are a Dirty Dancing fan I think you will enjoy seeing live on the stage. And if you are like the guy two seats down from me you will probably find yourself singing along to all of your favorite songs from the show. I loved all of the music and dancing. I left the show wanting to take dance lessons.
I have a confession, I didn’t see the movie Dirty Dancing until just last year. I guess maybe I was just a bit too young to get caught up in the craze when the movie was released years ago. To be honest, I think I liked the live performance better than the movie. It was scandalously entertaining. I say that because the dancing was definitely hot and dirty, and there were for sure adult themes throughout the show. The performers were outstanding, from Baby (Jillian Mueller) going from awkward to smooth with her dance skills to Penny (Jenny Winton) who was amazing on the dance floor and could go from calm, cool and collected to emotionally distraught as the role required to Johnny (Samuel Pergande) who seemed to really strive to channel Swayze and tore it up on the dance floor. While the top three stars were fabulous, the rest of the cast isn’t to be ignored, they all played their roles with zeal and passion, especially Jennlee Shallow who played Elizabeth and Doug Carpenter who played Billy. At first glance you think that these two are just part of the ensemble/support cast, but as the show moves along and Jennlee and Doug start singing you realize just how fantastic they are. Their singing was phenomenal, even giving me goosebumps at some points. You just don’t expect the hotel maid to start belting out the tunes, and when she does…WOW! And the live band on stage was fantastic, they made you feel like you really were at a fancy dinner-dance at a posh country club.
The sets were very simplistic, and they used video footage to add to the scenery. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, and to be honest, it got a little bit corny at times, but if you’ve seen the movie you know that the lake scene just couldn’t have been replicated on stage with ease. That scene brought lots of giggles from the audience, but hey…they made it work! The video backgrounds made the stage show seem like an extension of the actual movie to me, and it helped move you along from scene to scene. The audience seemed really into the show…there was lots of laughter, a little bit of toe tapping and I even heard some singing along at one point. And OH how the audience cheered when Johnny came running back on stage for the final dance number and declared “Nobody puts Baby in a corner!”. My aunt and I had a blast at Dirty Dancing, it is playing at the Aronoff through October 5th and would make for a great date night or ladies night out!
More Details about Dirty Dancing ::
Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage is an unprecedented live experience, exploding with heart-pounding music, passionate romance and sensational dancing. Seen by millions across the globe, this timeless love story features the hit songs “Hungry Eyes,” “Hey Baby,” “Do You Love Me?” and the heart-stopping “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life.” London’s Sunday Express says “This crowd-pleasing stage adaptation hits the jackpot!”
It’s the summer of 1963, and 17-year-old Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman is on vacation in New York’s Catskill Mountains with her older sister and parents. Mesmerized by the racy dance moves and pounding rhythms she discovers in the resort’s staff quarters, Baby can’t wait to be part of the scene, especially when she catches sight of Johnny Castle, the resort’s sexy dance instructor. Passions ignite and Baby’s life changes forever when she is thrown in to the deep end as Johnny’s leading lady, both on-stage and off.
Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage will play the Aronoff Center from September 23 – October 5: Tuesday – Thursday at 7:30PM, Friday at 8:00PM, Saturday at 2:00PM and 8:00PM and Sunday at 1:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets for Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stagestart at $29. They are available at the Aronoff Center Box Office downtown at 650 Walnut Street, online at CincinnatiArts.org or by phone at 513.621.ARTS. For groups of 10 or more, contact the group sales department at 513.369.4363. Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit www.BroadwayInCincinnati.com.
Get your tickets today!
Photo Credits: Matthew Murphey, provided by Broadway in Cincinnati
Disclaimer: I was given complimentary tickets to see Dirty Dancing for review purposes, the opinions are 100% my own.
