Baby and Johnny Are Taking Dirty Dancing to Broadway

One of cinema’s most famous dance lifts is heading to Broadway. Forty years after Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze gave us the unforgettable romance of Baby and Johnny, Dirty Dancing is making its Broadway debut in 2027. And yes, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” is coming along.

Dirty Dancing: The Musical begins performances at New York’s Lena Horne Theatre on February 12, with a special gala scheduled for March 14. The production will run through September 5, bringing the beloved 1987 film to Broadway for the first time, just in time for its 40th anniversary.

The story returns to the summer of 1963, when Frances “Baby” Houseman arrives at a Catskills resort for a family vacation and meets Johnny Castle, a dance instructor who introduces her to a rather different world from the one she knows. What follows is a summer of secret rehearsals, unexpected romance and a few lessons that have nothing to do with dancing.

Annalese Starzec will play Baby, with Blake Zelesnikar taking on the role made famous by Patrick Swayze. Olivia Cece joins the cast as Penny Johnson, while Bryan Fenkart plays Baby’s father, Jake Houseman. The production features 27 performers, including 21 making their Broadway debuts.

There's a particularly nice connection to the original film behind the scenes. Lonny Price, who played Neil Kellerman in the 1987 movie, is directing the Broadway production. Choreography is by Darrell Grand Moultrie, whose previous work includes Beyoncé’s world tour and Broadway productions.

Naturally, the soundtrack is a major part of the experience. Audiences can expect “Hungry Eyes,” “She's Like the Wind,” “Do You Love Me?” and the Oscar-winning “(I've Had) The Time of My Life,” the song forever associated with Baby and Johnny’s spectacular final dance.