Dirty Dancing at Blackpool Opera House in August 2021: All you need to know

After bumper box office visits in 2016 & 2017, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage is sure to once again give visitors to Blackpool this summer the time of their lives.

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, four hit UK tours, and multiple sensational international productions.

UPDATE: Please note since this story was originally published, a number of performances have been cancelled due to positive Covid cases and the show will now go-ahead from August 14.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT?

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.

HOW SUCCESSFUL IS IT?

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. It went on to embark on a 2018/19 tour, entertaining audiences up and down the country. That means that in the UK, the original touring production has now played to in excess of 6,000,000 people and Baby has carried over 21,000 watermelons!

WHEN IS IT ON IN BLACKPOOL?

Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage from Saturday August 14 to Saturday 28 August 2021. (change from original dates)

WHO IS IN THE CAST?

The cast of the Dirty Dancing tour will be led by Michael O’Reilly as Johnny Castle, Kira Malou as Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman and Carlie Milner as Penny Johnson.

Lynden Edwards stars as Dr Jake Housman, Jackie Morrison as Marjorie Houseman, Lizzie Ottley as Lisa Houseman, Samuel Bailey as Billy Kostecki, Michael Remick as Max Kellerman, Thomas Sutcliffe as Neil Kellerman, Colin Charles as Tito Suarez, Mark Faith as Mr Schumacher and Amber Sylvia Edwards as Elizabeth.

Also in the cast are Danielle Cato, Danielle Lockwood, Marie Finlayson, James McHugh, Benjamin Harrold, Rishard-Kyro Nelson, Patricia Wilkins, Charlotte Olliffe and Lee Nicholson, joined by actor-musicians Miles Russell, Ben Mabberley, Tom Mussell and Austin Wilks.

The new tour is directed by Federico Bellone with lighting design by Valerio Tiberi, sound design by Armando Vertullo and musical direction from Richard John.

HOW DO I GET TICKETS?

Tickets on-sale NOW from wintergardensblackpool.co.uk

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