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Dirty Dancing
The Classic Story on Stage
By Eleanor Bergstein
Directed by James Powell
Produced by Broadway in Chicago
At the Cadillac Palace Theatre
151 W. Randolph
Chicago, IL
Call 312-902-1400, www.broadwayinchicago.com
Tickets $35 - $100
Tuesdays at 7:30 pm
Wednesdays at 2 & 7:30 pm
Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 2 & 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 40 minutes with intermission
Through January 17, 2009
U.S Premiere of “Dirty Dancing” faithful to the film but needs an aggressive trim.
With several successful stage productions in Australia, New Zealand, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Toronto, Canada, Hamburg, Germany and London, UK—“Dirty Dancing—The Classic Story on Stage” finally arrive in Chicago in a pre-Broadway all new production. Following closely the hit cult film, “Dirty Dancing” unfolds as an over produced jukebox play with music in a quasi-film format that features large doses of rear-screen video that makes the show appear more like a film than a stage play. The video images show outdoor scenes from the 1987 film. The over use of video imagery takes away from the immediacy of the live stage. After all, theatre depends on one’s imagination so we don’t need realistic video—simple sets and lighting would be enough. I will admit that the video imagery was impressive and creative but they have no place being dominant in live theatre.
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The ambitious use of hydraulics sets that continuously rise and lower over the course of the show became tedious to watch. The show features a blend of over 50 pop songs from the early 1960’s many of which are recordings. The live orchestra played for the ballroom numbers and several R & B tunes in act two. The film-like lighting together with the large assortment of pop tunes with which the expert dancers made entertaining gave the show its finest moments. There are modern dances sensually expressed with a nice blend of ballroom, mambo, tango and waltzes to an assortment of pop tunes. “This Magic Moment,” “The Time of My Life,” “Do You Love Me?” and, of course, “Save the Last Dance For Me” are among the fine assortment of pop songs featured in this mildly entertainment show.
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“Dirty Dancing” is the coming of age love story set in 1963 involving the exquisite dancer and sexy heart-throb Johnny Castle (Josef Brown) –played by Patrick Swayze in the film and Frances “Baby” Houseman (Amanda Leigh Cobb)—played in the film by Jennifer Grey. The Houseman family is vacationing at the popular Kellerman’s resort where Castle is employed as a dance instructor. Baby, a doctor’s daughter with idealistic dreams of making the world a better place by joining the Peace Corps, meets Johnny Castle—the guy from the wrong side of the tracks. They fall in love as Baby learns to dance the mambo with Johnny. Baby helps Johnny’s dance partner Penny (Britta Lazenga) get an abortion as she becomes involved with the resorts staff. Baby dances at the employee’s only parties. Baby and Johnny fall in love as they continue learning life-changing lessons along the way.
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Josef Brown, as Johnny Castle, is a tremendous dancer and a sexy figure but his acting skills seemed wooden and hollow. His stage presence, when not dancing, was stiff and he never sparked enough chemistry with Amanda Leigh Cobb’s “Baby.” The sexy scenes work best when the two exquisite dancers are locked in their routines to Kate Champion’s winning choreography. “Dirty Dancing” contains several thrilling new dances including nicely staged ballroom routines. The heart-pounding music explodes into a nostalgic remembrance of simpler time where romance abounds. The sexy dances unfolded a tad bland on stage despite expert execution.
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There is enough fine dancing and memorable music to sustain interest. The book is dated but true to the film. Unfortunately, act two is a flat and uneven series of scenes that slow down the production almost to a halt. Severe cuts in act two would make this show a tighter and more fluid entertainment. We wait through those weak scenes before the classic ending scene that finds Johnny doing the last dance of the season with Baby to “The Time Of My Life.”
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“Dirty Dancing” needs a major trimming, especially in act two. I’d advised cutting the video backgrounds sharply and I’d limit the movements of the hydraulic rises to cut down the gimmicks that under mind the production. I think “Dirty Dancing” will emerge as a major hit because it contains enough sexy dancing and engrossing romance to be entertaining. If cuts and trims are made with less glitz and with the elimination of the flat act two scenes, “Dirty Dancing” could be a first-rate play with music. As it now presents, “Dirty Dancing” is a bloated show that wears us out. Of course, fans of the film will cherish this production. I’m guessing that “Dirty Dancing” will be a critic-proof hit show.
Somewhat Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: October 19, 2008
Dirty Dancing
Review by Beverly Friend
Dance aficionados – people who glue themselves to the TV screens on Monday and Tuesday nights trying not to miss one moment of Dancing with the Stars – will be especially delighted with this pre Broadway, U.S. Premiere of Dirty Dancing—the Classic Story on Stage. Not only will they find splendid routines preformed by an athletic and talented cast, but they will also enjoy one of the neat moments the TV show provides – a behind-the-scenes glimpse of a dancer's world -- when Johnny Castle (Josef Brown) teaches Frances "Baby" Houseman (Amanda Leigh Cobb) to Mambo.
Dirty Dancing is a 1963 love story set in the New York Catskill Mountains where the Houseman family is vacationing at the Kellerman Resort. Seventeen-year-old Baby (a doctor's daughter) falls in love with Johnny, the handsome, virile dance instructor. Naturally, the course of true love fails to run smoothly when Dr. Houseman thinks the young man is unfit for his daughter – mistakenly believing he has fathered a child on his dance partner Penny Johnson (Britta Lazenga).
Can an upper-class, college bound vacationer find true love with a working class member of the resort staff?
Sure. As in most musicals, the plot line is the least of it —in spite of the fact that there are some nods to social and political significance such as the Peace Corps, John F. Kennedy, and abortion. What counts is the vivid picture of resort life set to the foot tapping, syncopated rhythms of dance. An extraordinary stage set enhances it all by incorporating shadow scenes, doors, bridges, lifting and rotating floors, backdrop films and photographs, and more to create the leisure world of resort life: the golf course, the swimming pool, the lake, the club house, the dining room, staff quarters, guest rooms, all neatly morphing into each other. Kudos to set designer Stephen Brimson Lewis.
However, it is the dance that is the centerpiece – a tribute to Kate Champion's wonderful, sensual choreography. It is impossible to take your eyes of tall, elegant Lazenga who seems to be all legs. In fact, as the plot calls for her to be on stage most of Act I but not the second act, she is sorely missed. Brown is more than a match for her, and when they are paired, the result is both sizzling and riveting.
Cobb is winsome and appealing as the sweet, innocent yet feisty Baby, and Katlyn Carlson, playing her sister Lisa, Houseman provides great comic moments with her "hula" performance at the resort's amateur night. For a preview peek, you can find podcasts of the first two weeks of rehearsal at www.dirtydancingamerica.com
Dirty Dancing was born in 1987 as a low budget film that became a blockbuster – earning over $300 million worldwide and with a soundtrack that merited two mult-platinum albums. One song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" won both the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Grammy for the Best Duet. The sheer number of hot tunes in the play is amazing – 30 in the first act, 25 on the second. This is several more than were in the film including "Save the Last Dance for Me" and "Stubborn Kind of Fellow." With a cast of 39, hit songs from the original soundtrack include "Hungry Eyes," "Hey Baby," and "Do You Love Me."
What a vibrant opening night. At curtain call, the hand-clapping, show stomping, up-lifting show was met with a standing ovation. Those who adore the movie will love what a live performance can offer. Those who never saw the movie will be in for a treat.
Recommended
Reviewed by Beverly Friend, Ph.D.
friend@oakton.edu for comments
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