Review: DIRTY DANCING THE MUSICAL at Ordway Center For The Performing Arts

Dirty Dancing has remained a favorite for nearly 40 years, and now Baby and Johnny are back in Dirty Dancing: The Musical, playing at the Ordway in Saint Paul as part of the launch of its North American tour.

Written by Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the screenplay for the original 1987 film, the musical brings audiences back to Kellerman's resort during the summer of 1963. Frances "Baby" Houseman is on vacation with her family when she meets dance instructor Johnny Castle and becomes involved with a world she knows very little about.

Annalese Starzec plays Baby, with Blake Zelesnikar as Johnny. Starzec brings out Baby's awkwardness and determination as she becomes more confident throughout the story. She makes Baby easy to root for, especially as she begins questioning some of the things happening around her.

Zelesnikar has plenty of stage presence as Johnny and makes the role his own. He and Starzec work well together, and their relationship develops nicely throughout the show.

The dancing is one of the best parts of the production. Choreographer Darrell Grand Moultrie keeps the cast moving, and the larger dance numbers are especially fun to watch.

Olivia Cece is a standout as Penny Johnson. She is an incredible dancer and immediately grabs your attention whenever she is onstage. Some of the strongest dance moments of the night belong to her.

The music is another highlight. The songs are such a big part of what people remember about Dirty Dancing, and hearing them in a theater with a live audience adds something different. You can tell there are plenty of fans in the crowd who know exactly what is coming.

Director Lonny Price also has a personal connection to Dirty Dancing. Price played Neil Kellerman in the original movie and now returns to the story as the director of this production.

The show includes many of the moments fans will be waiting to see, but it doesn't forget the story behind them. Baby starts the summer somewhat sheltered and slowly begins to understand more about the people around her. She sees firsthand how differently people can be treated based on money and social status and isn't afraid to speak up when she believes something is wrong.

The production moves at a good pace, with the scenery, lighting and video helping take the audience to different areas of Kellerman's. The design works especially well during the dance sequences and keeps the show moving without long transitions.

Of course, everyone knows where the night is eventually headed.

When the final dance arrives, there is an excitement in the theater because the audience knows what is coming. Johnny and Baby take the stage, the familiar music begins, and the moment everyone has been waiting for finally arrives.

The lift gets exactly the reaction you would expect.

There is also something special about seeing this production at the Ordway because Saint Paul is where the North American tour is getting its start. This cast will soon take the show to audiences around the country, but Minnesota gets to experience it first.

Dirty Dancing: The Musical is an entertaining night for anyone who loves the movie. The dancing is strong, the music is familiar and the story still works all these years later.

And yes, you'll probably leave the theater with "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" stuck in your head.

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