Okay, I couldn’t resist the cheesy cliché for this review title. But seriously, if you’re looking for a terrific Broadway show to see, you won’t be disappointed with Dirty Dancing. There are a lot of great movies that are turned into live shows, but this is just one of those films that is truly made to be on Broadway.
Now, I do have to admit something. I’ve never seen Dirty Dancing before. I know, what?! It’s just one of those classics that are on my list of movies to see, that I just haven’t gotten around to yet. With that said, I’ve seen and heard enough of some of the movie’s famous quotes and scenes, and I’ve gotta say: Gillian Abbott, who plays Frances “Baby” Houseman, nailed it. I mean… was that Jennifer Grey on stage? Samuel Pergande as Johnny Castle was also great—so was the entire cast, really. But I really enjoyed Abbott, whereas Joe felt that Emily Rice recreated her character as Lisa Houseman the best of all. Overall, I’d guess that the entire play did a great job at recreating the film in its entirety. The couple next to me said that it was spot-on.
A couple things to point out about this particular play: so the main characters, which of course would be Baby and Johnny, did not sing during the performance. This has to be the first Broadway show I’ve seen that not only didn’t everyone on stage sing, but the main performers? They especially did.
Now, I’m okay with this. Joe said he didn’t like it, but this performance is also very dance-intensive. After all, it’s Dirty Dancing! Had the main characters did sing, they would likely be out of breath. But I do have to point out that the two main people who were singing, Jennlee Shallow and Doug Carpenter, had some amazingly strong voices.
Aside from the incredible dancing (it’s enough to inspire you to sign up for lessons), I felt that the acting was great as well. This isn’t the type of show that is loaded with special effects and fancy set designs. While a visually stunning show is also a fun experience in its own way, the entertaining storyline and engaging characters were enough to draw you in on their own.
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Buy tickets to Dirty Dancing: You don’t necessarily have to be in Philly or New York City to see Dirty Dancing the musical, because they are frequently on tour. Check Ticket Liquidator to see the latest updates for tour dates and to purchase your tickets.
Save on tickets to performances at the Academy of Music: If you’ll be in Philly and want to enjoy some live entertainment, Ticket Network is a great website for finding tickets, including to performances happening at the Academy of Music. From sporting events, to musicals, to concerts, you can get the tickets you’re looking for and at amazing prices.
Hotels in Philadelphia: The Academy of Music in the heart of Philly’s Center City. Our top picks for hotels in the area include The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, The Rittenhouse, and Rittenhouse 1715.
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