Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage is coming back to London for a 15-week season at the Prince Edward Theatre, from 19 January to 24 April 2027. Michael O’Reilly leads the company again as Johnny Castle, with Pippa Jackson as Baby Houseman.
Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage opens at the Prince Edward Theatre on Tuesday 19 January 2027. The run is strictly limited. The Prince Edward was confirmed as its new London home last week, and today brings the dates, the lead casting and the booking details. The final performance is on Saturday 24 April 2027. Priority booking is open now, and general sale starts at 10am on 6 October.
Michael O’Reilly is back as dance instructor Johnny Castle. He has played the part since his professional debut in 2019: in the West End at the Dominion Theatre, on several UK tours, and at the Dôme de Paris, where he learned French from scratch to perform it. His other stage credits include West Side Story at Leicester Curve and Matthew Bourne’s Lord of the Flies.
Pippa Jackson makes her professional stage debut as Baby Houseman. She trained at Emil Dale Academy and Mountview. Emily Layden-Fritz, whose credits include the European tour of CATS! and Let Me Entertain You at the London Palladium, plays Johnny’s dance partner Penny Johnson.
The stage version is by Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the screenplay for the 1987 film, and it keeps the film’s characters and dialogue. It is set at Kellerman’s resort in the summer of 1963. The score runs to 35 songs, among them Hungry Eyes, Hey Baby, Do You Love Me? and (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.
Federico Bellone directs and designs the set. Choreography is by Austin Wilks, music supervision by Richard John, lighting by Valerio Tiberi, sound by Chris Whybrow and costumes by Jennifer Irwin. Juliet Gough is associate director, Harry Blumenau CDG CSA is casting director and Pete Kramer is production manager.
Karl Sydow produces, in association with Lionsgate and Magic Hour Productions. Russ Spencer is associate producer and Ivan Mactaggart co-producer, with general management by New Road Theatricals.
The production first opened at the Aldwych Theatre in 2006 and stayed for five years. It has since played in more than 11 countries, from Australia and South Africa to the USA and Sweden.
Evening performances are at 7.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Fridays have two shows, at 5pm and 8.30pm, and there is a 2.30pm Saturday matinee. The audio-described performance is at 7.30pm on Tuesday 9 March 2027, and the captioned performance at 7.30pm on Wednesday 17 March 2027.
Book Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage at the Prince Edward Theatre.
