INTERVIEW: NJ’s State Theatre welcomes ‘Dirty Dancing’ stage show this weekend

Dirty Dancing is one of the most beloved romantic movies of all time. The film, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, oozes that late-1980s charm. Featuring such hit songs as “Hungry Eyes” and “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life,” Dirty Dancing is iconic and memorable, with fans still hoisting their dance partners up in the air and saying, without irony, that nobody puts Baby in a corner.

The hit movie was adapted for the stage a few years ago and is now touring across North America. Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage will have its next stop at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The musical will run five performances, Nov. 4-6. Tickets range $35-$105. Click here for more information.

The stage adaptation stars Bronwyn Reed as Frances “Baby” Houseman who falls in love with Christopher Tierney’s Johnny Castle. Their romance blossoms at a resort in the 1960s in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York. Expect all of the classic tunes, including “Do You Love Me?” and “Hey Baby.”

The production is written by Eleanor Bergstein, original writer on the film. She is joined by director James Powell and choreographer Michele Lynch.

Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Reed about her role of “Baby” in the stage show. She is an alumna of Stanford University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She can be seen in Law & Order: SVU and Sean Penn’s new film, The Last Face.

Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.

How did you first get attached to this high-profile national tour?

In a strange way the role really fell into my lap. The casting director Laura Stanczyck called me to talk to me about the role of ‘Baby,’ and the next day I met the entire creative team on Skype.  About five minutes after out Skype session, once I had read a couple scenes and it was clear that they wanted me to play the role, that’s when the work really began. I had to do two very intense dance days with the choreographer to prove I could do the role. It was grueling but so rewarding once I heard that it was a go.

Were you a fan of the original movie?

Absolutely! It has always been one of my favorites. Jennifer and Patrick gave such wonderful performances, and if you re-watch it, it just doesn’t even age really. It’s so timeless. The dance, the soundtrack, it’s such an iconic film, and so to get to be a part of the stage show in this way has been really thrilling.

Is the show challenging from a dancing perspective? Is it challenging vocally?

I don’t actually sing in the show. Neither Baby or Johnny sing. I wish we did! I love to sing very much and actually consider myself a stronger singer than dancer, so that would have been fun. But I guess that will have to wait until the next show.

From a dance perspective, it’s definitely challenging in the sense that anything is challenging eight shows a week, with constant travel. And since I had been off dance for a long time when this show approached me, it was very hard to get in dancer’s shape again. But it was a great process, and I’m so glad I did it. I got to mirror Baby’s journey that way … starting out not so hot and then really blossoming.

What’s it like working in this company of actors?

Honestly, this is the best company I’ve ever worked with. Everyone is such a joy. We all really understand each other and give each other our space. It’s a hard thing that we are doing, with so many shows per week and the long, long travel days, but we really have each other’s backs. And Christopher Tierney is just a total dream to be opposite. We always make each other laugh and look out for each other.

What’s the toughest part about traveling around and being in a new theater every few days?

Well, definitely the travel. Being in a new theatre every few days is actually kind of exciting and fun. A new space, a new audience. That part really feels like you’re getting challenged as an actor and always have to be a total pro — to just immediately walk into a space and know how to play it. So I actually enjoy that.

The travel on the other hand is really hard. We have very long days on our ‘days off’ that always include a bus from our hotel to the airport, a first leg flight, then a layover, then a second leg flight, then a bus from that second airport to our new hotel. It gets pretty exhausting. But it’s all part of the process!

How do you see your character? What type of person do you see her as?

Baby is a lot of things. She’s smart, sensitive, wise beyond her years but also very innocent, and she really walks the walk and stands up for what is right. And she’s very earnest, which I think comes off as quite comedic in the show. And of course she goes on this awakening journey with Johnny, which is so fun to play. Going from the awkward, inexperienced girl in the corner to the woman being center stage in the big lift for ‘Time of My Life’ is quite a journey, and a fun one to get to go on as her.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage will play five performances at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Nov. 4-6. Click here for more information on showtimes and tickets.