Dirty Dancing To Hit The Civic

Friday 17th April -

Breaking News- Dirty Dancing ­ the Classic Story on Stage Breaks Box Office History!

Producers of Dirty Dancing, the stage version of the seminal Eighties flick announced today that they have become the fastest-selling production in West End history by shifting more than £3 million worth of tickets just six weeks after going on sale. Today's news is no mean feat for the much more modestly budgeted Dirty Dancing. And it means that, with still more than six months to go before it receives its UK premiere on 24 October 2006, the screen-to-stager has already sold out of the first two months of its run at the West End¹s Aldwych Theatre. Obviously, nobody¹s keeping this baby in the corner.

Celebrations of a different sort are happening at Auckland¹s Civic Theatre tomorrow, Saturday 18th April, when the cast and crew celebrate the show¹s 500th performance. A large cake will be presented to the cast backstage at half time ­photographers and film crews are invited to join the cast at 9:20pm backstage of The Civic to capture the moment.

Since opening in Australia in November 2004 more than 600,000 people have seen Dirty Dancing ­ The Classic Story on Stage and already more than $10 million Euro worth of tickets have been pre-sold in Hamburg for it's German season. The show opens on London's West End in October 2006 and in North America in 2007.

Following the sell-out world premiere in Australia, Jacobsen Entertainment in association with Lions Gate Films and Magic Hour Productions opened the musical smash hit Dirty Dancing ­ The Classic Story on Stage in Auckland on 30th March and will finish the highly successful season on 23rd April.

Written by Eleanor Bergstein the original script writer and co-producer of the Academy Award winning film Dirty Dancing the story on stage draws the audience in with familiar hits from the movie including, ³Hungry Eyes², "She's Like the Wind" and 'I¹ve Had the Time of My Life', and of course sizzling dancing choreographed to passionate Latin rhythms and rock music.

Producer Kevin Jacobsen said, "The production has remained true to the classic film, incorporating all the great songs and fabulous dance routines, as well as adding new scenes, which were written especially for the stage by creator Eleanor Bergstein. The modern, new look, high-tech set and fantastic music, together with our brilliant cast, has created a hit show. Standing ovations at every show ensures audiences are leaving the theatre on a high!"

Dirty Dancing ­ The Classic Story on Stage stars the sensational Kym Valentine from TV¹s Neighbours as the sheltered teen Frances ³Baby² Houseman who, while on vacation with her parents, learns about love in the hands of sexy, handsome and charismatic dance instructor, Johnny Castle, played by Josef Brown, former lead dancer with the Sydney Dance Company. ³Brown not only sizzles in an aura of testosterone, he outdances the film¹s Patrick Swayze from his first swagger," The Age (17/6/05).

New Zealander Emma Langridge plays Baby¹s sister ³Lisa Houseman² winning audience applause for with her rendition of the ŒHula song¹. Emma lives in Australia but will be travelling to London to audition for the West End production of Dirty Dancing ­ The Classic Story on Stage.

Other cast members include Ronne Arnold, Helen Buday, Tony Cogin, Russell Newman, Leonie Page, Lance Strauss, Lelda Kapsis, Ernie Bourne, Andrew Broadbent, and Ben Mingay.

THE MOVIE The film, made on a shoestring budget of five million dollars, went on to become a worldwide hit at the box office and was ranked as the fifth highest grossing film of 1987. It generated two multi-platinum soundtracks that sold over 39 million copiesŠand still counting, and the song "Time of My Life" won the Academy Award for Best Song the year the film was released. The movie reinvented the dance genre introducing a new style of erotically charged, partner dancing to the world. Dirty Dancing touched the hearts of audiences when they first saw the film.

They felt part of the sensuous world unfolding before them, depicted during the summer of 1963 ­ before President Kennedy was shot, before the Beatles exploded onto the music scene and when you couldn't separate a song lyric or melody from what was happening in your head and in your heart. It was a time of innocence. Often asked how much the film comes from her real life, Eleanor Bergstein answers, ³It is all there, but in bits and pieces. I wanted to change the world. I worked my way through university teaching ballroom dancing at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios ­ there is more of Johnny than Baby in me²

THE TEAM The international creative team is headed by American Writer and Creator Eleanor Bergstein and English Director Mark Wing-Davey. Added to this duo is a phenomenal array of Australian creative talent including Choreographer ­ Kate Champion, Musical Supervisor ­ Chong Lim, Lighting Designer ­ Nigel Levings, Costume Designer ­ Jennifer Irwin, Set Designer ­ Richard Roberts and Musical Director ­ Conrad Helfrich.

REVIEWS Since opening in late 2004, Dirty Dancing has received a rapturous response from both the public and critics alike. The Sydney Morning Herald (20/11/04) said, "Top talent in time of their lives". "Dirty Dancing is good fun with no shortage of talent and feelgood tunes to power it along." The Age (17/6/05) said "Brown not only sizzles in an aura of testosterone, he outdances the film's Patrick Swayze from his first swagger. The Australian (23/11/04) said Valentine, as Baby, is cute and lively and she plays the ingénue superbly, Variety (29/11/04) claimed "Show's cast is impeccable."

DIRTY DANCING PLAYS The Civic Theatre, THE EDGE, Auckland >From Wednesday the 29th of March 2006 Wednesday ­ Saturday at 8.00pm, Sunday 6.30pm Matinees ­ Wednesday 1.00pm, Saturday 2pm, Sunday 1.00pm

BOOKINGS through TICKETEK: 09 307 5000 or www.ticketek.com GROUPS: Groups (8 or more) on 09 307 5058 WEBSITE: www.dirtydancing.com.au

ENDS

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