As Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage returns to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre for a new run, John Byrne talks to the show's American producer, Karl Sydow.
It’s pretty standard now for a hit movie to morph into a stage musical. And it’s quite a broad collection too, ranging from the obvious (School of Rock) to the smart (The Producers), and from the sublime (Moulin Rouge) to the ridiculous (Monty Python and the Holy Grail).
One of the most enduring is Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage, which returns to Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre from September 5 to 16. It's been here before, so you probably know the drill.
It's a show-tastic mix of heart-pounding music, emotion and sensational dancing, the stage production inspired by the hit film once again comes to life in this triumphant, feel-ggod live show.
Once again Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage will be directed by Federico Bellone (West Side Story, Sunset Boulevard) and choreographed by Austin Wilks.
Featuring the hit songs Hungry Eyes, Hey! Baby, Do You Love Me? and, of course, thw show's anthem (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life, the story follows the iconic story of Baby and Johnny, two fiercely independent young spirits from different worlds. They come together in what will be the most challenging and triumphant summer of their lives.
Cast-wise, the key roles of Baby and Johnny are taken by two performers who are no strangers to the iconic roles. Both Michael O’Reilly (who plays Johnny) and Kira Malou (Baby) made these parts their own during the show’s run at London’s Dominion Theatre as well as on the road.
Make no mistake, this is an experienced team bringing this show to Dublin.
The man behind it all, American producer Karl Sydow, has been there since the beginning, and has produced Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage across the UK, here in Ireland and around the world since 2004.
I caught up with him on Zoom, just before he heads to join the show as it lands in Dublin. He spent most of August in Florence, so it’ll be a bit of a contrast arriving in Ireland, I suggest.
Karl Sydow : I’ve been in Ireland a lot, actually. I love it there and Bord Gáis is one of my favourite theatres in the world. I’ve brought a few shows there.
John Byrne: That’s true praise, coming from the likes oy yourself. You’ve been a producer for many years, with a lengthy CV that ranges from the likes of Sting’s The Last Ship to Sinatra: The Man and His Music, to Macbeth. I’m sure a lot of people wonder what being a producer involves . . .
Lots of people ask 'What does a producer actually do?’ I was even asked by no less a person that the late Queen [Elizabeth]. She came to one of my movies - well, when I say ‘came’, well formally I was the guest there as it was the Royal Command Film Performance the Queen gave that year.
And she was walking down line of us assembled. When she got to me - and we’d met before as I’d sponsored an event at the Windsor horse show - she looked and said: ‘Oh, it’s you. Explain something to me. I kept getting introduced to people here, and they say "the producer". And you’re a producer. What, really, does a producer do?'
I said, ‘Well, I guess what we do is we try to take as much credit for doing as little work as possible But really, as the producer for Dirty Dancing, I do everything. I put all the cast together, I put the entire production together, I rent the theatre, I ensure that everybody travels everywhere - virtually everything.
But what it is is I don’t hardly do any of that, I ensure that it’s done. I put all the people together, and I guess most importantly - it’s something people will understand - I provide all the money. I provide all the finance. So I pay for everything. That’s how I get to put my name on the top of everything.
And so to Dirty Dancing. It’s been on the go for some time now. It’s about 20 years old now . . .
Well, it’ll be 20 next year. 19 years ago we opened it in Sydney, Australia. That was the first production. Then it opened in Germany. Then it opened in London in October 2006. And it’s been going ever since.
What would you put the show’s durability and ongoing popularity down to?
The first thing is you’d have to credit the original creative team for the movie because, obviously the film is the thing that sparks all the interest. It opened in 1987. That’s actually been one long advertising trailer for the stage version.
People have watched it over and over again, and the demand - early on - from the fans to have a stage version, to be in a theatre and see the whole thing happening, but it took a long time for it to occur.
There were many key elements that made the movie such a success . . .
If you look at the film, obviously Patrick Swayze, the director Emile Ardolino went on to do lots of Hollywood comedies and big films before he was unfortunately an early AIDS victim.
Kenny Ortega, who was the choreographer, who came up with the incredible lift, which was a first for the film and for the stage version is the ultimate finale. All you could ever ask for. And Jennifer Beales. What a great cast.
Then it’s a story which combines two fairy tales. It’s sort of Cinderella goes to the ball and Prince Charming falls in love with her. Who won’t like that?
But also, on the other hand, you have the poor friend who unfortunately falls in love with a creep. So there’s a nasty guy who lets the girl down, and there’s the good guy who comes along and makes everything right.
Tickets for Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage are available now from Ticketmaster
