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Musical Dirty Dancing adapted from a movie that has thrilled millions around the world came upon the stage of Hong Kong on April 19 as its debut in Asia.
"It is a story that everyone understands," Resident Director Alan Swerdlow said in an interview with Asia Pacific Daily, "A young woman, coming of age and experiencing both love and independence for the first time. Young audiences are going through the same feelings, so they can identify with the show immediately, and older audiences carry the memories from the movie that allow for equally immediate identification."
With over one million tickets sold on the National UK tour alone, Swerdlow was thrilled that this hugely popular smash hit is now making its Asian debut. "The sales of the tickets are very good indeed at the moment," he said: "We hope to have full houses all the way through the entire season and I think people will come to have a really good time."
The production has a brilliantly designed new set that takes projections and LED screens to the most up-to-date, and spectacular level. The design also allows the transitions from scene to scene and location to location to be even more swift and cinematic.
"We having been performing for five months now, and we hope Hong Kong audience could demonstrate their enthusiasm very quickly," Swerdlow added.
For most people, the the first love is always special and memorable. That’s perhaps the reason why this recurrent theme has never lost its appeal to the public. As a 1987 American romance film, the movie Dirty Dancing which starred Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey became a massive box office hit and it was the first film to sell more than a million copies on home video.
The story documents a teenage girl's coming of age through a relationship with a dance instructor whom she encounters during the family’s summer vacation. The movie also became known for its hit songs Hungry Eyes, Hey Baby and (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life, which was recently revived by the Black Eyed Peas.
Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage debuted in 2004, breaking records on the West End in the United Kingdom and Germany, and playing to sold-out houses in Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Holland and North America.
Images of Johnny and Baby doing the famous "lift" during the show’s finale has become the trademark of Dirty Dancing. "It has become one of the most awaited parts of the show," Swerdlow said.
Due to overwhelming demand, the Hong Kong season of this phenomenal musical will be further extended to May 12. There will be subtitles in both Cantonese and Mandarin on either side of the stage for people to follow the story.
Fun Facts
257 costumes and 123 pairs of shoes are used to dress the cast in the production.
In addition to all these costumes the company travel, with 120 spare vintage shirts and 60 spare vintage neck-ties.
The costumes make up 85kg of laundry per week.
43 wigs are used which keep the casts heads warm!
Baby is kept busy by having 216 costume changes a week.
The company goes through a gruelling regime of over 300 hours of rehearsals before the show hits the stage!
Talking technical...... On the touring productions there is more than 10km of cabling and 152 LED panels used.
