Forty years after Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey made the Catskills unforgettable, Dirty Dancing is coming to Broadway. Dirty Dancing: The Musical will play a limited engagement at the Lena Horne Theatre in New York from Feb. 12 through Sept. 5, 2027, producers announced on Oct. 6 [1].
A Tour That Earned Its Broadway Moment
The Broadway run is not a cold launch. The production began its North American tour in St. Paul, Minnesota, in August 2026 and has been working its way through major markets — Detroit, West Palm Beach, Boston, and Toronto among them — before landing in New York [2]. After the Broadway engagement closes, the national tour is set to resume [2], making the Lena Horne stop a centerpiece rather than a finale.
The timing is deliberate: the Broadway run coincides with the film's 40th anniversary [1], giving producers a built-in cultural hook for audiences who grew up with the original and a discovery moment for those who didn't.
The Creative Team Includes a Familiar Face
Direction comes from Lonny Price, a Tony Award nominee and two-time Emmy Award winner who has a uniquely personal connection to the material — he played Neil Kellerman in the 1987 film [1]. The book was written by Eleanor Bergstein, the original screenwriter of the movie, ensuring the stage version draws directly from the source [2]. Choreography is by Darrell Grand Moultrie, known for his work on Fat Ham [2].
The production's official description frames the story in familiar terms: "Set during an unforgettable summer in the Catskills in 1963, Dirty Dancing: The Musical follows Frances 'Baby' Houseman, whose undeniable connection with charismatic dance instructor Johnny Castle leads to an unexpected discovery of love, passion and independence" [1]. The score leans on the film's signature songs, including "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," "Hungry Eyes," "Do You Love Me?" and "She's Like the Wind" [1].
A Company of Debuts
Annalese Starzec plays Frances "Baby" Houseman and Blake Zelesnikar plays Johnny Castle — and both will be making their Broadway debuts in those roles [2]. They are far from alone: the full company will see 21 total Broadway debuts, counting the leads and 19 additional cast members [2].
The supporting cast includes Olivia Cece as Penny Johnson, Bryan Fenkart as Jake Houseman, Dan Klimko as Neil Kellerman, Lily Kren as Lisa Houseman, Ashley LaLonde as Elizabeth, Gina Lamparella as Marjorie Houseman, Loren Lester as Max Kellerman, Ethan Peterson as Billy Kostecki, and Erick Pinnick as Tito Suarez [1]. An ensemble of sixteen additional performers rounds out the company [1].
Lionsgate's Expanding Stage Ambitions
The Broadway announcement is one piece of a larger theatrical push by Lionsgate. The studio is also bringing the illusionist show Now You See Me Live to Broadway this fall and recently premiered The Hunger Games: On Stage in London [2]. Further down the pipeline, Lionsgate is developing a stage musical adaptation of La La Land with producer Marc Platt, as well as a stage version of the thriller The Housemaid [2].
On the film side, the studio is separately developing a Dirty Dancing sequel — produced by Hunger Games producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson — that will star Jennifer Grey, reprising her role as the original Baby [2]. That project runs parallel to the stage production rather than intersecting with it, but together they signal that the franchise is being actively cultivated across multiple formats simultaneously.
Dirty Dancing: The Musical is produced by The Path Entertainment Group, Lionsgate, and LD Entertainment, with co-producers Magic Hour Productions, Nederlander Presentations, and John Gore Organization [1].
What to Watch
The immediate question is whether the production can translate the film's physical electricity — particularly its climactic lift — into a theatrical experience that satisfies both nostalgic fans and first-time audiences. With 21 Broadway debuts in the company, the performances will be closely watched. Ticket demand during the February opening weeks will offer the first real signal of whether the show can extend beyond its Sept. 5 closing date or whether producers will keep to the limited-engagement plan. The trajectory of Lionsgate's broader stage slate — particularly how Now You See Me Live fares this fall — may also shape how aggressively the studio pursues future Broadway investments.
