Dirty Dancing The Musical - Ordway - August 2026

Dirty Dancing The Musical

Program Cover

By Eleanor Bergstein, based on the Lionsgate film by Eleanor Bergstein

Music Supervision & Arrangements by Joseph Joubert

Choreography by Darrell Grand Moultrie

Directed by Lonny Price

Review by Ernest Edwards

The Ordway, in downtown St. Paul, is the launching point for the new tour of Dirty Dancing The Musical. That is pretty exciting news! It’s a strong start to the Ordway for their Broadway at the Ordway 2026/2027 season. 

This is not the first time that a tour of Dirty Dancing has been in the Twin Cities. I got to see a tour at the Orpheum Theatre back in October of 2014. This is the same script from the previous tour, but with a new team of creatives. It is a new brand new production. At last nights performance, The Music Supervisor Joseph Joubert, sat across the aisle from me. I also got to see director Lonny Price as he entered the theater and took his seat for the performance. That was kind of exciting for me. Lonny Price is known for his acting and directing career. 

If you have seen 1987 movie of the same name, you know the story. The stage musical is a faithful adaption of the story from the movie. One of the best parts of the stage musical is Darrell Grand Moultrie’s choreography. Everyone in the audience is expecting the dancing, and the stage musical does not disappoint. 

One thing I noticed last night, was how similar the stage design reminded me of The

The stage, before the musical began.
Photo by Ernest Edwards

Notebook musical. Even down to the silhouette of the shape of the scenery. I also heard other audience members around me making similar comments during the intermission. I did like the scenic design for the Kellerman’s Resort by Brett J. Banakis. It was flexible, it morphed for different scenes. Excellent use of projections. I liked how the learning to jump scene at the lake was executed. I also liked that the usher staff were all wearing Kellerman’s T-Shirts. We the audience are being welcomed to a summer at the Kellerman’s resort in the Catskills. That was a nice element. 

The Costumes Design by Emily Rebholz, along with Hair & Wig Design by Robert Pickens do make strong connections the time period and characters from the movie. The character of Baby, definitely has Jennifer Grey’s hairstyle from the movie. 

The best part of the show is the cast. Baby is played by Annalese Starzec, Lisa Houseman is played by Lily Kren, Jake Houseman is played by Bryan Fenkart, Marjorie Houseman is played by Gina Lamparella, Johnny Castle is played by Blake Zelesnikar, and Penny Johnson is played by Olivia Cece. Let’s not forget the ensemble. It’s a large cast of very talented people. The show also features lots of great songs from the early 1960’s, as well as the three big songs from the movie. “Hungry Eyes”, “She’s Like the Wind”, and “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”. 

If you a fan of the movie, this stage production is a lot of fun. 

Then there is the question of, do we need another movie turned into a stage musical? When compared to other movies that have been become stage musicals, it does feel like Dirty Dancing falls short. It doesn’t become more than what it is. It’s not in the category of stage musicals like Hairspray, Sunset Boulevard, Legally Blonde, Once, Lion King, Kinky Boots, The Lost Boys, and The Outsiders. Those stage musicals are some of the examples of where the stage musical took on a life of its own. There’s nothing wrong with simply being the stage adaptation of the movie. That is what Dirty Dancing The Musical is. It’s a copy of the movie on stage. What it does well, is it makes for a fun night at the theatre. All of your favorite moments from the movie are here, live on stage at the Ordway in downtown St. Paul. 

Dirty Dancing runs through September 6, 2026. Check out www.ordway.org for tickets.