Mon. October 27, 2008
By Michael J. Roberts
Written By: Alissa Norby (for ShowBizQ)
Waltzing its way over the boarders and across the ponds where it found unprecedented commercial success in Australia, New Zealand, England, and Canada, "Dirty Dancing" is now engulfing the Windy City with its sticky green-billed heat wave. But there's no surprise there; with a straight-stage translation of the indefatigable steamfest film made iconic by 80s heartthrobs Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, to think this baby wouldn't cha-cha its way to the banks would be gravely ill-informed. Or maybe you just haven't experienced the privilege of being in a room of hormonal adolescent girls while this sulphurous legend airs during its seemingly monthly cable spot.
Based on her celebrated 1987 film of the same name, screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein has hatched a tight-ended adaptation of "Dirty Dancing" for the Broadway stage. For dedicated fans of the film, the unrivaled opportunity to quite literally be transported to the Kellerman's Resort in the Catskill mountains for that transformative summer experienced by Frances "Baby" Houseman is sure to be toe-tapping bliss. The skillfully ingenious production value of this piece, lead by the design team of Stephen Lewis, Tim Mitchell, and Jon Driscoll, physically enwraps you in the three-dimensional world of the film. Dexterous execution of projection drops, turntables, and collapsible fly pieces seamlessly escort the audience throughout all 106 of the pelvis-gyrating scenes.
Every immortal scene spoofed by "Saturday Night Live" and recited by pubescents comes to life before the adoring fans' hungry eyes; Johnny and Baby splash about while practicing that epic lift, the broken swamp log that they mambo on falls in front of you, and Johnny's engine growls ferociously as he drives Baby back from the Sheldrake. But the issue that "Dirty Dancing" encounters, which to be fair is a botheration that befalls almost all of the movie-turned-stage-musicals, is that the audience's adoration manifests in the mere excited anticipation of a familiar scene, rather than as a result of the scene itself.
Whether or not "Dirty Dancing" will declare a timeless stake in the theatre as it did the world of film is yet to be determined, but I can assure you that it does provide its audience with a much-appreciated lift.
"Dirty Dancing" runs through January 17, 2008 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St. Running time is 2 hours, 30 minutes. For tickets or more information call 312-902-1400 or visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Photo Credit: David Scheinmann
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