Dirty Dancing announces lead casting for 2026 tour

Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage has announced lead casting for its tour, commencing summer 2026.

The show is written by Eleanor Bergstein, who penned the original 1987 screenplay and produced by Sydow in association with Lionsgate, Magic Hour Productions, and Ivan MacTaggart, co-producer for Freedom Riders.

Dirty Dancing features hit songs such as “Hungry Eyes,” “Hey! Baby,” “Do You Love Me?” and “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life.”

The previously announced run at the new Capital Theatre in west London will be opening later this year, while a “reimagined” production has its eyes set on Broadway.

Set to star will be Joel Benjamin as Johnny Castle, while Frances “Baby” Houseman will be played by Charlie Varlet making her theatre tour debut. Penny Johnson will be played by Ellie Fergusson.

The production will once again be directed by Federico Bellone and choreographed by Austin Wilks. Itwill open at Milton Keynes Theatre (25 to 29 August 2026), before visiting Liverpool Empire (1 to 5 September), Blackpool Winter Gardens (8 to 19 September), Sunderland Empire (22 to 26 September), Manchester Palace Theatre (29 September to 3 October), New Theatre Oxford (6 to 10 October), King’s Theatre, Glasgow (13 to 17 October), Wales Millennium Centre (20 to 24 October), Edinburgh Playhouse (27 to 31 October), Hull New Theatre (10 to 14 November), Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent (24 to 28 November), Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield (6 to 9 January 2027), Norwich Theatre Royal (12 to 16 January), The Alexandra, Birmingham (19 to 23 January), Bradford Alhambra Theatre (26 to 31 January), His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (2 to 6 February), Newcastle Theatre Royal (9 to 13 February), Hall for Cornwall, Truro (16 to 20 February), Opera House, Cork (23 February to 20 March), Millennium Forum, Derry (23 to 27 March), Grand Opera House, Belfast (30 March to 10 April), New Theatre, Wimbledon (13 to 17 April), Orchard Theatre, Dartford (26 April to 1 May), Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton (4 to 8 May), Bournemouth Pavilion (11 to 15 May), Grand Theatre and Opera House, Leeds (18 to 22 May), Congress Theatre, Eastbourne (25 to 29 May), and Curve Theatre, Leicester (1 to 5 June).