There are certain things that stick with you over the course of your lifetime — precious moments, big events and small victories. These can be monumental, life-changing times or something as simple as a song lyric.
For me, that list includes certain movies which have stuck with me from the moment I first saw them. If I am being honest, this list is quite long. I have always had a love of everything cinema-related. The medium fascinates me. Movies can sweep you away for two hours to a world unlike your own, whether seen at the theater or at home.
One of the movies I will always remember and enjoy is “Dirty Dancing.” I grew up watching and rewatching the movie; finding new meaning each time. Some of the things I didn’t understand as a kid became more clear as I matured. There are some pretty hot-button topics such as abortion, race, love affairs and class status. These heavy themes are woven into a story about two people falling in love while dancing. These topics were touchy in 1963 when the movie is set, and still resonate in today’s world. As important as these topics may be, it is the love story that is most memorable and keeps me coming back for more.
I really didn’t know the movie had been made into a stage production until I heard it was coming to the Civic Center in Des Moines. I can’t say I was completely shocked because there has been a lot of crossover between popular movies and stage productions. It was adapted in 2004 by an Australian entertainment company, and the first U.S. tour wasn’t launched until last year.
As part of a full house at the Civic Center, I was able to enjoy “Dirty Dancing — The Classic Story On Stage” on opening night Tuesday. I was excited to see the story I have loved for years unfold in front of me.
It was a musical, but not in the traditional sense. I was glad Baby and Johnny didn’t suddenly break out into song while learning to dance. Almost all of the songs from the movie were included in the show. Some were played as their original tracks, and others were sung by members of the cast, mostly background characters. The female soloist, Jennlee Shallow, did an excellent job. The male soloist, Doug Carpenter, who played Johnny’s cousin Billy, really impressed with his voice. His solo “In the Still of the Night” was breathtaking.
The stage production included a few additions to the story. It played a bit of Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech and included elements from the Freedom Riders movement in the South. One of the main differences dealt with Baby’s mother, Marjorie. She was largely a wallpaper character in the movie. She’s there, but really had no impact on the plot.
On stage, Marjorie was given a few extra scenes and even gets clued into what her family has been experiencing, giving her a chance to give advice to both Jake and Baby. It was a welcome change. Baby idolizes her father, and their relationship was always very important. However, it was nice to see her mother have an impact too.
The set design was very creative in certain scenes, particularly when Johnny is teaching Baby the lifts. You can’t bring a lake on stage, right? A translucent screen, lighting, projections and sound effects were used to enact this part. The actors really tried to sell that they were in water.
The two leads were great in their roles. Christopher Tierney played Johnny, and he really took on the character created by Patrick Swayze. At times, I thought he sounded exactly like Swayze. I loved Gillian Abbott as Baby. She is the driving force behind the whole story and did a great job.
Everything I loved about the story was there — the music, the dancing and the romance. The fact that it was done live in front of my eyes made it that much sweeter.
Contact Pam Rodgers at
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or prodgers@newtondailynews.com