QUEENSLAND BOY LOOKS FORWARD TO BRINGING HIS HOT SHOW HOME!
The international hit musical Dirty Dancing has returned to Australia, back to where the magic began, for the 10th Anniversary Australian tour and will come to Brisbane from 27 May for a strictly limited season.
Two extraordinary young talents have made the leap from chorus to leading roles as the pair of iconic characters in this much loved musical production. One of them is Queenslander Kurt Phelan who plays charismatic dance teacher Johnny Castle. A NIDA graduate, Phelan is an actor, choreographer and writer. His musical theatre credits include Singin’ in the Rain, Witches of Eastwick, Saturday Night Fever and Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Born and bred in Townsville, Kurt is excited to be bringing the show home.
“I am really looking forward to bringing Dirty Dancing to QPAC. I know Queenslanders love their sport but they also love their theatre, and this show with its timeless story, songs and incredible dancing is kicking goals around the country. Brisbane will love it too!”
Joining Phelan on stage in the role of innocent young Frances “Baby” Houseman is Kirby Burgess. Burgess has been seen on stage in Sweet Charity, An Officer and A Gentleman, Hairspray, High School Musical – Live on Stage and LOVEBiTES, and on television in Wonderland. Also coming home to wow Queensland audiences are ensemble members Chris Ostrenski (Townsville) most recently seen on stage at QPAC in Spamalot and Sam Marks (Brisbane) who made
his professional music theatre debut also at QPAC at the age of nine in Les Miserables.
It’s the summer of 1963, and 17 year old “Baby” Houseman is about to learn some major lessons in life as well as a thing or two about dancing. On holiday in New York’s Catskill Mountains with her older sister and parents, Baby shows little interest in the resort activities, and instead discovers her own entertainment when she stumbles upon the staff quarters when an all-night dance party is in full swing. Mesmerised by the raunchy dance moves and the pounding rhythms, Baby can’t wait to be part of the scene, especially when she catches sight of Johnny Castle the resort dance instructor. Baby’s life is about to change forever as she is thrown in at the deep end as Johnny’s leading lady both on-stage and off with breathtaking consequences.
Featuring hit songs including Hungry Eyes, Hey! Baby, Do You Love Me? and the iconic (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life, Dirty Dancing has become one of the most popular musical productions of all time!
