“Dirty Dancing” reveals the principal cast for its West End return: Michael O’Reilly returns as Johnny Castle

The musical “Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage” has revealed the principal cast for its long-awaited return to the West End, as BroadwayWorld reports. Michael O’Reilly, beloved by audiences after successes in Paris, the West End and the British tour, returns in the role of the charismatic dance instructor Johnny Castle, while Pippa Jackson makes her professional stage debut in the iconic role of Baby Houseman. Emily Layden-Fritz (known from “CATS!”) will be the dance partner Penny Johnson.

The production will be staged at the Prince Edward Theatre, a Delfont Mackintosh theatre, in a strictly limited season from January 19 to April 24, 2027. Priority ticket registration opens today, while the general sale begins on October 6 at 10:00 a.m. The musical is produced by Karl Sydow, in collaboration with Lionsgate and Magic Hour Productions, and is written by Eleanor Bergstein, the screenwriter of the phenomenal 1987 film. The production brings to the stage the beloved characters and the original dialogue — from the “watermelon” moment to Baby’s transformation and the unforgettable final dance that proves that “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” The soundtrack includes 35 hit songs, among them “Hungry Eyes,” “Hey Baby,” “Do You Love Me?” and “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.”

The creative team includes director and set designer Federico Bellone, choreographer Austin Wilks, music supervisor Richard John, and associate director Juliet Gough. “Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage” first opened at London’s Aldwych Theatre in 2006, where it ran for five years; since then it has become a worldwide phenomenon, playing to audiences in over 11 countries from Australia to South Africa and from the USA to Sweden, constantly breaking box-office records.