ABC’s Dirty Dancing reboot makes big progress as the TV musical’s cast comes together.
The 1987 film came out in a whirlwind of dance, gyrating, and slight controversy to eventually become a cinematic classic among the general public. Starring the late Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, the movie centers on a vacationing family that begins to unravel and struggle with each other while at the Catskills. As tradition turns to sweet rebellion, the youngest of the family otherwise known as Baby, played by Jennifer Grey, ends up falling in love with her older dance instructor/partner Johnny, played by Patrick Swayze. Add in a protective old fashioned father (Jerry Orbach), and an oddly dysfunctional family and camp guests, the movie comes to a climax and an end at the annual talent show held on the camp ground. But never forget the wonder of dirty dancing slinks in as tradition gets thrown to the wind in all aspects of the classic film.
Taking this premise ABC partnering with Lionsgate Television began their search for the TV reboot as a three hour musical event. The cast had been introduced with actress Abigail Breslin stepping into the shoes of the young Houseman, Jennifer Grey and Cole Prattes as the passionate Johnny. Other members of the cast include Debra Messing playing the role of Baby’s mother, and now actresses Sarah Hyland of Modern Family and Nicole Scherzinger formerly of the Pussycat Dolls will be respectively playing Lisa Houseman and Penny. As Breslin’s Baby falls in love with the charismatic Johnny, Hyland’s extroverted goody two shoes Lisa falls for the womanizing waiter Robbie. The opposing sisters begin to grow strained as one strives for attention while the other strives for the peace between her lover and her father. Meanwhile Prattes’ Johnny is attempting to live out his dance dreams and introduce the gyrating movement familiar in Latin dance in an otherwise calm yet boring vacationing community. While the two end up in drama thanks to other meddling camp members, the romantic love story combines music and passion. Suffice to say the talent is growing and solid with the cast so far and news has broken that production has begun, which means the TV special is not far. However some roles are still being looked for but until then the imagination is the best key, and also re-runs of Scherzinger’s winning stint on Dancing with the Star. The public doesn’t know yet if we will be having the time of our lives or wishing the project stayed under wraps.
