DIRTY DANCING – THE CLASSIC STORY ON STAGE North American Tour Launches Tonight

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage officially opens a new production and North American tour at the Harris Center in Folsom, CA, tonight, October 5.

After three successful years on tour boasting numerous sold out engagements, this new adaptation of the worldwide smash-hit film, currently celebrating its 30th Anniversary, will continue to dazzle in more than 50 markets in North America, including New Orleans, Chicago, Boston, Baltimore and more. Check out the full tour route here!

Producers also announced today new direction by Sarna Lapine (Sunday in the Park with George - Broadway; War Horse - North American tour). Leading a company of 24 are Aaron Patrick Craven as Johnny Castle and Kaleigh Courts as Francis "Baby" Houseman.

They are joined by Anais Blake as Penny Johnson, Erica Lee Cianciulli as Marjorie Houseman, Nickolaus Colon as Billy Kostecki/Singer, Ryan Cupello as Robbie Gould, Buddy Daniels Friedman as Mr. Schumacher, Rick Grossman as Max Kellerman, Demitra Pace as Lisa Houseman, Owen Russell as Neil Kellerman, Christopher RoBert Smith as Dr. Jake Houseman and RaMond Thomas as Tito Suarez.

The ensemble is comprised of Alex Caldwell, Ayla Ciccone-Burton, Amanda Clement, J'royce Jata, Hunter Mikles, Honza Pelichovksy, Erica Philpot, Joshua Clifton Powell, Hannah Straney, Jay Stuart, Kesley Walsh and AiDan Ziegler-Hansen.

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage features an eight piece band that performs the timeless hits on stage, led by Conductor Alan J. Plado (Keyboard) and Associate Conductor Jonathan Marro (Keyboard). The band also includes Ethan Hack-Chabot (Guitar), Michael Bliss (Reeds), Adam Hradisky (Drums), Ryan McCausland (Percussion), Jared Pasimio (Bass) and Patrick Stouffer (Trumpet).

The production's book is written by Eleanor Bergstein, author of the original script of the film, and the North American tour is choreographed by Michele Lynch based on the original choreography by Kate Champion.

The creative team also includes Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams (Scenic Design), Ken Billington (Lighting Design), Jennifer Irwin (Costume Design), Leon Rothenberg (Sound Design), Bernie Ardia (Hair Design), Conrad Helfrich (Music Supervisor and Orchestrations) and Alan J. Plado (Music Director). Stewart/Whitley is the casting director for this tour.

"As I learned how many people watched the movie over and over and over," said Eleanor Bergstein, screenwriter of the film Dirty Dancing and book writer for the production, "I began to think that what they really wanted was to share more physically in the event, to step through the screen and be there while the story was happening. And if that was true, then its natural form was theatre - live audiences watching live bodies dancing and singing here and now in the present - on the log, on the bridge, on the dance floor and in the staff quarters at Kellerman's. Writing it for the stage, I was also able to add more scenes with Baby and Johnny, more about the family, more about the period in which it was set, more songs I couldn't afford last time, and, best of all - more dancing. We have added 20 new original scenes and 36 numbers of live music played by an eight piece band onstage, which invite the audience to come into Kellerman's and experience the story in a whole new way as a live event as it happens."

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage is an unprecedented live experience, exploding with heart-pounding music, passionate romance and sensational dancing. Seen by millions across the globe, this timeless love story features the hit songs "Hungry Eyes," "Hey Baby," "Do You Love Me?" and the heart-stopping "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life." London's Sunday Express says "This crowd-pleasing stage adaptation hits the jackpot!"

It's the summer of 1963, and 17-year-old Frances 'Baby' Houseman is on vacation in New York's Catskill Mountains with her older sister and parents. Mesmerized by the racy dance moves and pounding rhythms she discovers in the resort's staff quarters, Baby can't wait to be part of the scene, especially when she catches sight of Johnny Castle, the resort's sexy dance instructor. Passions ignite and Baby's life changes forever when she is thrown in to the deep end as Johnny's leading lady, both on-stage and off.

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage was first performed at the Theatre Royal in Sydney, Australia in November 2004 before embarking upon a hugely successful tour of Australia and New Zealand. A new production opened at the Theater Neue Flora in Hamburg, Germany in March 2006 where it broke records for achieving the highest advance in European history.

The production, having begun performances on London's West End in October 2006 with a record breaking £15 million advance and a complete sell-out for the first six months, went on to become the longest running show in the history of the Aldwych Theatre. It closed in July 2011 in advance of a two-year UK national tour and then returned to London for a strictly limited season at the Piccadilly Theatre.

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage continued its success with its commercial premiere in the Western Hemisphere in Toronto at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on November 15, 2007. The engagement ended on March 29, 2009, having performed to over 800,000 people. Shortly before the show closed in Toronto, the production's first North American tour began, making its debut in Chicago on September 2, 2008 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre and continuing on to Boston and Los Angeles. The show returned to Australia with a new smash hit tour that premiered in late 2014 in honor of the stage production's 10th anniversary.

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage has also been performed across the world in markets as diverse as Hong Kong, Sweden, Utrecht, Holland, Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. The show has been represented in other major markets, including a UK tour (launched March 2014 in Bristol), a German tour (launched April 2014 in Berlin) and an Italian production (launched October 2014 in Milan). Following the Italian tour's premier in Milan, the production sold out the 15,000 seat Roman Arena in Verona and went on to receive critical acclaim for its engagement in the capital city of Rome. With additional sold out engagements in Paris and Vienna, the show continues to tour in France and German speaking territories. The French tour alone has played to over 500,000 people since its launch in January 2015.

Due to an overwhelming demand for tickets in the UK, a new production of Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage premiered at Blackpool Opera House on August 11, 2016 and continued on to cities such as Manchester, Dublin, Berkshire, Bradford, Londonderry and many others.

The previous Equity North American tour, having launched in Washington, DC at The National Theatre on August 25, 2014, played over 80 cities including: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Minneapolis, San Antonio, Austin, New Orleans, Seattle, Costa Mesa, Charlotte, Tampa, San Diego, Las Vegas, Boston, Cleveland and many more.

The North American tour of Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage is produced by Amber Jacobsen, NETworks Presentations LLC and Col Joye in association with Lionsgate and Magic Hour Productions.

For more information and tour dates, visit us.dirtydancingontour.com.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

AARON PATRICK CRAVEN (Johnny Castle) is proud to be touring with Dirty Dancing! BFA in Dance Performance/Choreography from Wichita State University. Favorite Credits include Billy Elliot (Older Billy), The Rocky Horror Show (Rocky), Mamma Mia! (Pepper), West Side Story (Diesel), and Goodspeed's Oklahoma! Aaron has also appeared as a Principle with Ballet Wichita, and has toured internationally with Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre. Love and thanks to Mom, Dad, Alex, and Katie! Special thanks to Paul Hardt! Follow: @aaronpatrickcraven, aaronpatrickcraven.com

KALIEGH COURTS (Frances Houseman). Theatre Credits Include: Maria in West Side Story Suite (Houston Ballet), Swan Lake (Wortham Theatre Center), Sleeping Beauty (Houston Ballet II) Training: Houston Ballet Academy, High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, North Harris Performing Arts.

Anais Blake (Penny Johnson) is proud to be making her Broadway touring debut. Previously with the Sarasota Ballet, (2008-2017), she has also toured to the Kennedy Center (Dance Across America), Jacobs Pillow, and New York City Center (Fall for Dance). Collaborations and guest artist with Suzanne Farrell Ballet, American Contemporary Ballet, State Street Ballet and Trinity Irish Dance Company. Asolo Theater's Broadway production of Contact (swing) in collaboration with Sarasota Ballet. She has appeared in numerous print ads, commercials and Kartemquin Films, Life Lessons (2011). Love to Jason, my family and stellar friends for their steadfast support. anaisblake.com, @anaisblake

ERICA LEE CIANCIULLI (Marjorie Houseman) is so excited to be joining the team of the National Tour of Dirty Dancing. Originally from the Philadelphia area, Erica attended Point Park University for her college career. Other national tour credits include Pippin (Fastrada). She would like to thank the cast, creatives, friends, and family for all of the love and support they have given her throughout this journey.

NICKOLAUS COLON (Billy Kostecki) is a recent graduate of UNCSA and is delighted to be joining Dirty Dancing for his first ever National Tour. Favorite Roles include: Guys & Dolls (Nathan Detroit), Learned Ladies (Lepine), Unlimited (Nick), Les Mise?rables (Thenardier). Thanks to the cast/crew for making his first big show out of school a dream come true.

Ryan F. Cupello (Robbie Gould) is thrilled to be part of the company of Dirty Dancing! A native of Rochester, NY, he currently lives in New York City. National Tour: Fiddler on the Roof (Perchik u/s). Regional: Violet (Monty), Les Mise?rables (Marius), James and the Giant Peach (Aunt Spiker), Light in the Piazza (Fabrizio u/s). MFA: ART/Harvard. Thank you to Lisa, Yvan, Mickey, and the entire Price Group team! Love to my parents! ryancupello.com

BUDDY DANIELS FRIEDMAN (Mr. Schumacher) comes to this production for the 1st time. He has been an actor since his 1st film Danger Zone 1986; he brings with him extensive film/TV/Comm./Music Videos/New Media/Reality TV/credits. Just finished up 3 new feature films, Nasty Piece of Work, Merica My Lovely, My Baby Sister is an Alien; worked with Charles Grodin in Taking Care of Business; Snoop Dog in Eastidaz. As for TV Ur Blue Bolin from Star Trek Next Generation. Also has been on Golden Girls & Ali McBeal to also mention recurring role on Passions the soap. Has a Blending award for a Pistachio Comm. You can see Buddy in reruns of Beverly Hills Pawn reality show. As for stage, several theater productions of all kinds & 13 years in an ongoing role playing Experience, The Dungeon Master. Buddy was a Theatre Arts Major @ Temple U. in Phila. Buddy is delighted to be in & share his talent with this wonderful cast. To find out more about Buddy just go to IMDB, & look up his names, also Buddy Daniels & Daniel Friedman. Thanks for coming Enjoy the show.

Rick Grossman (Max Kellerman) is a NY based actor/director who was seen in the national tours of Bullets Over Broadway (1st Nat'l), Man of La Mancha, Enter Laughing, Come Blow Your Horn and Milk & Honey. Off Broadway: The Canary, Harry & Eddie, Awake & Sing, Feldman & Sons, The Manufacturer's Daughter, Damn Yankees (Lincoln Center Outdoors). Regional theatre: Laguna Playhouse, Surflight Theatre, Glove Theatre, Westport Playhouse, Starlight Theatre, Landmark Theatre on Main St. TV/Film: House of Cards, Byte Me (Pilot), College Senior, Demons, Paper Planes, The Pitch, The 30 Year Old Bris (Tribeca FF), Finding Oscar. Studied at NYC HS of Performing Arts, Hofstra University, Pasadena Playhouse and with acting guru Stella Adler. Directed nearly 150 productions; most recently the original musical, The Tiny Mustache at NY's Peter Jay Sharpe Theatre.

DEMITRA PACE (Lisa Houseman) grew up in the Bay Area where she developed her passion for musical theater starting in the 2nd grade. She recently graduated from UCLA's School of Theater, Film, & Television and is thrilled to be making her National Tour debut with this wonderful company! She would like to thank all of the incredible teachers who have greatly inspired her over the years, her incredible team at KMR, and all of her friends and family members or showing endless love and support.

Owen Russell (Neil Kellerman) is very grateful to be here on his first tour! Regional credits include: My Fair Lady (Jamie), Merrily We Roll Along (Tyler), The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks (Jason). A graduate of NYU Tisch; BFA Drama (Playwrights Horizons/New Studio on Broadway). Huge thanks to Rich/Mike, the Dirty Dancing team, and my family/friends for their support and love! Instagram: @owenrussell

CHRISTOPHER RoBert Smith (Dr. Jake Houseman). Originally from Michigan. Chris has performed in regional theaters all over the country and in New York and Los Angeles. Favorite recent credits include: Pilate in JCSS and Ned Stark Game of Thrones in LA. TV: Big Bang Theory, Days of Our Lives and Friends with Better Lives. As well as many commercials and fitness magazines. He's very excited to be on this. Thanks to his family back in Michigan and friends in Los Angeles for helping this to happen God Bless :) Chrissmithactor.com. IMDb Christopher RoBert Smith

RaMond Thomas (Tito Suarez) favorite roles include Mr. Black in The Wild Party with Ray of Light Theatre, Delray in the National Tour of Memphis The Musical, Keegan Theater's Working as Rex/Utkarsh and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee as Mitch Mahoney. The InSeries' production of Love Potion #1 (L'Elisir D'Amore) understudy in TheatreWorks Palo Alto's production of Grey Gardens.

ALEX CALDWELL (Ensemble, u/s Baby, u/s Lisa). Regional credits include: West Side Story (Graziella), Chicago (Velma), Peter Pan (Tiger Lily), and The School at Jacob's Pillow. This is Alex's tour debut! You can check her out at alexcaldwell.net.

AYLA CICCONE-BURTON (ENSEMBLE, u/s Elizabeth) is making her National Tour debut as a part of the ensemble. Just coming back from studying popular music at Goldsmiths, University of London, she's thrilled to be a part of the show!

AMANDA CLEMENT (Swing, Asst. Dance Captain). Rockford Native and U of I Alum, Amanda moved to New York in 2013 and has been perfecting her craft since. She most recently worked for one of the largest cruise lines, but is swapping the boat for the bus on her first national tour. Tremendous thank you's to Lucille, Michael, friends and family. Dad, Mom and Erin- I love you

J'royce Jata (Ensemble, u/s Tito Suarez). Selected credits include, Off Broadway: Endangered! (Tour Guide/Snoop). National Tours: Fame (Tyrone Jackson), Memphis (Swing). NYC: BroadwayCon, La Mama, Symphony Space, TV/Film: Royal Pains (Season 6), Babylon Fields (Pilot), City of My Dreams official music video (Mary Komasa). Deep gratitude to Stewart/Whitley, Gregg Baker Management, this magical cast & crew, family, and you for supporting live art. Ashe?! jroycejata.com

HUNTER MIKLES (Ensemble). National Tour debut! Hunter is ecstatic to join the Dirty Dancing family! Favorite credits include Newsies and Big! The Musical at the Fulton Theatre, and Chicago at Park Playhouse. Hunter graduated Magna Cum Laude from Point Park University, earning his BA in Jazz Dance. Endless love and gratitude to my family, friends, and LDC fam. Follow along! @hunter_mikles

HONZA PELICHOVSKY (Swing, Dance Captain, u/s Neil) holds a BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College. He has worked for The MET Opera, BARE Dance, Hivewild, and LoudHound Movement. Eternally grateful to God, mom&dad, the Fetch Four, Catherine Cabeen, and Wanda.

ERICA PHILPOT (Ensemble, Elizabeth) is delighted to be making her national tour debut with this wonderful production. She received her BA Degree in Theatre Performance from the University of Maryland, College Park. Performance credits include: Supporting Vocalist for Tsidii Le Loka (from Disney's The Lion King on Broadway), Rent (Mimi), Something Like A Fairytale (Princess Alyse). She thanks God and supporters.

JOSHUA CLIFTON POWELL (Ensemble, Moe Pressman) is originally from Kansas City and now lives and works in New York. He is humbled to be surrounded by this phenomenal group of people for his first national tour. He is blessed and grateful for amazing parents, siblings, grandparents, and 7th Street Family. Always, Peace.

HANNAH STRANEY (Ensemble; Vivian Pressman) is thrilled to join the Dirty Dancing Company! She grew up in Little Falls, NY, and studied dance, singing and acting as a child. She received her BFA in Dance Performance from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, and graduated with honors. While there she studied abroad at Taipei National University of the Arts. She has performed for Aszure Barton, Sidra Bell, and Tom Weinberger.

Jay Stuart (Ensemble, u/s Johnny) is thrilled to join the North American tour of Dirty Dancing. Select NYC: "Ray" in Seeing You (World Premier) dir. Randy Weiner/Ryan Huffington, TAPE (The Wild Project), Regional: Memphis (Cabrillo Music Theater). TV: Derek and Julianne Hough's "Move Live" (GMA) @_jaystuart

KELSEY WALSH (Ensemble, u/s Penny) National tour debut! Recent: Odyssey Dance Theatre, University of Arizona graduate. Love to my family and MTA for your endless support. @kelsey_walsh

AIDan Ziegler-HANSEN (Ensemble) is thrilled to make his National Tour debut with Dirty Dancing! Originally from Eugene, OR, Aidan recently graduated from the University of Michigan. Thank you to the entire creative team. Much love to Mom, Dad, and Tanner.

Eleanor Bergstein (Book) is a novelist, screenwriter, producer and director. Her stories have been published in national magazines, ranging from Transatlantic Review to Redbook and Cosmopolitan. Her first novel, Advancing Paul Newman, about women and politics in the 1960s, was published by the Viking Press, and her first movie script was It's My Turn, starring Jill Clayburgh and Michael Douglas. Her second novel, Ex-Lover, about sexual obsession, was published by Random House. She has worked on a variety of film projects, including the final script revision of Sister Act. She then wrote and directed Let It Be Me, which starred Campbell Scott, Jennifer Beals, Leslie Caron and Patrick Stewart. Her most famous project was one of the most successful independent films of all time, Dirty Dancing. It was the unique continuing response to the story over the years that made her decide to reimagine Dirty Dancing as a stage event. The multiple viewings by audiences all over the world made her suspect that what the audiences really wanted was to be more physically involved in the story. This would mean that its ultimate form should be one that combined dance and story and music onstage in a new way. It was also her chance to add new scenes not in the movie, as well as songs she had wanted for the movie and been unable to obtain. Ms. Bergstein, through her company Magic Hour Productions, is at work on a new stage musical set in London in the late 1960s, a new work of fiction, and preparing a film to be shot in Rome as well as a film to be shot in Slovenia.

Sarna Lapine (Director). Sunday in the Park with George (Encores! NY City Center); Buyer & Cellar (Bucks County Playhouse); Tribes (Segal Centre); Other Desert Cities (Theatre Aspen); Hope and Gravity (Creede Rep); Sunday in the Park with George (Short North Stage); Waiting for Lefty and The Year of Magical Thinking (Intiman Theatre). National tours: The National Theatre's War Horse (North America & Japan) and Lincoln Center Theater's South Pacific. Broadway Associate & Assistant Director: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Sondheim on Sondheim, South Pacific, Awake and Sing! and The Light in the Piazza. Concerts & cabaret: Boston Pops, 92Y, 54 Below and Cafe? Carlyle. Upcoming: Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding (Berkeley Rep), Sondheim on Sondheim (Boston Pops) and Photograph 51 (Tokyo). MFA Columbia University.

Michele Lynch (Choreographer) is thrilled to be a part of Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage. Most recently Michele worked alongside Sarna Lapine, where she choreographed the Hollywood Bowl's production of Sondheim on Sondheim. She is also received the 2016 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography for the critically acclaimed production of Kiss Me, Kate at Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC, which is set to make its West Coast debut next year at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. Favorite Broadway credits include: Everyday Rapture, The Coast of Utopia, Hairspray (assoc. choreo with Jerry Mitchell), The Full Monty (asst. choreo), Urinetown (asst. choreo). Off- Broadway: Little Miss Sunshine, Everyday Rapture, We The People. Opera: Showboat at the Washington National Opera - Kennedy Center, Chicago Lyric, Houston Grand, and San Francisco Opera. National tours: Little House on the Prairie, Happy Days. Film: Camp, Joyful Noise, The Last Five Years. Concerts: Dolly Parton World Tour 2011.

Kate Champion (Original Choreography) is the Artistic Director and founder of the Sydney based dance-theatre company Force Majeure. She has also worked variously as a director/choreographer/performer for Sydney Theatre Company, DV8 Physical Theatre, Australian Dance Theatre, Opera Australia, Belvoir, Legs on the Wall, NIDA and The English National Opera. In 1996, Kate was awarded the Robert Helpmann Scholarship for Choreographic Excellence enabling her to create her first solo work Face Value which was awarded a Green Room and a MO Award. In 1997 she directed Under the Influence for Legs on the Wall, which premiered in Sydney and toured to the Edinburgh Fringe and Riverside Studios, London. In 2001 she created a new solo show About Face and in 2002 directed Same, Same But Different for Force Majeure. Both these productions won Helpmann Awards. Kate choreographed the world premiere of the stage version of Dirty Dancing, which opened in Sydney November 2004 and has subsequently toured to Europe, UK and USA. Since 2005 Kate has directed Already Elsewhere, Tenebrae 1 and 11, The Age I'm In, Not In A Million Years, Never Did Me Any Harm (a co-production with Sydney Theatre Company) and Food (a co-production with Belvoir) for Force Majeure. In 2010 Kate choreographed the premier production of Opera Australia's Bliss which subsequently toured to the Edinburgh Festival and Spring Awakening for Sydney Theatre Company. Kate was Associate Director of Opera Australia's 2013 production of Wagner's Ring Cycle.

Amber Jacobsen worked for Jacobsen Entertainment as the head of touring and executive producer from 1997 to 2009 in Australia. She was responsible for the research, procurement and presentation of many concerts for artists including Elton John, Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, The Bee Gees, Shania Twain, Pearl Jam and Usher as well as being executive producer for theatre and arena productions such as Fame - The Musical, SHOUT!, The Man From Snowy River and Long Way to the Top. Amber was the executive producer for the first production of Dirty Dancing in Australia and has executive produced and subsequently produced all productions thereafter.

NETworks Presentations (Producer), from its inception over 20 years ago, has been an industry leading producer and manager of touring musical theatre productions and remains committed to delivering quality entertainment to audiences worldwide. Having toured over 70 productions internationally, NETworks current touring productions include Cameron Mackintosh's The Phantom of the Opera, Les Mise?rables, Elf the Musical, Finding Neverland, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Dirty Dancing, The Sound of Music and Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I.

Col Joye is an Australian show business phenomenon and a 'name' that is legendary in the Australian entertainment industry. He was the first Australian pop music artist to have a national number one single with successive number one hits and was the first to appear on the American Billboard music chart. Col recorded 15 Top10 albums and was the first inductee into the Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame. He has received numerous platinum, gold, and silver albums and hundreds of other industry awards including Australian television's Logie Award for Australia's Most Popular Television Performer. He has toured extensively throughout Australia and his concert performances are guaranteed sell-outs. Col involves himself with sound design and music development of the Jacobsen Group musicals and has produced all the cast recordings including the ARIA winning albums SHOUT! and Long Way to the Top. Col was awarded an Order of Australia (AM) for his contribution to music and charity which was presented by the Governor General of Australia on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II. Col was chosen to run with the Olympic Torch as part of the Sydney Olympic celebrations and was recently honored by having his own postage stamp.

Lionsgate is a premier next generation global content leader with a diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, international distribution and sales, branded channel platforms, interactive ventures and games, and location-based entertainment. The Company has nearly 80 television shows on 40 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses. These include the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black, the beloved drama series Nashville, the syndication successes The Wendy Williams Show and Celebrity Name Game (with FremantleMedia), the breakout series The Royals and the Golden Globe-nominated dramedy Casual.

The Company's feature film business spans eight labels and includes the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, the Now You See Me, Divergent and John Wick series, Sicario, The Age of Adaline, Roadside Attractions' Love & Mercy and Mr. Holmes, Codeblack Films' Addicted and breakout concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films' Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.

Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com

Magic Hour Productions was founded by Eleanor Bergstein in 1994 to develop and produce works by herself and others for print, film, and stage. Magic Hour Productions has been involved in the development and production of the stage musical of Dirty Dancing since its inception, including the first staged workshop in New York in 2001. Currently, Magic Hour Productions is working to bring Dirty Dancing to new territories around the world, including Greece and Japan. In addition to Dirty Dancing, Magic Hour Productions is developing a new musical by Ms. Bergstein set in late 1960s London, a film to be shot in Rome, and a romantic comedy film to be shot in Slovenia. Magic Hour's team includes Tomoko Minami, who has worked with Ms. Bergstein since 2001, and Robin Nahas. The company is based in New York City.