Jill Winternitz, Nicky Griffiths & Paul-Michael Jones Star in DIRTY DANCING UK Tour from Tonight, July 4

The producers of the musical adaptation of Dirty Dancing have announced new casting for the next stage of the UK tour, now booking through to the summer of 2013. The new company, which includes Jill Winternitz, Nicky Griffiths and Paul-Michael Jones, will have their first performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome tonight, 4 July.

American actress Jill Winternitz will star as idealistic ‘Baby Houseman’, the role taken by Jennifer Grey in the film, who discovers love and life in the summer she will never forget. Jill trained at RADA and her theatre credits include ‘Ophelia’ in Hamlet and ‘The Prioress’ in The Canterbury Tales (Queen Mary 2); Wounded (Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble); ‘Nina’ in The Seagull (MXAT) and Sunday in the Park with George (Interlochen Center for the Arts).

Nicky Griffiths will take on the role of ‘Penny Johnson’, having been a member of the Dirty Dancing touring company since the show opened in Bristol. Her other credits include ‘Lisa’ in Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales); ‘Lou-Anne’ and understudy ‘Amber Von-Tussle’ in the original London cast of Hairspray (Shaftesbury); the original London cast of Wicked (Apollo Victoria) and Grease (UK tour).

Paul-Michael Jones, who has attracted huge critical and public acclaim on the tour so far, will continue to star as ‘Johnny Castle’, one of the most iconic roles in popular culture, made famous around the world by Patrick Swayze in the 1987 smash hit movie. Paul-Michael trained at Laine Theatre Arts, graduating in 2007. His theatre credits include ‘Eddie’ in Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales); understudying and performing the roles of ‘Jake’ and ‘Adrian’ in Never Forget (UK tour); ‘Jack’ in Jack & The Beanstalk (Victoria Theatre, Halifax); We Will Rock You (Cologne) and dance captain in Fame – the Musical (European tour). He has also represented England as a Latin American and Ballroom Dancer, as one of the top two English couples, at The World Championships in Singapore.

James Coombes will appear as ‘Dr. Jake Houseman’, Julia Nagle as ‘Marjorie Houseman’, EmiLia Williams as ‘Lisa Houseman’, Wayne Smith as ‘Billy Kostecki’, Michael Remick as ‘Max Kellerman’, Stefan Menaul as ‘Neil Kellerman’, Colin Charles as ‘Tito Suarez’ and Tony Stansfield as ‘Mr Schumacher’. Other members of the new company include: Lizzie Stavrou, Tara Verloop, Kate-Emma Portlock, Rosa O’Reilly, Lewis Davies, Callum Nicol, Adam Philpott, Will Tyler, Jenny Wickham, Rebecca Hodge, Vanessa Campbell, Faisal Khodabukus, Philip Marriott, Ben Harris and Jonathan Cordin.

The show first opened in Bristol on 1 September 2011.

Tickets for the Birmingham run of Dirty Dancing are priced from £20-£55 and are available on 0844 338 5000 or you can choose and book tickets online at www.birminghamhippodrome.com. (calls vary from 5p per minute, 5% transaction charge). Perf times eves: Mon-Thurs 7.30pm; Sat mats 2.30pm; to 21 July Fri 5.30pm; & 8.30pm; from 23rd July Wed mat 2pm & Fri 7.30pm.

Photo Credit: Alastair Muir

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