WithAbigail Breslinalready locked in to play Baby, ABC’sDirty Dancinghas finally found its Johnny Castle.The Wrapreports that actor/dancerColt Pratteshas landed the iconic role in theDirty DancingTVspecial. The site also reports thatDebra Messinghas come aboard to portray Marjorie Housman, Baby’s mother.
ABC’sDirty Dancingis said to be a three-hourmusical special, but it won’t be airing live like popular specials such as NBC’sThe Wiz Live!and Fox’sGrease: Live. Instead, it will be filmed prior to broadcast, much like Fox’s upcomingThe Rocky Horror Picture Show Event. Our report from last month revealed that ABC will likely give this special the green light once Johnny Castle was cast, so we may get an official announcement soon, now thatColt Pratteshas come aboard.
Theoriginal moviewas set in the 1960s in a Catskill Mountain resort, and followed the romance between Baby (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), adance instructorworking at the vacation spot. The supporting cast included Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes, Jack Weston, Jane Brucker, Kelly Bishop and Lonny Price. The movie earned $63 million domestic and $213.9 million worldwide from just a $6 million production budget. The new series will also be set in the 1960s like the movie.
Wayne Blair (The Sapphires) is directing the adaptation from a script by Jessica Sharzer (Scream Queens). Tony winner Andy Blankenbuehler, who most recently choreographed the hit Broadway musicalHamilton, is on board as choreographer. Allison Shearmur is producing alongside Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the script for the originalDirty Dancing, withAdam Andersand Judy Cairo producing.
This will be the first major acting role forColt Prattes, who has previously appeared in guest starring spots in NBC’sMercyand a three-episode arc on the web seriesWiener and Wiener. He is best known as a dancer, who appeared inPink’s 2012 music video “Try.” He has also appeared as a dancer on programs such as theMTV Movie Awards, America Music Awards and The Grammy Awards. What do you think aboutColt Prattesplaying Johnny Castle in ABC’sDirty Dancing?
