"Dirty Dancing has had a great response in Liverpool"

L-R: Claire Rogers (Penny Johnson),
Lewis Kirk (Johnny Castle) and
Roseanna Frascona (Baby Houseman).

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Prior to tonight's showing of Dirty Dancing at the Liverpool Empire, Mark Armstrong spoke with three leading cast members - Roseanna Frascona, who plays Baby Houseman; Lewis Kirk, who plays Johnny Castle; and Claire Rogers, who plays Penny Johnson - to discuss the show, the Liverpool audience and how often the famous dance scene was rehearsed ...

Firstly, explain the plot of Dirty Dancing to those who may be unfamiliar.

Claire: "Penny Johnson is the dance instructor at Kellerman's. She's also best friends with Johnny Castle, and they've both been friends for many years. Baby comes on holiday to Kellerman's, and suddenly she gets intertwined with Johnny and Penny's lives. You see a whole friendship developing, but at the same time, Penny's going through a very difficult time in her life. There's a lot of sadness, and Baby kind of steps in and pretty much saves the day. So, for me as Penny, you see my work side (at Kellerman's), and then you see the real side of what's actually going on in her life. Which is great, because there's lots of different emotions and dance numbers and scenes. So, it's a packed show."

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