The actor makes her national tour debut in a new stage production.
Annalese Starzec grew up around dance studios, watching her three older siblings take classes before following them onto the floor. Now that connection to dance has brought her to Frances “Baby” Houseman, the heroine of “Dirty Dancing.”
Starzec is making her national tour debut as Baby in a new production that preserves the film’s defining scenes while widening the audience’s view of the story. “Dirty Dancing” runs Sept. 29 through Oct. 4 at The National Theatre in Washington, D.C.
“We definitely give you all of the moments and all of the things that you love from the film,” Starzec said. “The lift is there, the Mickey and Sylvia part is there, Baby’s relationship with her dad is there.”
The difference, she said, comes from experiencing those moments live. During the “Do You Love Me” sequence, movie audiences see Baby enter the staff quarters carrying a watermelon. Theater audiences can watch the dancers and other Kellerman’s employees moving throughout the space around her.
“You get maybe what would happen if the camera zoomed out completely,” Starzec said. “You get all of these little added sequences that you wouldn’t be able to see on film.”
Set during the summer of 1963, “Dirty Dancing” follows Baby as she vacations with her family at Kellerman’s resort. She falls for dance instructor Johnny Castle and becomes involved in the personal and class conflicts unfolding among the resort’s guests and workers.
The production features music associated with the film and a book by Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote and co-produced the 1987 movie. Lonny Price directs, Darrell Grand Moultrie choreographs, and Joseph Joubert provides music supervision and arrangements.
Price also has a direct connection to the original film: He played Neil Kellerman. Starzec said his involvement gives the production a special link to the story’s screen history, even as a new creative team supplies different choreography, arrangements, scenic elements and energy.
Starzec had watched the movie while growing up and remembers being drawn to Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze and Cynthia Rhodes. She also recognized a resemblance between herself and Grey before she knew a national tour was planned.
After seeing an open-call notice in January, Starzec auditioned and entered a long callback process. She began rehearsals in June.
“The callback process was long and pretty intense, but it was such a great experience,” she said. “The creative and casting team was so kind throughout the whole time.”
Starzec grew up in northeast Georgia and studied musical theater at the University of Alabama. Dance came first, largely because her mother had enrolled her older siblings in classes. Acting, speech and debate followed during high school, convincing her to pursue performing professionally.
Playing Baby combines those disciplines while asking Starzec to trace the character’s rapid growth. Baby begins the story closely tied to her family and particularly her father, but her relationship with Johnny forces her to make difficult choices and speak for herself.
“I love Baby’s tenacity,” Starzec said. “She really stands up for the people that she loves and what she believes is right.”
Starzec views the summer at Kellerman’s as the dividing line between Baby’s childhood and adult life. The character separates from her father’s expectations, experiences pain and learns to claim her own voice.
“She is so loving and caring and really, truly has to work to find her voice and agency throughout this story,” Starzec said. “It’s just an honor to tell every night.”
The role also marks a milestone for Starzec, whose previous work includes “West Side Story” at City Springs Theatre Company in her home state. She called “Dirty Dancing” an exciting way to make her first national tour.
During the engagement, Starzec is looking forward to visiting museums and returning to an area she remembers from one earlier trip. This time, however, she will arrive as the lead in a story already familiar to generations of moviegoers.
“It has a classic feel and vibe,” Starzec said. “I really enjoy it.”
The show also stars Blake Zelesnikar as Johnny, Olivia Cece as Penny, Bryan Fenkart as Jake, Dan Klimko as Neil and Lily Kren as Lisa.
For tickets, visit www.broadwayatthenational.com.
