Dirty Dancing musical to host charity gala this valentine’s

Having successfully raised over £40,000 last year for charity, the hit West End musical Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage will once again celebrate the most romantic time of the year with its fourth Valentine’s Day Charity Gala to be held on Saturday 13 February 2010 at 7:30pm (there is no performance on Sunday) in aid of Magic 105.4’s Cash for Kids charity.

Magic 105.4, the ‘more music, less talk’ station is London’s number one commercial station attracting over 2 million listeners a week. By teaming up with Magic 105.4, Dirty Dancing aims to raise money for Cash for Kids, a charity which supports children, under the age of 18, who are financially, socially, emotionally or physically disadvantaged within the Magic 105.4 region.

Using the money raised from the evening performance, Cash for Kids will spearhead a unique Dirty Dancing initiative in the form of a Dance Academy that will provide workshops to local schools and youth groups to highlight the positive physical and emotional benefits of dance.

The ‘Time of Your Life Dance Academy’ will be launched on the night as an ongoing project with a cheque handover from Dirty Dancing to Cash for Kids and the first group to benefit from the Academy to be announced.

Jacobsen Entertainment, the producers of Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage said “We are delighted to be teaming up with Magic 105.4 and supporting Cash for Kids with our annual Valentine’s Gala – an extremely worthwhile cause which is doing so much work for young people. We are especially excited about the launch of the Dirty Dancing ‘Time Your Life Dance Academy’ with its aim to highlighting the benefits of dance which is sure to benefit so many young people in the future”.

On the night each audience member will receive an exclusive Dirty Dancing Gift bag. In partnership with North Carolina Tourism one lucky person will also win an unforgettable holiday for two to the original Dirty Dancing movie location in North Carolina.

With the production now in its fourth year, the Valentine’s Day Charity Gala will offer fans of Dirty Dancing the perfect opportunity to see this incredible show while also supporting Cash for Kids. Hosting this special event will be Magic 105.4’s ‘More Music’ breakfast presenter Neil Fox and drivetime presenter Angie Greaves.

Neil Fox, Magic 105.4’s ‘More Music’ breakfast presenter said, “Dirty Dancing is a fantastic production and the Valentine’s Day Gala promises to be an evening of great fun and entertainment, and all for a good cause! Cash for Kids is a charity we could not be prouder of here at Magic 105.4, and to have the opportunity to work with such a legendary musical production in order to raise money for it is truly wonderful. I can’t wait!”

Tickets for this special performance are on sale now at DirtyDancingLondon.com.

Over 5 million people worldwide have witnessed the sensational production. Since opening at the Aldwych Theatre on 24 October 2006, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage London alone has been seen by over one million people. The show is now booking for dates through to 23 October 2010 to meet public demand.
 
Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage, written by Eleanor Bergstein, script writer and creator of the phenomenally successful film, features all the much-loved characters and original dialogue from the iconic film with extra scenes added in! The tantalising dance sequences and brand new choreography come alive on stage, set to all the hits from the unforgettable soundtrack, such as ‘Do You Love Me?’, ‘Hungry Eyes’ and the Academy Award Winning ‘(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life’, plus many more songs that weren’t on the original recording, making the show a truly extraordinary live experience.

Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage is produced by Jacobsen Entertainment and Karl Sydow, in association with Lionsgate and Magic Hour Productions. The stage show is directed by James Powell, music supervisor Conrad Helfrich, choreographer Kate Champion, set design Stephen Brimson Lewis, lighting design Tim Mitchell, sound design Bobby Aitken, video and projection design Jon Driscoll, Ballroom and Latin choreographer Craig Wilson and costume design Jennifer Irwin.
 
Last year, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story On Stage raised £40,000 with the show’s inaugural charity gala night.  All the money raised was used to support disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people in the capital.