I had the time of my life

At last Saturday's showing of the new stage musical Dirty Dancing that is.

And I realize the above title and opening line are ridiculously cheesy, but I also think, just like the play itself and the movie on which it is based, they're still cute.

Super cute actually. And super fun.

It's Dirty Dancing people! Remember Dirty Dancing? The adorable, girl-next-door, pre-nose-job Jennifer Grey meets the slinky, brooding, pre-where-is-he now? Patrick Swayze?

God knows, I still feel like a young ingenue, but the reality is I was almost 18 when the movie premiered 20 years ago in the summer of 1987. And though I fancied myself a rock 'n roll chick back then, it was still Dirty Dancing that provided the soundtrack for one of the best summers of my life.

Remember the irresistible lure of She's Like The Wind? Remember how the movie inexplicably made us feel all nostalgic about the declining popularity of up-state New York Jewish family resorts? Remember how our boyfriends said that Patrick Swayze was surely gay and pissed us off by singing She Passes Wind and thereby totally ruining the mood?

Sure you do. All of the mostly female audience at the Royal Alexandra Theatre sure did. And though I'm almost certain none of my high school friends were there on Saturday they may as well have been, for how synchronized our squealing was when Johnny Castle first takes of his shirt.

The play, like the movie, is aimed at the ladies, no question. Rob gave me the tickets for my birthday last month but he enjoyed it too. At least I think he did, though I noticed he spent a lot of time staring at me in horrified bemusement as I screamed like a schoolgirl, recited lines by heart and visibly swooned during every love scene.

Nope. I definitely wasn't Shooting For Hip on Saturday night. I was just rocking out to a play that took me back to my youth and I did so without a trace of hipster irony. Dirty Dancing the movie was cheesy 20 years ago and the play is cheesy now and I loved every minute of it anyway.

It's super fun. And super cute.

So just go.

But don't let anyone put you in a corner.

Comments

[kgirl]

I really want to see it. Don't tell.

[mamatulip]

I want to see it too!