Take the Lead, a new musical based on the 2006 dance film starring Antonio Banderas and written by Dianne Houston, has the cast and creative team for its world premiere at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse. The production begins performances March 29 ahead of an April 6 opening and runs through April 27.
Take the Lead tells the true story of Pierre Dulaine, a former professional dancer who, against all odds, brought the art of ballroom dance into New York City public schools. The stage adaptation, which spotlights the fusion of ballroom and hip-hop in its music and movement, has a book by Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins (Schmigadoon!) and a score by Elliah Heifetz and Zeniba Now with co-choreography by Jennifer Weber (& Juliet) and Maria Torres (So You Think You Can Dance), and direction and choreography by Christopher Gattelli (Death Becomes Her).
The cast will star former 3LW and Cheetah Girls member Adrienne Bailon-Houghton as Arianna, Broadway's current Simba in The Lion King Vincent Jamal Hooper as Rock, Savy Jackson as La Rhette, Tam Mutu as Pierre Dulaine and Matthew Risch as Alan. Completing the ensemble are Eric Ascione, Megan Elyse Fulmer, Gaelen Gilliland, David Jennings, Dillon Lehman, Natalia Nieves, Justin O’Brien, Kevin Trinio Perdido, Ryan Raffloer, Deon Releford-Lee, Cristian Rodriguez, Kiki Rodriguez, Jonalyn Saxer, Tatiana Seliverstova, SeQuoiia, Grace Slear, Salome Smith, Stephani Sosa, Christian Whan and Zoë Zimmerman.
The creative team also includes music supervision by Bill Sherman, music direction by Geoffrey Ko, orchestrations and arrangements by Bill Sherman and Geoffrey Ko, scenic design by Paul Tate DePoo III, costume design by Jen Caprio, lighting design by Justin Townsend and Nick Solyom, sound design by Walter Trarbach and hair, wig and makeup design by Earon Chew Nealey.