World Premiere Musical "Take the Lead"

Press release

Continuing the Tony Award-Recognized Institution’s
2024-2025 Season and Marking 86 Years
in Millburn, New Jersey

Paper Mill Playhouse
Announces Casting and Creative Team
for
World Premiere Musical
Take the Lead

Based on the 2006 dance film starring Antonio Banderas
and the true story of professional dancer Pierre Dulaine,
who brought the art of ballroom dance into New York City public schools

Performances Begin Saturday, March 29
Opening Sunday, April 6
Through Sunday, April 27

www.papermill.org

MILLBURN, NJ – Paper Mill Playhouse (Mark S. Hoebee, Producing Artistic Director; Michael Stotts, Executive Director), recipient of the Regional Theatre Tony Award, is pleased to announce casting and the creative team for the world premiere musical Take the Lead. The production begins performances Saturday, March 29 ahead of a Sunday, April 6 opening night at Paper Mill Playhouse (22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ). The run continues through Sunday, April 27, 2025.

Set in the pulsating heart of New York City, Take the Lead is a joyful new musical based on the 2006 dance film that starred Antonio Banderas. This electrifying tale is 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. This world-premiere musical spotlights a dynamic fusion of ballroom and hip-hop in its music and choreography with a book by Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins (“Schmigadoon!”) and a score by Elliah Heifetz and Zeniba Now. Take the Lead is co-choreographed by Jennifer Weber (& Juliet) and Maria Torres (So You Think You Can Dance) and directed and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli (Newsies, Death Becomes Her).

The cast will feature former 3LW and Cheetah Girls member Adrienne Bailon-Houghton as Arianna, Vincent Jamal Hooper (Hamilton, The Lion King) as Rock, Savy Jackson (Bad Cinderella, Once On This Island First National Tour) as La Rhette, Tam Mutu (Doctor Zhivago, Moulin Rouge! The Musical) as Pierre Dulaine, and Matthew Risch (Modern Family, How to Get Away With Murder) as Alan. The ensemble also includes 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, and orchestrations and arrangements by Bill Sherman and Geoffrey Ko. Scenic design is 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. The production stage manager is Molly Meg Legal and casting is by The Telsey Office.

Take the Lead is based on the New Line Cinema film written by Dianne Houston, by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.

The Bye Family New Works Fund is the Marquee Sponsor.

Currently playing at Paper Mill, the new musical Mystic Pizza runs through Sunday, February 23 only. Following Take the Lead, the 2024-2025 season concludes with Disney’s The Little Mermaid (May 29-June 29).

ACCESSIBILITY
AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCES are scheduled for Sunday, April 20 at 1:30pm and Saturday, April 26 at 1:30pm.
OPEN-CAPTIONED PERFORMANCES are scheduled for Saturday, April 26 at 1:30pm and Sunday, April 27 at 7:00pm.

An ASL-INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE is scheduled for Sunday, April 27 at 7:00pm.