James D Smith Set for Time of His Life in Adelaide Dirty Dancing

The understudy becomes a star and more tickets are released as James D Smith wins the role of Billy Kostecki for the Adelaide season of Dirty Dancing. Lesley Reed reports.

Dreams do come true it seems. A long-held wish of actor and singer James D Smith has come true today with the announcement by Australian theatre producer John Frost that Smith will play Billy in the Adelaide season of the hit musical Dirty Dancing.

‘Billy is a dream role,’ said Smith. ‘I get to sing some of the greatest songs in Dirty Dancing, including In The Still of The Night and (I’ve Had) The Time of my Life’.

Huge demand has stimulated a fresh release of tickets for Adelaide today, too, so formerly unlucky fans might also now fulfil their wish to see the show.

Dirty Dancing enthusiasts have every right to be excited. Ten years after its world premiere in Sydney, the show remains a worldwide hit. In 2014 the musical returned to Australia with sell-out seasons at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre, Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, as well as in Brisbane and Perth.

Now it’s Adelaide’s turn and the performer who has understudied Mark Vincent in the role of Billy throughout the whole tour is to have his patience and his talent rewarded.

Last on Adelaide’s Festival Centre stage in the musical Wicked, James D Smith has been a singer/performer since he was a young child. He has recorded many solo albums, his latest being Invite Me Places which he toured extensively around Australia promoting.

James graduated from the Arts Academy, Ballarat in 2004 with a Musical Theatre performance degree. He was an original cast member in the Australian production of Wicked, performing in the show for four years in the role of Boq. James has been a featured singer at Carols by Candlelight, not only in his home town of Albury, but also at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne and the Carols in the Domain in Sydney.

He has been a lead singer on Royal Caribbean cruise ships, fronted bands Snag and Freeze Frame, recorded backing vocals for many artists and has supported Australian musicians Pete Murray and The Whitlams, to name but a few. He produced his last two releases with Sean Carey (Trackdown/Thirsty Merc) and Bec Caruana (Platinum Artists/Platinum awarded songwriter). Most recently James recorded a new EP with musician/producer Cameron McGlinchy (Rogue Traders) and also co-writes with some of Australia’s best songwriters including Bachelor Girl’s Tania Doko.

It’s interesting that James D Smith has worked in cruise ship entertainment and the action in Dirty Dancing takes place in another sort of holiday venue, a resort. No doubt that cross-correlation hasn’t escaped him. I asked James how his past experience has influenced his approach to his new role as Billy in Adelaide’s Dirty Dancing season.

‘My experience as a singer, I think, is one of the main reasons why this particular role suits me,’ he said. ‘The most important thing for me as an actor is to find the truth in the dialogue and create a character that is real and easily relatable to the audience. I think that relatable side comes easily for Billy.  He (Billy) is very proud of what he does and always tries to impress Max (the boss).’

James was excited about what Adelaide audiences can expect from their first time seeing the stage version of Dirty Dancing.

‘Adelaide is one of my most favourite places in Australia to perform,’ he said. ‘Adelaide audiences just get it. They love live music, they love live performances; it’s a huge part of their culture. What audiences can expect from the stage show of Dirty Dancing is the movie on stage! However, they get to experience incredible live dancing and feel like they are part of the show.’

The energy and ‘feel good’ storyline of the 1987 cult classic Dirty Dancing movie is captured in the stage production and the Australian tour includes Kurt Phelan (Johnny) and Kirby Burgess (Baby) as the acting/dancing leads.

Adelaide audiences will need to be quick to snap up tickets in today’s new release. The lucky ones will relive the summer of 1963 as holidaying 17-year-old ‘Baby’ Houseman learns a lot about life and dancing when she meets up with resort dance instructor, Johnny Castle.

Perhaps the last word should come from James D Smith. ‘The music is one of the best soundtracks of all time and I guarantee by the end of the show you will want to sing and dance along with us.’

Book up those new release tickets out today. Looks like Dirty Dancing will give you the time of your life.

Lesley Reed

WHEN: October 2-25.

WHERE: Adelaide Festival Theatre

TIMES: Wed-Sat, 8pm; Matinees Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm and 6pm

BOOKINGS: bass.net.au or 131 246 or www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/shows//dirty-dancing/