Lionsgate TV & ABC Prep Dirty Dancing Adaptation

LOS ANGELES: Lionsgate TV and ABC have cast Abigail Breslin as “Baby” in the upcoming musical adaptation of the classic film Dirty Dancing.

Breslin (Freak Show, Scream Queens, Little Miss Sunshine) will take the lead in the three-hour musical, playing the role originally portrayed by Jennifer Grey in the 1987 film. The taped special event is set to air on ABC Television Network and will be produced by Lionsgate TV in association with Allison Shearmur Productions. Shearmur (The Hunger Games franchise, Cinderella) will executive produce along with Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the screenplay for the original film. Adam Anders and Judy Cairo serve as producers, and the film is being adapted for television by Jessica Sharzer (American Horror Story, The L Word). Wayne Blair will direct, with music by Adam Anders and Peer Astrom.

Part of Lionsgate’s library, Dirty Dancing sells hundreds of thousands of DVDs and digital copies every year.