Adrienne Bailon-Houghton Stars in New Off-Broadway Production Take the Lead

Earlier this week, New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse opened its new Off-Broadway production of Take the Lead. Set in New York City, the production is an adaptation of the 2006 dance film starring Antonio Banderas.

Take the Lead tells the real-life story of Pierre Dulaine, the former professional dancer who fought to bring the art of ballroom dance to public schools. The musical seamlessly blends ballroom and hip-hop dance for a story encompassing bold, vibrant energy flowing through New York City.

If that wasn’t enough, the star-studded cast already had audiences intrigued before opening. Former Cheetah Girls star and daytime talk series host Adrienne Bailon-Houghton leads the cast as Arianna, an interim principal in a New York City public school deeply dedicated to her students’ well-being. Although her role was made exclusively for the stage production and does not appear in the film, it is no secret that her character is a pivotal force. 

@papermillplayhouse Hold everything! Here’s a first look at @Adrienne Bailon-Houghton in Take the Lead!: Adrienne Bailon-Houghton performs “Hold, Please” from Take the Lead as (Interim) Principal Arianna Rey with Tam Mutu as Pierre Dulaine #musicaltheatre #adriennebailonhoughton #cheetahgirls ♬ original sound – Paper Mill Playhouse

Bailon-Houghton stars alongside Vincent Jamal Hooper (Hamilton) as Rock, Savy Jackson (Bad Cinderella) as La Rhette, Tam Mutu (Moulin Rouge! The Musical) as Pierre Dulaine, and Matthew Risch (Modern Family) as Alan.

Co-choreographers Jennifer Weber and Maria Torres, as well as ensemble members, including Stephani Sosa’s credits that span across dance films and series, including So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars. 

So far, reviews have been nothing short of exceptional. Attendees have praised its heartfelt storytelling, dynamic choreography, and engaging performances. One reviewer wrote, Take the Lead “deserves a huge audience as it conveys a heartfelt and rewarding message about the future of young people, while also being so entertaining that you will want it to go on and on.”

Take a Ticket Initiative

Aside from being a feel-good, high-caliber, jam-packed musical, the production gave back to local students. The “Take a Ticket” initiative granted up to 1,000 free tickets to be distributed to 10 high schools, so their students could attend the production during the preview run. 

Take the Lead runs through April 27 at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. Get your tickets here.