Capital Theatre to open in Shepherd’s Bush with Dirty Dancing

The new theatre, located at Westfield London in Shepherd’s Bush, London, will be a permanent addition to London’s thriving theatre scene and will offer more options to groups looking for theatre shows.

The purpose-built 620 seat venue will be set over 35,000 square feet, and the intimate auditorium will deliver an experience where every seat is no more than nine rows from the performance stage area. 

Capital Theatre’s auditorium has been designed and built by the architect and design team behind The Bridge Theatre, @sohoplace, The Young Vic and the recent transformation of the Playhouse Theatre into the Kit Kat Club.

There will be a welcoming foyer café serving food and drink throughout the day, complemented by an onsite box office and merchandise store open seven days a week.

And the first production will be…

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story on Stage will be the first production to open at Capital Theatre. The hit musical, produced by Karl Sydow, will make a return to London, having had two box office record-breaking seasons in the West End in the last four years. Performances will begin on Thursday 23rd October 2025.

The show has already been seen by millions worldwide and audience members will be closer to the action, experiencing the famous lift, intimate choreography and and the classic soundtrack, including Hungry Eyes, Hey Baby, Do You Love Me? and (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.

Karl Sydow, producer, Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage, said: “I began my entertainment journey in 1965 with Rock’n’Roll bands, moved to theatre in 1982, produced my first show in 1988 and received my first Tony nomination in 1991. I have presented shows all over the world from the smallest of the fringe to the largest of West End Theatres and produced Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage since 2004. So at the halfway point in my theatrical life I’m thrilled to be doing something very special and new to me with a very special friend.

“It’s time to build and run a venue! We have always had a mission to bring more people to the theatre and by opening the Capital Theatre at Westfield London, we are bringing a theatre to where the people are!”

Based on the 1987 film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story on Stage will transport audiences back to Kellerman’s resort in the summer of ’63 where Baby first meets charismatic dance instructor Johnny Castle and quickly becomes drawn into his world.

A new take on the classic stage production

Relive their timeless love story as Baby explores her deepening feelings for Johnny, navigates her friendship with Penny -Johnny’s best friend and dance partner, confronts the expectations of her conservative parents, Marjorie and Jake Houseman, and deals with the disruptions caused by the self-serving Robbie Gould and Vivien Pressman.

It is going to be a fresh take on the story, script, and music from the acclaimed live stage phenomenon. This intimate, fully staged new production features a cast, band, and company of over 40 performers, reimagining the iconic tale and most memorable moments, including Baby’s “carrying a watermelon” moment to her heartwarming transformation and the unforgettable final dance that proves, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”