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Adrienne Bailon-Houghton attends the 50th Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) By Sofía Aguilar January 30, 2025 – 11:27 Many of us grew up watching Disney Channel movies like The Cheetah Girls , which was one of the few pieces of media at the time that featured women of color in the starring roles. One of those women was Adrienne Bailon-Houghton , an award-winning actress and TV host of Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian descent who rose to fame as Chanel “Chuchie” Simmons. The 41-year-old co-hosted the daytime talk show The Real , for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award, from 2013 to 2022. Now she’s reconnecting with her roots in music and dance in her latest role in the upcoming musical Take the Lead , based on the dance film from 2006, as the lead character Ariana. The stage adaptation will premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey starting March 29 and continuing through April 27, according to Playbill . The original film, released in 2006, starred Spanish actor Antonio Banderas (Zorro) and featured an almost entirely Black and Latinx cast. Other stars included Yaya DaCosta (Ugly Betty) , an actress of Afro-Brazilian descent, and Puerto Rican actor John Ortiz (Fast & Furious). Similar to the film, the musical adaptation sets place in New York City and tells the true story of Pierre Dulaine, a former professional dancer who brought ballroom dance style to public school across New York City. Fusing ballroom and hip-hop, the musical will be the first time the film has been adapted to the stage. Directed by Christopher Gattelli, the book is written by Robert Cary and Jonathan Tolins, with a score by Elliah Heifetz and Zeniba Now and choreography by Jennifer Weber and Maria Torres. Bailon-Houghton stars as Arianna, a new role that wasn’t present in the film but that has been created exclusively for the musical. Other casting decisions that were announced included Vincent Jamal Hooper as Rock, Savy Jackson as La Rhette, Tam Mutu as Pierre Dulaine, and Matthew Risch as Alan. Other actors in undisclosed roles include Puerto Rican actress as Natalia Nieves, Cristian Rodriguez, and Latina actress and dancer Stephani Sosa. Stay connected! Subscribe now and get the latest on culture, empowerment, and more. SIGN ME UP! This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and Google Privacy Policy and the Terms of Service . Thank You! You are already subscribed to our newsletter “I constantly remind myself of my ‘why’, that there is a little girl watching the Cheetah Girls 20 years later and being like ‘oh my gosh, if she can do it I can do it’ so I keep that in my head,” Bailon-Houghton previously told HipLatina . Tickets for Take the Lead can be purchased at papermill.org and performances will be available to the public beginning March 29. In this Article adrienne bailon houghton broadway cheetah girls latina latinas on stage musical musical adaptation news Take the Lead More on this topic News and Entertainment Trump administration goes after birthright citizenship January 28, 2025 – 06:00 News and Entertainment Oaxacan Chef Thalía Barrios García Earns a Michelin Star January 27, 2025 – 12:01 News and Entertainment Latinx Talent Shines at 2025 Sundance Film Festival January 24, 2025 – 12:27 News and Entertainment 16 Movies Starring Latinx Talent Coming Out in 2025 January 23, 2025 – 06:00
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