The play concerns eight individuals from disparate backgrounds and with differing motivations who attend the same weekly tap dancing class in a dingy North London church hall.
[1] Taking his wife's advice, Harris visited the local church hall, a setting very much like the one in the play, where a tap dance class was in progress.
[1] The original production of Stepping Out premiered in 1984 at the Thorndike Theatre, Leatherhead, directed by actress Julia McKenzie with cast: Barbara Ferris (Mavis), Sheri Shepstone (Mrs. Fraser), Charlotte Barker (Lynne), Josephine Gordon (Dorothy), Barbara Young (Maxine), Gabrielle Lloyd (Andy), Ben Aris (Geoffrey), Diane Langton (Sylvia), Peggy Phango (Rose) and Marcia Warren (Vera).
2011 – Derby Playhouse Production Directed by Steven Dexter Cast: Anita Louise Combe (Mavis), Rosemary Ashe (Mrs Fraser), Sophie Louise Dann (Vera), Michael Cahill (Geoffrey), Flik Swan (Andy), Kim Ismay (Sylvia) A new tour directed by Maria Friedman starred Amanda Holden (Vera), Angela Griffin (Sylvia), Tracey-Ann Oberman (Maxine), Tamzin Outhwaite (Mavis), Nicola Stephenson (Dorothy), Judith Barker (Mrs Fraser), Rose Keegan (Andy), Sandra Marvin (Rose), Jessica-Alice McCluskey (Lynne), Dominic Rowan (Geoffrey) with Janet Behan, Emma Hook, Katie Verner, Marcia Mantack and Nick Warnford as Ensemble.
[6] Stepping Out was produced as a film in 1991, directed by Lewis Gilbert, and starring Liza Minnelli, with Julie Walters who was nominated for a BAFTA Award.