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Melissa O'Neil is one of the featured vocalists in the Toronto production of Dirty Dancing. (Cylla von Tiedemann / Mirvish)

Vocalists Ben Mingray and Melissa O'Neil perform 'Time of My Life' in the 'Dirty Dancing' stage show. (Cylla von Tiedemann / Mirvish) Canadian Idol winner Melissa O'Neil arrives at the 2007 Juno Awards.

O'Neil having time of her life in Dirty Dancing musical

Updated Fri. Dec. 21 2007 10:51 AM ET

Eye on Idol

Season 3 Canadian Idol Melissa O'Neil has used her exposure on the show to head in a whole new direction - and is clearly having the time of her life. As one of the principal vocalists in "Dirty Dancing: The classic story on stage," O'Neil belts out the production's biggest hits on the stage of Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre.

The show opened in November and was set to end in February, but after playing to consistently sold out crowds, has been extended to August. O'Neil plays various roles in the ensemble and sings four songs, including the exceedingly popular "Time of My Life" and "Do You Love Me."

The best part, says the laid-back Albertan songstress, was that the role just fell right into her lap.

"The casting director gave a call to my label," O'Neil told Eye on Idol. "She said she wanted me to meet with their musical director. I said I'd love to because I love musicals and I've been in a headspace lately where I've been so open to anything that comes... It was really, really nice."

The 19-year-old O'Neil hadn't even seen the original "Dirty Dancing" film. Hitting theatres in August of 1987, it was released almost a full year before she was born.

Despite having no previous experience in theatre or dance, O'Neil says she's gotten used to the sexy moves she pulls off in many of the numbers, but says the hardest thing to cope with is her new schedule.

"I was really upset by the fact that I couldn't go home for Christmas," said O'Neil, whose family lives in Calgary. "We actually have more shows during the Christmas weeks. I'm glad my mom could come here or else I'd be spending Christmas alone, which would suck."

After spending two years after her Idol summer dating her Idol runner-up, Rex Goudie, O'Neil says she's currently enjoying the single life and doesn't have much time for a relationship. She offered little advice for current Idol couple Brian Melo and Tara Oram, saying life in Canada's public eye really isn't that difficult.

"(They should) soak it up for what it's worth," she advised. "The star system is not the same way as it is in the States where there's such a spotlight on people's relationships. They'll get a few weeks of people talking and asking about it and then it's over. Then they can just be a couple."

As for her own musical spotlight, O'Neil is still signed with Sony BMG but hasn't yet begun the process of looking at songs for her next album.