Friday, September 8

Strictly Ballroom to open in London next Spring

Following a successful run at the West Yorkshire Playhouse  last year. Baz Luhrmann’s (Moulin Rouge, Romeo and Juliet and The Great Gatsby) musical Strictly Ballroom is to open at the London's Piccadilly Theatre on 11th April with previews starting on 16th  March.

It is due to follow Annie the Musical which is booking until 18th February 2018 and  stars Miranda Hart as Miss Hannigan until 17th September: (Craig Revel Horwood  from September 18th until November 20th).
 
Based on Luhrmann’s 1992 film, it is based on a short play he wrote while he was a student at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney in the ‘80s. After an expanded version of the play was a success at Sydney's Wharf Theatre, Luhrmann was approached to turn it into a film. The writer agreed, on the condition he could direct the movie, and it was Luhrmann’s first film. It went on to be one of the highest grossing Australian films of all time.The  musical premiered in the UK at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2016/17, and is directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie (Jesus Christ Superstar, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre; The Lorax, Old Vic).

Strictly Ballroom tells the story of Scott, a competitive ballroom dancer in '80s Australia who makes up his own moves and finds himself aggravating ballroom-purists. He follows his heart to, not only find his true calling in dance, but also find his true love featuring hit songs from the film "Love Is in the Air" by John Paul Young, "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps" by Doris Day, and a version of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time".
McOnie, who runs his own dance company, choreographed London's IN THE HEIGHTS and the UK tour of OKLAHOMA! Othre  recent credits include  CHICAGO (Curve, Leicester), WEST SIDE STORY (NYMT), BRITISH STYLE (Collaboration with Matthew Bourne for the BBC, Buckingham Palace), JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (UK Tour) and 13 (Apollo Theatre, London). He is currently workshopping a new musical adaptation of King Kong on Broadway.

Casting for the London production is yet to be announced, but in Leeds it starred Gemma Sutton, Sam Lips, Tamsin Carroll and Stephen Matthews.

Buy tickets for Strictly Ballroom

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