Strictly Ballroom – The Musical, the musical theatre adaptation of the much-loved film will be playing at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in December, and full casting has recently been announced for the UK premiere. The musical tells the story of a championship ballroom dancer, Scott, risking his successful career by performing unusual routines, in a bid to remain true to himself and his own interpretation of dance.
The film version was created by Baz Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martin, and since then the show made its world premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in April 2014. Rising star Gemma Sutton will star as Fran alongside Sam Lips, who will make his UK debut as Scott. Sutton also starred in the recent productions Gypsy and The Go-Between, alongside Imelda Staunton and Michael Crawford respectively, and performances to Lips’ name include Pippin and Wicked.
Another name on the up is the definitive Drew McOnie, who will both direct and choreograph the production. His Jekyll and Hyde recently ran at The Old Vic to great acclaim, a great coup for the Olivier Award winner. The Strictly Ballroom cast also includes Tamsin Carroll (Miss Saigon), Stephen Matthews (The Lion King), Julius D’Silva (Made in Dagenham), Richard Grieve (Priscilla – Queen of the Desert), Eve Polycarpou (In the Heights) and Charlotte Gooch (Dirty Dancing).
There is no word yet as to whether the show will tour following its run at the Playhouse in Yorkshire, on from 6 December until 21 January 2017, with previews from 30 November. Dealing with such a popular and well-loved story it seems audiences can only hope that the production will journey around the country and then down to the capital.