Baz Luhrmann launches Strictly Ballroom the Musical in Sydney

“Genre busting” Strictly Ballroom the Musical has been officially launched in Sydney and is set for a world premiere at the Lyric Theatre, The Star in March 2014.

It’s been more than two years since the NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell announced Sydney as the host city for the world premiere production of Strictly Ballroom the Musical. Finally today, writer and director Baz Luhrmann and his team launched the highly anticipated production, confirming its opening dates in Sydney.

The show is set to commence previews on March 25, 2014 with an opening night scheduled for April 12, 2014. Auditions for the production were held recently but no cast has been announced at this stage.

Originally devised in Sydney at NIDA, Strictly Ballroom is Luhrmann’s most personal work. A ballroom dancer from a young age, Luhrmann brought the the classical myth of “triumph over oppression” to life in the form of a 40 minute student play.

“From a small student play to my first motion picture and now a full-blown theatrical stage musical, Strictly Ballroom has been an almost thirty year journey for me” said Luhrmann.

“I have often marvelled at how this story, born so long ago, has been in my life for so many years and has managed to touch, move, entertain and uplift so many different people from so many different backgrounds. I think the simple truth is that, despite all the sequins, outrageous hairdos and classic Hollywood musical plotting, the simple message that there isn’t only one way to cha cha cha, and that within us all we have the true potential to dance through life with our own steps is something that appeals to all of us. The message that life doesn’t have to be strictly ballroom is something I hope to have our audiences carry with them as they dance down the aisles.”

Strictly Ballroom, one of the most successful Australian films of all time (more than $80 million at the box office) will feature break-into-song numbers created from original classics from the film, Love is in the Air, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps, and Time After Time as well as newly composed songs.

Produced by Global Creatures (King Kong, War Horse, How to Train Your Dragon), Strictly Ballroom The Musical will be directed by Baz Luhrmann himself, designed by his wife Catherine Martin and choreographed by John “Cha Cha’ O’Connell.