Baz Luhrmann Continues Hunt for STRICTLY BALLROOM Leads

STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL will tango, sashay and bogo pogo its way onto the Sydney Lyric Stage from 25 March 2014, thanks to the original creative team behind the classic 1992 film, director and co-writer Baz Luhrmann, set and costume designer Catherine Martin, choreographer John "Cha Cha" O'Connell and co-writer Craig Pearce. Rehearsals are set to start in January, but according to the Sydney Morning Herald, the show, which was originally slated to open last month, has been delayed because Luhrmann has been unable to find actors to play his main characters.

Producer Carmen Pavlovic to SMH: ''We are in workshops which will run for another two weeks, Baz is working very hard, and once that workshop period is finished, we will have all the main roles filled ... some have already been filled, but we are not in a position to announce anything yet.''

A source revealed: ''Baz is such a perfectionist but he also has a habit of changing his mind a lot ... it's causing a lot of stress because the show's deadline is looming and we don't even know who will be playing the lead roles yet."

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STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL is the inspiring story of a championship ballroom dancer who defies all the rules to follow his heart. This uplifting and courageous tale originated as a stage play that Baz Luhrmann devised with a group of students at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) back in 1984. Then, after a preview season at the Brisbane Expo in 1988, the play opened at the Wharf Studios in Sydney.

Strictly Ballroom went on to become one of the most successful Australian films of all time, earning more than $80 million at the box office. Discovered at the Cannes Film Festival, it was winner of the Prix de Jeunnesse and runner up for the Palme D'Or. When released in Australia, Strictly Ballroom swept the field at the 1992 Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards, gaining 13 nominations and winning in eight major categories. With the success of the film, its closing song, a remake of the John Paul Young song Love is in the Air, re-entered the Australian charts and became a Top 5 hit in October 1992.

In a brand new theatrical production, STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL will bring this iconic story to life on stage. It will feature break-into-song numbers created from original classics from the film, Love is in the Air, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps, andTime After Time as well as newly composed songs.

Bookings: Ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 795 26. For more about the show, visit www.strictlyballroomthemusical.com.

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