STRICTLY BALLROOM Partners with Melanoma Institute Australia

It was announced today by director, Baz Luhrmann that for the world premiere season of the highly anticipated and much loved STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL Producers Global Creatures and Bazmark would partner with MELANOMA INSTITUTE AUSTRALIA.

When announcing the reason for this partnership Baz Luhrmann said "Having had a very personal experience with the insidious and often fatal results of melanoma, I am so very proud that Strictly Ballroom The Musical is to be associated with Melanoma Institute Australia, whose work, providing breakthroughs in understanding the disease, improving treatments, and extending life expectancy for those affected, is something that can benefit all Australians, who are all equally vulnerable under our sun... Wear sunscreen!"

Reg Richardson AM Chairman of Melanoma Institute Australia said at the announcement "Melanoma Institute Australia is delighted to be involved with the Strictly Ballroom production from 2014. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Institute to partner with the much- anticipated stage performance of the iconic Australian film, to be directed by the world renowned, Baz Luhrmann.

We are very excited to be involved and look forward to the production and working with the Strictly Ballroom team to promote the awareness of melanoma, its cause, treatment and prevention"

He went on to explain that Melanoma Institute Australia is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to awareness, prevention and treatment of melanoma cancer.

Australia is the melanoma capital of the world and has the highest rate of melanoma with 12,500 people diagnosed with the disease every year. Sadly, this rate is increasing and each year we lose 1,500 Australians to the deadly disease. That's more people than are killed on our nation's roads.

Melanoma institute Australia is a world-leading medical and research institute, based at the Poche Centre in Sydney. The Institute aims to save lives and reduce the incidence of melanoma through raising awareness, finding its cause, customizing different treatment techniques and ways of prevention. We aim to lead research, with the ultimate aim of developing new treatments and one day, a cure.

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.

It will premiere in March 2014 at Sydney Lyric Theatre thanks to the original creative team behind the classic 1992 film, including director and co-writer Baz Luhrmann, set and costume designer Catherine Martin, choreographer John "Cha Cha" O'Connell and co-writer Craig Pearce.

This brand new theatrical production 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.

For more about the show, visit www.strictlyballroomthemusical.com; Facebook.com/strictlyballroomthemusical and Twitter @strictlystage.

The show will run at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, with previews from Tuesday 25 March, 2014. Opening Night Saturday 12 April. Performance Times: Tuesday at 7pm; Wednesday at 1pm & 8pm; Thursday at 8pm; Friday at 8pm; Saturday at 2pm & 8pm; and Sunday at 3pm.

Prices: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday Evenings, tickets $60 - $135; Wednesday Matinee, tickets $55 - $125; Friday, Saturday & Sunday, tickets $70 - $145. Bookings: Ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 795 267; Groups 20+ and School Groups 20+ call 02 8240 2290; Premium Tickets, VIP and Hotel Packages - call 1300 4 SHOWS or showbiz.com.au/strictlyballroom.

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