'Strictly Ballroom' Musical Coming to Sydney in 2013

Sydney's culture scene will be getting a world premiere musical in two years: New South Wales Premier Barry O’Farrell has announced that the stage musical adaptation of Baz Luhrmann's popular film Strictly Ballroom will have its world premiere and first run in Sydney at the Lyric Theatre from September 2013. The premiere season will be supported by the Government of New South Wales through Events NSW.

O’Farrell said pursuing major events forms part of his government’s strategy to rebuild the NSW economy, a strategy that includes new musical theatre in Sydney. “Last week we announced Sydney was chosen for the Australian Premiere of The Addams Family. I said we’d bring major events back to Sydney – here’s the proof," he said in a statement.

The production will be in addition to the recent run of Doctor Zhivago, as well as Legally Blonde, which will get its Australian premiere in June 2012.

Originally devised in Sydney at NIDA, creator Baz Luhrmann said the decision to premiere Strictly Ballroom in Sydney was a natural one for a quintessentially Australian story with global appeal. “Of all of my shows, Strictly Ballroom is the most personal,” Luhrmann said. “From escaping into the world of competitive ballroom dancing as a child, and my mother going on to be a dance teacher, through to the formative moment at the National Institute of Dramatic Art when a group of talented students and I brought together the classical myth of triumph over oppression and placed it in this world of suburban theatre, the first production of Strictly Ballroom was born."

CEO of Global Creatures—and producer of Strictly BallroomCarmen Pavlovic praised the work of Events NSW and the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government in securing the production for Sydney. “We have been impressed by the pro-active and collaborative approach shown by Events NSW in making the dream of a Sydney opening for Strictly Ballroom a reality.”

Stay tuned for updates on casting and on how to get tickets!