The current U.K. and Ireland tour of Baz Luhrmann鈥檚 Strictly Ballroom musical, based on the award-winning film of the same name that spawned the hit TV series Strictly Come Dancing, will welcome Coronation Street star Faye Brookes to the cast next month.
Brookes鈥攕een as Roxie Hart in Chicago, Princess Fiona in Shrek, and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde鈥攚ill succeed Maisie Smith in the role of Fran beginning March 27. She will join Kevin Clifton, who stars as Scott Hastings.
Brookes says, 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to be joining the tour of Strictly Ballroom and can鈥檛 wait to work with Craig Revel Horwood, Kevin Clifton, and the hugely talented cast. I鈥檓 so excited to be playing the role of Fran and making it my own. Bring it on!鈥�
Directed by Craig Revel Horwood, the production is choreographed by Horwood and Strictly Come Dancing Creative Director Jason Gilkison. The 10-month tour, which launched September 26, 2022, at Portsmouth's Kings Theatre, continues through July 15 with a final tour stop in Bristol.
Featuring a book by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, the musical features such hits as "Love Is in the Air," "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps," and "Time After Time" as well as new songs by Sia, David Foster, and Eddie Perfect.
The musical originated as a stage play that Luhrmann devised with a group of classmates at Sydney鈥檚 National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1984. Eight years later, he made his screen directorial debut with Strictly Ballroom, subsequently earning three awards at the 1993 BAFTAs and a 1994 Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture. In April 2014 Strictly Ballroom The Musical had its world premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre.
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