Anna Francolini and Gerard Horan will join previously announced Jonny Labey, Zizi Strallen and Will Young in the company for Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical.
Based on Luhrmann’s classic film the musical will begin performances at the Piccadilly Theatre on 29 March 2018 (press night is 24 April).
Francolini will play Shirley Hastings, the former dancer who will do whatever it takes to ensure her son Scott succeeds. Stage credits include wonder.land (National Theatre), That Day We Sang (Royal Exchange Theatre), Peter Pan (National Theatre) and Onassis (Novello Theatre).
Horan will play Barry Fife, the corrupt ruler of the ballroom-dancing world. Stage credits include The Ferryman (Royal Court/Gielgud Theatre), The Vote (Donmar Warehouse), The Christmas Truce (Royal Shakespeare Company) and One Man, Two Guvnors (Theatre Royal Haymarket).
The cast includes Will Young, Zizi Strallen, Jonny Labey, Michelle Bishop as Pam Short, Ivan De Freitas as Merv, Gabriela Garcia as Vanessa Cronin, Charlotte Gooch as Tina Sparkle, Richard Grieve as Les Kendall, Liam Marcellino as Wayne Burns, Stephen Matthews as Doug Hastings, Fernando Mira as Rico, Eve Polycarpou as Abuela, Lauren Stroud as Liz Holt and Gary Watson as Ken Railings.
The ensemble also features Chris Bennett, Chrissy Brooke, Hannah Fairclough, Selina Hamilton, Christopher D Hunt, Luke Jackson, Justin-Lee Jones, Robin Kent, Jacob Maynard, Leanne Pinder, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda and Dale White.
Based on the multi-award-winning movie, Strictly Ballroom The Musical is the first instalment of Luhrmann’s Red Curtain Trilogy.
Featuring the film’s iconic music such as ‘Love is in the Air’, ‘Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps’ and ‘Time After Time’, the production will also include songs from a host of international artists.
The production originated in Australia where it was created by Luhrmann and Catherine Martin. Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie will direct and choreograph the West End premiere, with a book by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce.
Strictly Ballroom The Musical is produced by Global Creatures.
