Will Young, Zizi Strallen and Jonny Labey announced for Strictly Ballroom
Casting has been announced for the West End transfer of Baz Luhrmann's musical Strictly Ballroom, which will be directed by Drew McOnie at the Piccadilly Theatre from next March.
The musical will star Zizi Strallen and Jonny Labey as and Fran and Scott, with Will Young taking up a bandleader role which has been specially created for the London run.
Strictly Ballroom tells the story of Scott, a competitive ballroom dancer in '80s Australia who makes up his own moves and finds himself aggravating ballroom-purists. He follows his heart to, not only find his true calling in dance, but also find his true love.
It is based on Luhrmann's 1992 film which was the first in his Red Curtain trilogy which also featured Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!. It features the songs "Love Is in the Air" by John Paul Young, "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps" by Doris Day, and a version of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time".
Zizi Strallen is currently appearing in the National Theatre's production of Follies, and has previously played the title role in Cameron Mackintosh's production of Mary Poppins on a UK tour. Jonny Labey may be best known for playing the role of Paul Coker in BBC soap opera EastEnders, and he has also appeared in the Southwark Playhouse production of In The Heights (2014) and won the ITV dance competition Dance, Dance, Dance.
Will Young won the first series of ITV talent show Pop Idol, and has gone on to appear in a number of stage productions as an actor including The Vortex at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, and Cabaret in the West End, a role for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award and one he has revived this year alongside Louise Redknapp.
The cast also includes 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 will feature 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.
Strictly Ballroom is at the Piccadilly Theatre from 16th March until 21st July.
Strictly Ballroom Tickets are available now.
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