Local talent to shine in Strictly Ballroom

REIMAGINED as a musical, Baz Lurhmann’s beloved film Strictly Ballroom is headed to the Geelong stage this month.

The show will be held at the newly refurbished Geelong Arts Centre by local theatre company, Footlight Productions.

The production will begin tonight (Friday, 19 January) and run until Saturday, 3 February.

Strictly Ballroom tells the story of championship ballroom dancer, Scott Hastings, who defies all the rules to follow his heart.

With a cherished ballroom competition prize up for grabs, Hastings must choose between following Ballroom Confederation rules and dancing his own steps, which are not considered ‘strictly ballroom’.

While Hastings’ family search for a suitable competition partner, he meets Fran, a dance student who convinces him she is the right dance partner for him.

The show contains classic songs from the 1992 film including Time After Time and Love in the in Air, as well as original musical numbers.

Producer and Footlight Productions founder, Peter Wills, said he was proud to be staging such a “spectacular and heart-warming production” for the company’s 20th anniversary year.

Known for its annual January shows, Footlight Production’s Strictly Ballroom follows a series of previous hits that include Mamma Mia, Les Miserables, Wicked and Chicago.

“Bringing the glitz and glamour of the iconic Strictly Ballroom film to life has been the perfect way for our cast and creatives to celebrate everything there is to love about musical theatre,” Mr Wills said.

“Everyone involved is excited for audiences to see this unique, uplifting and visually stunning production.”

Strictly Ballroom features a cast of 30 performers from across Geelong and its surrounding suburbs.

The lead role of Scott Hastings will be played by local talent, Jesse Simpson.

A ballroom dancing champion in his own right, Simpson’s return to the Geelong stage follows performances in The Australian Ballet’s Swan Lake and Disney Theatrical’s Frozen the Musical tour.

“This cast is almost three times the size of our first show’s cast, which speaks to how our productions have grown over the past 20 years,” Mr Wills said.

“One of the recurring themes in Strictly Ballroom is taking a ‘leap of faith’, which is what we did when we started Footlight Productions.

“In addition to staging high-quality musicals, it’s also bought a lot of joy and terrific experiences to our community, which we’re very proud of.”

To purchase tickets, head to geelongartscentre.org.au or call 1300 251 200.