STRICTLY BALLROOM to Dance Into Britain - Sans Baz!

Baz Lurhmann's STRICTLY BALLROOM is ready to dance into Britain -- without its signature director.

The Daily Mail writes that choreographer Drew McOnie will helm the stage musical adaptation at West Yorkshire Playhouse in a co-production with Global Creatures, beginning November 30 for a December 6 opening.

"The child's been born!" Luhrmann told the Mail. "But if we were to wait for the parents to be available to bring it up, it would have moved on, gone to college and retired!" On hiring McOnie to usher his musical to the next stage, Lurhmann commented: "There's something about his energy that reminds me of when you're at an early place in your career and you've got that killer enthusiasm."

After originating onstage in 1984 in Sydney, hitting the big screen in 1992 and back to treading the boards in Australia a couple years ago, STRICTLY BALLROOM is getting a new life and a "fresh perspective" in the UK while Luhrmann is busy working on THE GET DOWN for Netflix.

McOnie, who runs his own dance company, choreographed London's IN THE HEIGHTS and the UK tour of OKLAHOMA! Among his other recent credits are CHICAGO (Curve, Leicester), WEST SIDE STORY (NYMT), BRITISH STYLE (Collaboration with Matthew Bourne for the BBC, Buckingham Palace), JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH (UK Tour) and 13 (Apollo Theatre, London).

Casting for STRICTLY BALLROOM begins next week.

Photo Credit: Pamela Raith