CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT
FAYE BROOKES TO JOIN
KEVIN CLIFTON
IN THE CAST OF
2023 UK TOUR
DIRECTED BY CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD
Dancing on Ice finalist and Coronation Street star, Faye Brookes, joins the cast of Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical from 27 March, starring in the lead female role of Fran.* She will join Kevin Clifton, who stars as Scott Hastings, in the all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza as it makes its way across the UK & Ireland as part of its huge 10-month tour.
The musical, based on the award-winning global film phenomenon of the same name, inspired the world to dance and spawned the smash-hit TV series Strictly Come Dancing. Directed by Craig Revel Horwood, who co-choreographs with Strictly’s creative director Jason Gilkison, the tour kicked off in Portsmouth on 26 September and culminates in Bristol on 15 July. Tickets are on sale now from strictlyballroomtour.co.uk
Faye, who takes over the role of Fran from Maisie Smith who leaves the show on 25 March, is no stranger to musical theatre, having previously starred as Roxie Hart in Chicago, Princess Fiona in Shrek and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. She became a household name when she joined Coronation Street in the role of Kate Connor, from 2015-2019, and was involved in some of the biggest storylines the show has seen. In 2017 Faye won the National Television Award for Best Newcomer, while in 2021 she made it all the way to the final of ITV’s Dancing on Ice.
Faye Brookes said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the tour of Strictly Ballroom and can’t wait to work with Craig Revel Horwood, Kevin Clifton and the hugely talented cast. I’m so excited to be playing the role of Fran and making it my own. Bring it on!“
Kevin Clifton said: “It’s very exciting news that Faye is joining the cast of Strictly Ballroom and I’m looking forward to singing and dancing my way across the UK & Ireland with her!“
Craig Revel Horwood said: “I am delighted to be directing the sensational Faye Brookes as she joins Kevin Clifton and the super talented cast of Strictly Ballroom The Musical. I know that she’ll be nothing short of FAB-U-LOUS!”
Strictly Ballroom The Musical tells the beguiling story of Scott Hastings, a talented, arrogant and rebellious young ballroom dancer – played by former Strictly Come Dancing professional and 2018 champion, Kevin Clifton. When Scott’s radical dance moves see him fall out of favour with the Australian Federation, he finds himself dancing with Fran (Faye Brookes), a beginner with no moves at all. Inspired by one another, this unlikely pair gather the courage to defy both convention and their families – and discover that, to be winners, the steps don’t need to be strictly ballroom.
Featuring a show-stopping book by Baz Luhrmann & Craig Pearce, together with a sublime cast of over 20 world class performers, Strictly Ballroom brings to life iconic songs, including Love is in the Air, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps and Time After Time with dynamic and joyous verve. This tour will also feature some amazing new songs by internationally acclaimed artists including Sia, David Foster and Eddie Perfect. The show’s scintillating singing, dazzling dancing and eye-popping costumes combine to bring audiences a story of heart, comedy and drama, and promises to be an unforgettable night under the glitterball.
This uplifting and courageous musical originated as a stage play that Baz Luhrmann devised with a group of classmates at Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1984. Eight years later he made his screen directorial debut with ‘Strictly Ballroom’, the first instalment in Luhrmann’s acclaimed Red Curtain Trilogy. The vibrant film enjoyed staggering success, winning three awards at the 1993 BAFTA awards and a 1994 Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture, going on to become one of the most successful Australian films of all time, earning more than $80 million at the box office. In April 2014 Strictly Ballroom The Musical had its world premiere at the Sydney Lyric Theatre.
Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom the Musical is a fabulous, feel-good evening full of sequins, singing and salsa. This unmissable kaleidoscope of glitz and glamour is a tonic for the soul and will send your heart soaring and toes tapping long after you leave the theatre!
STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL – 2023 TOUR DATES
Dates Venue
9th January – 14th January Ipswich, Regent Theatre
16th January – 21st January Reading, The Hexagon
23rd January – 28th January Cardiff, Millennium Centre
30th January – 4th February Plymouth, Theatre Royal
6th February – 11th February Truro, Hall for Cornwall
13th February – 18th February Wolverhampton, Grand Theatre
20th February – 25th February Southampton, Mayflower Theatre
27th February – 4th March Northampton, Royal & Derngate
6th March – 11th March Hull, New Theatre
13th March – 18th March Canterbury, Marlowe Theatre
20th March – 25th March Southend, Cliffs Pavilion
27th March – 1st April Bradford, Alhambra Theatre
3rd April – 8th April Milton Keynes, Theatre
10th April – 15th April Norwich, Theatre Royal
17th April – 22nd April Bournemouth, Pavilion Theatre
24th April – 29th April York, Grand Opera House
1st May – 6th May Newcastle, Theatre Royal
8th May – 13th May Edinburgh, Playhouse
15th May – 20th May Aberdeen, Performing Arts
22nd May – 27th May Derry, Millennium Forum Theatre
29th May – 3rd June Dublin, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre
5th June – 10th June Glasgow, Theatre Royal
12th June – 17th June Aylesbury, Waterside
19th June – 24th June Nottingham, Theatre Royal
26th June – 1st July Salford, The Lowry
3rd July – 8th July Leeds, Grand Theatre
10th July – 15th July Bristol, Hippodrome
* Maisie Smith is performing until 25 March
Listings information:
Website: strictlyballroomtour.co.uk
Instagram: @strictlyballroomtouruk
Facebook: @strictlyballroomtouruk
Twitter: @sbtourUK