If you’re a fan of Baz Luhrmann, now could be the perfect time to purchase a plane ticket, organise a car hire Sydney Domestic Airport wide and prepare yourself for the event of a lifetime!

You may not be familiar with this legendary Australian director’s name, but you’ll no doubt have heard of at least one of his blockbuster films.

His fast-paced, quirky and often comedic style of cinematography was most recently seen in The Great Gatsby, which was released earlier this year and garnered rave reviews.

However, he is probably still best known for his ‘Red Carpet Trilogy’, which included Strictly Ballroom, Romeo and Juliet, and the wildly successful Moulin Rouge.

The first of these three movies was set and filmed in Australia, and early next year it will be returning home in a different – and very exciting – capacity.

Strictly Ballroom has been adapted for the stage, and will begin showing in theatres from March 25, 2014. Tickets to attend the premiere performance in Sydney are going on sale at 9am this coming Monday (August 12) – so make sure you’re sitting in front of your computer at that time!

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell was instrumental in making sure Sydney was the first place in Australia to see Strictly Ballroom: The Musical.

During a press conference in Sydney earlier this week, Baz Luhrmann said that he has “often marvelled at how this story, born so long ago, has been in [his] life for so many years and has
managed to touch, move, entertain and uplift so many different people from so many different backgrounds”.

He said that despite the glitz and glamour of the original production, the message of the film is quite simple: “There isn’t only one way to cha cha cha, and … within us all we have the
true potential to dance our steps.”

For those who adore the film and are worried the stage version just won’t be the same, never fear – the creative team who worked tirelessly on the 1992 film will be reuniting to create this musical extravaganza.

Baz Luhrmann, who directed and co-wrote the original film, along with Craig Pearce (co-writer), John O’Connell (choreographer) and Catherine Martin (set and costume designer) are all going to be involved, and will make sure everything that made the screen version spectacularly successful will be translated onto the stage effectively.

The musical’s many song-and-dance numbers have also been adapted from pieces used in film. All your favourites, such as Love is in the Air and Time After Time, will make an appearance alongside a few original songs.

If you miss out getting tickets to the premiere of Strictly Ballroom: The Musical, don’t worry – we’re sure every subsequent performance will be just as magnificent!

And, of course, there are a variety of other ways you can demonstrate that you are a true Baz Luhrmann fan.

If you want a relaxing night in after days of sightseeing and driving around the city in your rental, why not visit the nearest DVD store and rent a few of his films to watch?

Or, if you want to take a road-trip in honour of this great Australian director, why not head to Bowen, Queensland, in your rental car?

Why Bowen, you ask? This is where parts of the 2008 film Australia were shot. This starred Hollywood heart-throbs (and, more importantly Australian-born actors) Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman.

We encourage you to drive around the area and see if you can recognise any of the scenery from the movie. Don’t forget to take heaps of photos!