They will captivate about 9000 people in the Tasmanian premiere of Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom. 

About 40 cast and crew will bring Encore Theatre Company's three-week season to life. 

Director Danny Gibson said the show is based on the iconic 1992 film.

"Scott Hastings, a champion ballroom dancer who learns to dance from the heart, when he wants to introduce some new steps, he is guided by the unsuspecting Fran who becomes his dance partner and the love of his life," Gibson said. 

"This is a really interesting work because it is a known story. Everyone has either heard of, or seen, the iconic film and people know that it's filled with amazing costumes and lots of sequins."

The performance is also filled with tunes like Time After Time, and Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps.

"And now we have this time where Dancing with the Stars is big again," Gibson said. "This is like watching Dancing with the Stars live on stage where no one is eliminated, and it's not often we get to watch an Australian musical."

The set is also very special, and very large, Gibson said. 

"It takes us from a ballroom dancing competition arena through to a dance studio and iconic rooftop and everything in between," he said. 

"We have lots of crew working really hard to make all of the magic happen. We have a number of live cues for things to come in and out to help create the magic, and a live orchestra and a really exciting cast."

The team has been rehearsing since late 2018 in preparation for the show.  

"The highlight will be the amazing new talent that is on display," Gibson said. 

"We have got people who are singing and dancing and I hope that Tasmanian audiences will appreciate the standard that these amazing performers have been able to attain." 

There is a "wonderful" mixture of performers, he said. 

"That is one of the really lovely things about our company ... The opportunity to showcase new and upcoming talent is what Encore is really all about, matched with the amazing resources of experienced performers."  

The show opens on Friday, March 15 and runs until March 30.