News

Samantha Jade to Star in Pretty Woman. Sydney Season Announced.

Samantha Jade will star as Vivian in the upcoming Broadway and West End musical PRETTY WOMAN: The Musical, which makes its debut at QPAC Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in Brisbane in October before debuting at Theatre Royal Sydney from November.

Based on the iconic film, Samantha will play the role made famous worldwide by the much-loved Julia Roberts.

When Everything Wrong is RIGHT

The Play That Goes Wrong has returned to Australia and New Zealand.

PUSH IT! Undercover Artist Festival 2025 Launch.

Beth Keehn reports

For one week from 22 to 27 September 2025, Undercover Artist Festival (UAF) will take over Queensland Theatre’s (QT’s) stages. Festival Director, Maddie Little, launched her PUSH IT! program with a packed studio of fans and followers at QT’s Diane Cilento Studio on 19 June.

Reuben Kaye Artistic Director For Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2026

Image: Reuben Kaye - Photo by Claudio Raschella

Adelaide Festival Centre has announced multi-award-winning Australian comedian, singer, and writer Reuben Kaye will take on the role of Artistic Director for the 2026 Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

During the final weekend of the  cabaret festival, current Artistic Director Virginia Gay handed over the reins to Reuben Kaye at the sold-out 25th Birthday Party in the Banquet Room. 

Tony Awards 2025

Australian Actress Sarah Snook and Costume Designer Marg Horwell have each won a Tony Award for the play The Picture of Dorian Gray.

In her acceptance speech Snook said “This means so much for a little Australian girl to be here on Broadway… it is billed as a one person show, but I don’t feel alone on any night that I do this show. There are so may people on stage making it work, and so many people behind the stage making it work – in particular a huge thank you to [adapter and director] Kip Williams who is incredible to create this.”

Access all the way: Swinging and Spinning with the Crooners

Tim McCallum (The Wizard of Oz, The Voice, Jesus Christ Superstar) is bringing a new version of his freewheeling, swinging singing show, The Crooners, to the Redland Performing Arts Centre (RPAC) for one night only on 12 June. Beth Keehn caught up with the show’s creator, director and star, and his co-director/producer, Paul Adam (Matilda Awards, IndelArts), to find out more about The Crooners: Swinging and Spinning, and the group’s quest for inclusive casting and accessible theatre.

Casting for The Lovers at QPAC

Casting has been announced for the new production of the Australian pop musical The Lovers by Shake & Stir Theatre Co and Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) in association with Brisbane Festival, for its premiere in QPAC’s Playhouse from 13 September to 5 October 2025.

Melbourne Season for The Lucky Country Musical

Following its debut season at Sydney’s Hayes Theatre, the new musical, The Lucky Country, about what it means to be Australian, will open at Melbourne’s Lawler Theatre from Monday 13 October, before heading to Brisbane Powerhouse as part of MELT Festival.

NearAway

Australia’s new ‘mindful musical’ to empower young theatre makers around the world

Axel Duffy To Play Marty McFly In Back To The Future: The Musical

Image: Axel Duffy. Photographer: Don Arnold

Producers John Frost, Colin Ingram and the creators of the original film trilogy Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis have announced that Axel Duffy will don the iconic puffer vest and ride the skateboard for the Australian Premiere season of BACK TO THE FUTURE: The Musical, taking on the role of Marty McFly—the time-traveling teen originally brought to life by Michael J. Fox in the classic 1985 film.

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