Australian Musical Theatre Festival 2026

Image (above): Delia Hannah

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra returns and Nancye Hayes announced as Festival Patron

Launceston, Tasmania
20 – 24 MAY 2026

The Australian Musical Theatre Festival today unveiled its 2026 program, with Artistic Director Tyran Parke announcing a spectacular line-up of artists, performances and special events set to transform Launceston from 20 to 24 May 2026.

Following their debut in 2025, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra will return for another collaboration — joining an ensemble of local and visiting talent performing across the newly refurbished Albert Hall and surrounding venues.

Parke said, “The Australian Musical Theatre Festival continues to evolve and expand, and, in 2026, we take up residence in the Albert Hall, fresh from a $20 million refurbishment. Brilliantly located and offering multiple spaces for unexpected performances, it’s the perfect place to welcome so many stars to Launceston in May. International leading lady Delia Hannah, much-loved screen and stage star Nadine Garner, rising talent Annie Aitken (pictured right), local favourite Rob Mallett, the irrepressible Jack Lark and many more join us for concerts, cabaret, conversations and musical theatre delights set against the beauty of Tasmania.”

In a major announcement, Parke also revealed that Nancye Hayes AM has been appointed Patron of the festival. When accepting Hayes said, “The 2025 Festival reminded me why I fell in love with musical theatre… I left feeling inspired, uplifted and deeply proud. It is a privilege to be Patron of a Festival that champions excellence while nurturing emerging talent, and I am delighted to be part of its future.”
 
FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS

WELL BEHAVED WOMEN
An Australian Musical by Carmel Dean
Carmel Dean’s new musical opens the 2026 Festival — a 75-minute celebration of the trailblazing women who refused to stay silent. Well Behaved Women honours the pioneers who reshaped politics, culture, art, sport and everyday life.
Praised as “a roof-raising celebration of female resilience” (Playbill), this work is bold, uplifting and unmissable.
 
OPENING NIGHT GALA
Celebrate the first night of the festival inside the magnificently refurbished Albert Hall. Featuring performances from a cast of Festival guests, this hour-long showcase sets the tone for five days of music, storytelling and connection.

THE DIVA DEN
Each evening concludes inside the festival’s late-night hub, The Diva Den — a space for spontaneous performances, original songs, encores and magic shared by audiences and artists alike.
 
CHOIR IN THE PUB
A Festival tradition returns! Join Launceston’s piano man Travis Hennessy for a night of joyful, unrestrained singing where everyone becomes the star of the show.
 
SEEING IS BELIEVING
Starring Delia Hannah & Tyran Parke
An intimate evening of story and song tracing the career of Delia Hannah, joined on stage by Tyran Parke. Inspired by the fan letters young Tyran once sent to his musical hero, this cabaret celebrates connection, mentorship and the artists who inspire us.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE – An Adaptation in Words and Music

Starring Nadine Garner (pictured right) in a solo performance set within the historic Clarendon Estate, this production combines Jane Austen’s text with Carl Davis’s score for an evening of romance and elegance.
 
FOYER DOOR CONCERT – Discover What’s Next in Musical Theatre
A free, high-energy showcase of contemporary musical theatre performed by the festival’s emerging artists. Hear the songs shaping Broadway before they hit Australian stages.
 
A MUSICAL THEATRE MIX-UP: THE RECORDS THAT SHAPED A LEGEND
Festival Patron Nancye Hayes AM streams live from Melbourne, where she is appearing in the Broadway musical Anastasia for an intimate conversation hosted at The Dill Pickle Club. Part storytelling, part listening party, this unique event celebrates the recordings and artists that shaped her extraordinary career.
 
THE FROGS
Sondheim’s splashiest, silliest musical — a witty, absurd romp featuring battling playwrights, opinionated frogs and a journey to the underworld. A joyful, tuneful production with a message about the importance of the arts.
 
BUSKERS ALLEY
Now in its sixth year, Buskers Alley transforms a Launceston laneway into a Broadway-style street stage led by Rod Anderson and featuring emerging talent.
 
YOUTH KARAOKE
Hosted in the Diva Den, this lively event invites young performers to take the mic and belt their favourite showtunes.
 
BROADWAY SHOWSTOPPERS
Following a sold-out performance in 2025, the festival reunites with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra for a symphonic celebration of the biggest hits from Rodgers & Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, the Gershwins and more.

Image: Rob Mallett

MADE IN TASMANIA – Rob Mallett: Stories & Songs
Homegrown star Rob Mallett shares the songs, stories and milestones that carried him from Tasmania to stages across the world — an tribute to local talent and global ambition.
 
JACK ‘N’ GIN
This Festival finale pairs Jack Lark’s vocals with Tasmania’s finest gins for a uniquely Tasmanian celebration of song, flavour and storytelling at Clarendon Estate.
 
https://www.amtf.org.au/festival/performances
 
The Australian Musical Theatre Festival is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania, City of Launceston, Theatre North, and numerous local businesses. This unmissable week puts Launceston in the spotlight as a national hub for musical theatre talent and fans alike.