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.

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.”

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.

The 39 Steps To Tour

Mix Alfred Hitchcock’s classic spy thriller with a dash of Monty Python-style chaos, and you get The 39 Steps, a turbo-charged, Olivier and Tony Award-winning comedy. After playing more than three million audience members across 39 countries, from London’s West End to Broadway, this international hit, adapted by Patrick Barlow from the novel by John Buchan, is reimagined and coming to Australia.

Musicals in 2025

Image: Michael Paynter and Ensemble in Jesus Christ Superstar. Photographer: Jeff Busby

A swag of hit Broadway and West End musicals never before seen in Australia will wend their way around the country in 2025, alongside some old favourites to tap the nostalgia buttons.

The post Covid era, along with high interest rates, combined to encourage conservative choices by musical theatre producers. The year ahead is the most innovative in a long time.

 

Theatre for everyone

Unpublished

Beth Keehn looks at 50 years of accessible theatre in Australia, with a snapshot

A Step in Time

Unpublished

Coral Drouyn chatted to old friend Lisa McCune ahead of the new production of The 39 Steps, in whic

Ben Hall To Join Samantha Jade In Pretty Woman

Star of stage and screen Ben Hall will be joining Samantha Jade in the cast of 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, Ben will play the role of Edward Lewis, famously played by Richard Gere and is joining Samantha Jade, who will play the role made famous across the globe by the much-loved Julia Roberts.

Eddie’s Perfect Beetlejuice

Unpublished

Imagine starring in the musical you composed the songs for, that made it to Broadway and scored you a Tony nomi

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