Based on the incredible true story of writer Tony Briggs’ mother, The Sapphires follows four Yorta Yorta women who blaze a trail from regional Victoria to the frontlines of Vietnam — entertaining American soldiers, breaking barriers and discovering love along the way.

Featuring ’60s soul classics performed live including Respect, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough and The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss), this joyous production transforms the intimate Bille Brown Theatre into an electrifying concert-style celebration — up close, personal and impossible to resist.

For more than 25 years, the multi-award-winning play — and the hit film it inspired — have captivated audiences around the world. At its heart, The Sapphires is a proud story of First Nations women whose talent, humour and resilience lit up a remarkable moment in Australian history — a story that, for many years, remained largely untold.

Now the beloved musical returns in a sparkling new production, with the next generation of First Nations performers stepping into the legacy of the women who inspired the story, led by original director and theatre legend Wesley Enoch.

Big-hearted, infectious and full of soul, this celebration of sisterhood, culture and unforgettable music builds to a roof-raising finale — and promises the feel-good musical night out you’ll love from the very first note.

The Sapphires
28 April – 24 May 2026
Bille Brown Theatre, Brisbane
www,ueenslandtheatre.com.au

This dazzling production, by the Tony Award-winning team Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens and Darko Tresnjak, transports you from the twilight years of the Imperial rule to the euphoria of 1920s Paris. ANASTASIA follows a brave young woman on a journey to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by an army officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.

Rising star Georgina Hopson leads the cast as Anya, alongside international stage sensation Robert Tripolino as Dmitry. They are joined by Joshua Robson as Gleb, Rodney Dobson as Vlad, showbiz legend Rhonda Burchmore as Countess Lily, and Australian theatre royalty Nancye Hayes AM as the Dowager Empress.

With much-loved songs like “Journey to the Past” and “Once Upon a December”, ANASTASIA has captivated audiences around the world – hailed as “A MONSTER HIT!” by The New York Times and “Irresistible!” by Variety.

ANASTASIA the Musical
From 16 Sep 2026
Lyric Theatre, Brisbane
www.qpac.com.au

Don’t lose your head. The next must-see musical film sensation is coming to Australian cinemas this summer with SIX: The Musical Live!

History will be overthrown when the global smash-hit serves up an electrifying stage-to-big- screen experience for a limited time only from January 8.

Filmed live at London’s Vaudeville Theatre and starring the original West End Queens, SIX: The Musical Live! reimagines the ex-wives of Henry VIII as fierce pop icons.

Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour, Cleves, Howard and Parr – backed by on-stage band ‘Ladies in Waiting’ – are ready to deliver a royal retelling of British Her-story.

Reclaiming their stories with sass, power, and unforgettable tunes, SIX: The Musical Live! is a celebration of sisterhood, empowerment, and pop royalty.

With over 5 billion streams across all music streaming platforms, the SIX soundtrack has already conquered playlists — and now it’s ready to rule the big screen as the ultimate summer night out.

SIX: The Musical Live! captures every beat, belt, and bold moment of the Tony Award®-winning phenomenon. After 750 live performances across Australia and New Zealand fans can now relive the magic — or experience it for the first time — in surround sound and full cinematic glory.

“Get the Gang Together” and enjoy the royal treatment. Whether you’re a theatre lover, music fan, or just looking for the perfect night out with friends, SIX: The Musical Live! will be your go-to summer sensation.
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Every love story needs a little fertiliser! 

The cult Broadway and Hollywood sci-fi smash musical Little Shop of Horrors is back – bigger, bolder, and hungrier than ever!

Step inside Mushnik’s flower shop on Skid Row, in this black comedy musical, where down-on-his-luck Seymour discovers a strange and unusual plant with a taste for more than just plant food. Meet Audrey II – the foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore with a killer personality that’s ready to take over the stage (and the world).

Featuring irresistible hits like “Suddenly Seymour”, “Feed Me (Git It)” and “Dentist!”, this gleefully gory musical blends 60s pop, doo-wop and rock ‘n’ roll with outrageous comedy, camp charm and jaw-dropping puppetry.

Directed by Alister Smith (Bring It On, Cruel Intentions, The Wedding Singer) with music supervision by David Young (Frozen), musical direction by Heidi Loveland (Carrie: The Musical), set design by Penny Challen and choreography by Dan Venz, this revival promises everything fans love about Little Shop of Horrors – deranged dentists, larger-than-life plants and an unforgettable night of musical mayhem.

Don’t miss the chance to experience this new version of a smash-hit musical, up close in the intimacy of QPAC’s Cremorne Theatre this summer.

Little Shop of Horrors
From 3 January 2026
Cremorne Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane
www.qpac.com.au

Setting aside the dubious ethics behind the premise and the absolutely outdated idea that a woman needs validation from a man to be accepted by the world, Pretty Woman The Musical raises the question: Is it still possible to have fun hanging out with a singing billionaire and a lady of the night? Well, the answer to that question is, sort of.

The redemption of this musical comes via the excellent singing voices of the cast and the staging and blocking of the large ensemble. The energy level was high, as was the physical prowess of the dancers. The sound was augmented by the impact of a live band located at a higher audience level than sequestered down in a pit.

The pedigree of the creative minds behind the production is also stellar, with two-time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell providing creative direction and Grammy winners Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance providing the musical score. The cast, which includes Samantha Jade, Ben Hall, Michelle Brasier, Tim Omaji and Douglas Hansell, also contributes with fine voices and strong stage presence.

Regardless of the highly questionable ethos of the nineties era rom coms and films of that period in general, adapting the Pretty Woman story to the stage is handled with a modicum of taste and a downplay of the tawdry aspects that could derail things for a modern audience. See it and enjoy it for what it is and can provide, a slick time out on the town.

Pretty Woman: The Musical is currently playing at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane until 23 November 2025!
Rob Hudson
www.prettywomanthemusical.com.au

And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend …

Last year’s global cinematic cultural sensation, which became the most successful Broadway film adaptation of all time, now reaches its epic, electrifying, emotional conclusion in Wicked: For Good.

Directed once again by award-winning director Jon M. Chu and starring the spectacular returning cast, led by Academy Award® nominated superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the final chapter of the untold story of the witches of Oz begins with Elphaba and Glinda estranged and living with the consequences of their choices.

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).

Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard.

As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.

As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.

Wicked: For Good also stars Emmy nominee Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Glinda’s fawning assistants, Pfannee and ShenShen and BAFTA and Grammy nominee Sharon D. Clarke (Caroline, or Change) as the voice of Elphaba’s childhood nanny, Dulcibear.

The film is produced by returning Tony and Emmy winning powerhouse Marc Platt p.g.a. and by multiple Tony winner David Stone. The executive producers are Stephen Schwartz, David Nicksay, Jared LeBoff, Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. The first film, Wicked, released in November 2024, earned 10 Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, and won the Oscars® for Costume Design and Production Design. To date, the film has grossed $750 million worldwide.

Wicked: For Good is based on the generation-defining musical stage play with music and lyrics by legendary Grammy and Oscar® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, from the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire. The screenplay is by Winnie Holzman and Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox. The film score is by John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.
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Last year’s global cinematic cultural sensation, which became the most successful Broadway film adaptation of all time, now reaches its epic, electrifying, emotional conclusion in Wicked: For Good.

Directed once again by award-winning director Jon M. Chu and starring the spectacular returning cast, led by Academy Award® nominated superstars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the final chapter of the untold story of the witches of Oz begins with Elphaba and Glinda estranged and living with the consequences of their choices.

Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, hidden within the Ozian forest while continuing her fight for the freedom of Oz’s silenced Animals and desperately trying to expose the truth she knows about The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum).

Glinda, meanwhile, has become the glamorous symbol of Goodness for all of Oz, living at the palace in Emerald City and reveling in the perks of fame and popularity. Under the instruction of Madame Morrible (Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh), Glinda is deployed to serve as an effervescent comfort to Oz, reassuring the masses that all is well under the rule of The Wizard.

As Glinda’s stardom expands and she prepares to marry Prince Fiyero (Olivier award winner and Emmy and SAG nominee Jonathan Bailey) in a spectacular Ozian wedding, she is haunted by her separation from Elphaba. She attempts to broker a conciliation between Elphaba and The Wizard, but those efforts will fail, driving Elphaba and Glinda only further apart. The aftershocks will transform Boq (Tony nominee Ethan Slater) and Fiyero forever, and threaten the safety of Elphaba’s sister, Nessarose (Marissa Bode), when a girl from Kansas comes crashing into all their lives.

As an angry mob rises against the Wicked Witch, Glinda and Elphaba will need to come together one final time. With their singular friendship now the fulcrum of their futures, they will need to truly see each other, with honesty and empathy, if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz, for good.

Wicked: For Good also stars Emmy nominee Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James as Glinda’s fawning assistants, Pfannee and ShenShen and BAFTA and Grammy nominee Sharon D. Clarke (Caroline, or Change) as the voice of Elphaba’s childhood nanny, Dulcibear.

The film is produced by returning Tony and Emmy winning powerhouse Marc Platt p.g.a. and by multiple Tony winner David Stone. The executive producers are Stephen Schwartz, David Nicksay, Jared LeBoff, Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. The first film, Wicked, released in November 2024, earned 10 Academy Award® nominations, including Best Picture, and won the Oscars® for Costume Design and Production Design. To date, the film has grossed $750 million worldwide.

Wicked: For Good is based on the generation-defining musical stage play with music and lyrics by legendary Grammy and Oscar® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman, from the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire. The screenplay is by Winnie Holzman and Winnie Holzman & Dana Fox. The film score is by John Powell & Stephen Schwartz, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.
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If you felt the need you had to venture into the big city to actually see the play. You also had to sidestep the religious right out front with the placards of denouncement and verbal noise upon entrance, my how times have changed. Blasphemy and box office have long since become good bedfellows and the Christ complex can be seen on rock stages around the globe. The one thing that still plays is the feeling of it being a rite of passage.

The audience on the night reflected this with an extremely wide range of looks from the extreme theatre peacocks to the jeans-clad grungesters and all points in between. The average age though was surprisingly elder. Come on parents this is a work the youngsters might actually like. The production was bombastic in the best way and the songs still hold up. This was however challenged slightly by a few problems with the audio production.

It took a song or two for the sound to come into focus and the vocals for a few cast members needed the extra clarity. Also when the Big Guy’s son gave the pipes a real workout, the volume became overwhelming and a bit shrill. It’s been a while since the last visit and the thought that the first half contained most of the banger songs came flooding back but by play’s end, it was still quite the experience. The exuberance of it all still makes one wonder why rock music hasn’t penetrated more thoroughly into the world of theatre.

Jesus Christ Superstar is currently playing at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC, Brisbane until 10 August 2025 – click here to get your tickets now!

Rob Hudson
www.jesuschristsuperstarmusical.com.au/

The fiercely funny and fearlessly inventive new work combines a razor-sharp script, all-Queensland cast, cutting-edge puppetry and a banging Brisbane soundtrack in a high-octane showdown set among the city’s iconic landmarks.

WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! is equal parts eco-thriller, schlock horror, laugh-out­ loud comedy and live-action comic book, brought to life by a team of talented Queensland creatives.

It follows Theo, a young Brisbane student who first senses a strange and menacing force stirring deep in the Pacific Ocean, off the Queensland coast.

Her attempts to warn the world of impending doom and destruction go unheeded until the monster rears its head, leaving a path of destruction across Brisbane and a lesson in the perils of ignoring what lies below the surface.

“We’re doing a few things we haven’t done in our shows before: integrating shadow puppets, augmenting our creatures with digital and robotic components, and then there’s the massive monster, which is by far the largest creature we’ve ever worked with,” Morton said.

“The joy of the work is in its ridiculousness. I hope audiences think it’s hilarious and that they enjoy seeing our beautiful city feature in a story with blockbuster ambitions.”

WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! began to take shape in 2019 when Dead Puppet Society commissioned young Brisbane playwright Maddie Nixon to create a script for a bold new monster story.

“We were really struck by the way that Maddie wanted to use dark humour and her iconic wit to have some big conversations around our fragility in the face of the shifting environment,” Morton said.

Nixon began her career as an assistant stage manager at La Boite and is thrilled her Brisbane-centred story debuts during the company’s 100th birthday celebrations.

“La Boite raised me, put up with me in my early 20s, kicked me out of the nest to freelance in my late 20s – to be fair, I willingly leapt out of the nest – and now I’m coming back. It feels nice to come home,” she said.

“This play is both a love letter to Brisbane and a wake-up call to Australia. Queensland is such a heightened version of our national political landscape. The spectrum is fully represented here, so being able to supercharge that in a humorous way – and have a monster knock down the Wheel of Brisbane – has been a delight.”

It’s not just local landmarks and landscapes in the spotlight with musician Dean Hanson of award-winning indie band Ball Park Music composing and curating the play’s distinctly Brisbane soundtrack.

The eclectic playlist includes The Go-Betweens’ seminal Streets of Your Town before combing the catalogues of local legends such as Powderfinger, Regurgitator, Custard, The Saints, Violent Soho and The Veronicas.

“Once I got a copy of the early script, I sat down with a guitar on my lap and a playlist of Brisbane music legends in front of me, and there was a great match at every twist and turn!” Hanson said.

“I want it to feel like someone is flipping through vinyl records from the ‘Brisbane’ section of a record store. Nostalgia is important but there’s also an original theme and variation I wrote in a slightly sci-fi style to convey a sense that although we’re set in Brisbane, there’s something different, something out of this world occurring.”

Stewart said staging the world premiere season of WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! in La Boite’s 100th year paid tribute to the company’s long and cherished history of nurturing and promoting new Australian work.

“It is fitting, that in a brand-new work about giving voice to the next generation of change-makers, we celebrate the talented artists and creative collaborators who have honed their craft at La Boite,” she said.

Dead Puppet Society developed one of its earli The Harbinger, at La Boite in 2011 and 2012, returning in 2017 with LASER BEAK MAN odyssey featuring Dean Hanson in the on-stage band.

“WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! is both a testament to the wealth of Queensland’s creative talent and the strongest assurance that La Boite stands ready and brimming with optimism for what the next 100 years hold.”

WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!
30 July – 16 August 2025
La Boite, Brisbane
www.laboite.com.au

Anthony Warlow returns as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks, the role he has played twice before in Australia to great acclaim and in which he made his Broadway debut. One of Australian theatre’s greatest leading men, Anthony recently played the cunning and charismatic lawyer Billy Flynn in the national tour of Chicago. His extraordinary musical theatre roles include in The Phantom of the Opera (as The Phantom), The Wizard of Oz (The Wizard), The Secret Garden (Archibald Craven), Guys and Dolls (Sky Masterson), Les Misérables (Enjolras), My Fair Lady (Henry Higgins), Man of La Mancha (Don Quixote), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Sweeney Todd) and A Little Night Music (Frederik Egerman).

With a career spanning two decades, Debora Krizak takes on the delicious role of Miss Hannigan. One of Australia’s most critically acclaimed leading ladies of musical theatre, Debora has starred in shows such as Mel Brooks’ The Producers, A Chorus Line, Sweet Charity, Cabaret, Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You and Billy Elliot. She has also played feature roles in John Frost and Opera Australia’s productions of Anything Goes and Cinderella.

Rising star Mackenzie Dunn will play Lily St. Regis. Most recently starring as Rizzo in Grease, Mackenzie has also played Penny Pingleton in Hairspray, Squeaky Fromme in Assassins, Francine in Jersey Boys, Evelyn Nesbit in Ragtime, Bubba in Summer of the Seventeenth Doll and understudied and performed the role of Princess Fiona in the Australian tour of Shrek.

Keanu Gonzalez will step into the role of “Rooster” Hannigan after also recently playing Kenicke in Grease. At the age of 16, Keanu was cast in his first musical, understudying the lead role of Scott Hastings in Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom the Musical. This was followed by Bernardo in West Side Story, Charles Lee in Hamilton and understudying the lead role of Alexander Hamilton, Greg in A Chorus Line, Alonzo/Rumpus Cat and Rum Tum Tugger understudy in Cats and as Kassim understudy in Disney’s Aladdin.

Most recently seen in Australia in Jekyll and Hyde, Broadway actor Amanda Lea LaVergne will play the role of Grace Farrell. Amanda’s credits include Annie, The People in the Picture, Grease and Radio City Christmas in New York, plus Bring It On, Guys and Dolls, 9 to 5, Crazy for You, An American in Paris, Anything Goes, Chicago and Gypsy.

In his first musical theatre role, Greg Page, the original Yellow Wiggle in the globally beloved children’s entertainment group The Wiggles, will be playing President Roosevelt. A trained musician and accomplished vocalist, Page’s passion for performing began early, and he quickly became a household name as part of The Wiggles. During his time with the group, Greg co- created numerous hit songs, television series, and live tours, helping to cement their place as icons of children’s entertainment.

“I’m so excited that Anthony has agreed to return to play Daddy Warbucks, the role that took him to Broadway during the last Australian tour of Annie. What a joy to welcome Deb Krizak, Mackenzie Dunn and Keanu Gonzalez back for another Crossroads Live show, and to cast Amanda Lea LaVergne in her first Australian tour and Greg Page in his first musical,” said John Frost. “I’m so looking forward to finding the talented young Queensland actors who will play Annie and the orphans during the Brisbane season. Annie is one of the most delightful and inspiring musicals of all time, and I know Brisbane will enjoy seeing the sun come up on it again.”

One of the most awarded and loved musicals of all time, with its iconic score featuring classics like It’s the Hard-Knock Life, Tomorrow, Easy Street and N.Y.C, Annie is truly a timeless masterpiece, with a book and score written by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin.

Based on the popular Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” which debuted in 1924 and ran for over 80 years, the musical Annie burst into popularity in 1977 when it opened on Broadway. The musical won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin), the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, and the Grammy® for Best Cast Show Album. After the Broadway run of almost six years, it has played in more than 22 countries worldwide including the UK, Argentina, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Spain and Australia. Annie became a smash-hit movie musical in 1982 starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett that is adored worldwide and a fixture of popular culture references.

A celebration of hope, family and friendship. This small but mighty young girl has returned to stick out her chin and grin once more!

Annie the Musical
Lyric Theatre, QPAC
From December 2025
Tickets on sale from 6 May. Waitlist now at anniemusical.com.au