Acclaimed television, film and theatre actor David Berry (Outlander, A Place To Call Home, Home and Away) will play Andy Dufresne, the quiet, smart former banker wrongly sentenced to life for murdering his wife and her lover. Cast as “Red” Redding, a long-term inmate known for smuggling contraband items into the prison who develops a friendship with Andy, is prolific stage and television actor Bert LaBonté (currently starring in The Book of Mormon in Brisbane, Colin From Accounts, Cloudstreet). Returning to the stage after 20 years as the Warden, the deeply hypocritical, religious and cruel prison boss, will be one of Australia’s most recognised screen actors Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Rush, Channel 9’s The Floor).

Rodger Corser said, “After 20 years in film and television, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to return to the stage for a story as powerful as The Shawshank Redemption. Its themes of hope, resilience and friendship resonate just as strongly today as they did when the film was released more than 30 years ago.” David Berry added, “I’m thrilled to be returning to the stage in such a timeless and deeply human story, alongside two extraordinary actors like Bert and Rodger.” Bert LaBonté claimed, “The opportunity to tell this iconic story – and to take on a role as rich and loved as Red was impossible to say no to. I can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room and begin exploring him.”

The Shawshank Redemption is a powerful stage production that places you just metres from the action. Raw, intimate and deeply moving, this is theatre at its most compelling – where every moment unfolds live before your eyes. Based on Stephen King’s celebrated novella, this gripping adaptation tells an unforgettable story of hope, friendship and the resilience of the human spirit.

Wrongly convicted of the brutal murders of his wife and her lover, Andy Dufresne is sentenced to life imprisonment in the notorious Shawshank prison. As he navigates the harsh realities of incarceration, he forms an unlikely friendship with fellow inmate Red, discovering that even in the darkest of places, hope can endure. But when the corrupt Warden seeks to exploit Andy’s talents for his own gain, a quiet and daring plan begins to emerge, one that will challenge the very walls of Shawshank itself.

Adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, and directed by David Esbjornson who directed Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones in the Australian tour of Driving Miss Daisy, this acclaimed production captures the emotional power and humanity that have made The Shawshank Redemption one of the world’s most enduring stories.

The 1994 film adaptation, nominated for seven Academy Awards, has become one of cinema’s most beloved classics. Now, experience a story of hope, friendship and redemption brought vividly to life in an unforgettable live theatrical event.

Shawshank Redemption Live
Glasshouse Theatre, QPAC
28 April – 9 May 2027
www.shawshankLive.com.au

Following hugely successful tours across the UK, USA, Canada and China, the Olivier Award-winning interactive family show will visit Melbourne, Canberra, Wollongong, Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane and Perth from December 2026 to January 2027.

Australian producer Andrew Kay said Dinosaur World Live offered families the chance to experience the wonder of dinosaurs in a way that simply couldn’t be replicated on a screen.

“Dinosaurs have this extraordinary ability to capture children’s imaginations, and there is something pretty special about watching their faces when these incredible creatures come to life right in front of them,” Mr Kay said.

“Dinosaur World Live is not just great fun, but it’s also wonderfully clever theatre. The puppetry is extraordinary.”

Perfectly timed for the summer school holidays, Dinosaur World Live invites young explorers and their families to grab their compasses and join intrepid explorer Miranda on an unforgettable journey through a prehistoric world.

Along the way, audiences will come face-to-face with an extraordinary collection of remarkably lifelike dinosaurs, including the undisputed king of the prehistoric world, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, alongside a Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus.

Using spectacular puppetry created by Max Humphries, the dinosaurs are brought to life on stage in an entertaining and interactive adventure designed to fire young imaginations and introduce a new generation to to some of the most incredible creatures ever to walk the earth.

Dinosaur World Live runs for 55min with no interval and is recommended for ages three and over.

Dinosaur World Live
MELBOURNE – Comedy Theatre, 30 Dec 2026 – 3 Jan 2027 MELBOURNE – The Round, 5 – 6 Jan 2027
CANBERRA – Canberra Theatre Centre, 8 – 10 Jan 2027
WOLLONGONG – IMB Theatre, 12–13 January 2027 SYDNEY – The Concourse, 15 – 17 Jan 2027
NEWCASTLE – Civic Theatre, 19 – 20 Jan 2027
BRISBANE – Brisbane Powerhouse, 22–24 January 2027 PERTH – Regal Theatre, 28 – 31 Jan 2027
www.dinosaurworldlive.au/

Starring Eugene Gilfedder as Sherlock Holmes, Ian Stenlake as Dr. Watson and Bryan Probets as Professor Moriarty, witness one of the most legendary minds in all of literature brought boldly to life on stage in this fast-paced thriller. With spectacular staging and cinematic projections, Sherlock Holmes – The Mystery of the Valkyrie will keep you guessing right up to its final, breathless reveal.

The clues are all there. Whether you spot them is another matter entirely …

The game is afoot!

Sherlock Holmes live on stage
14 Nov – 29 November 2026
Playhouse – QPAC, Brisbane
www.qpac.com.au

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is finally coming to QPAC! Direct from its triumph in the West End where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story. Men, money and microphones will be fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance.

This “smart, laugh out loud funny” (Daily Telegraph) show features a string of pop classics including “Young Hearts Run Free”, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “You’re So Vain”. Coming to Australia for the first time, five fearless women bring Austen’s world of love, class and chaos to life with heart, humour and unstoppable energy in this modern take on one of the world’s most adapted pieces of literature.

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)
Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane
30th September – 11th October 2026
www.qpac.com.au

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

Written by Robert Harling, the timeless tale of Steel Magnolias comes alive under the direction of Lee Lewis featuring an extraordinary ensemble led by Lisa McCune (Blue Heelers, Sea Petrol, The 39 Steps), Belinda Giblin (Home & Away, Amadeus, Doubt), Debra Lawrance (Home & Away, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child AU and UK, A Christmas Carol), Mandy Bishop (Wharf Revue, Blue Heelers), Jessica Redmayne (Home & Away, 800 Words, The Great Gatsby) and Lotte Beckett (Julia, The Election Monologues).

Step inside Truvy’s beauty salon, the heart of a small Southern town, where local women share their joys, struggles and a little neighbourly gossip. From weddings and babies to divorces and funerals, they face life’s highs and lows with humour, courage and impeccably styled hair. When tragedy strikes, it’s in these familiar walls that they find comfort, support and the unbreakable bonds of friendship that carry them through.

Bursting with sass, warmth and Southern charm, Steel Magnolias delivers laughter, love and unforgettable heart.

Steel Magnolias
30 April – 10 May 2026
Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane
www.qpac.com.au

Running 5 to 21 March 2026, this dynamic interpretation of Sophocles’ timeless tragedy launches the season with raw energy and unflinching urgency, inviting audiences into a world where personal conviction collides with authoritarian power.

Antigone places a fearless young woman at its centre – one who refuses to be sidelined, silenced or intimidated by the structures built to control her – who speaks directly to the fractured realities of the present day.
Opening on the eve of International Women’s Day, the production reverberates with questions of voice and agency while remaining grounded in a profoundly human story.

La Boite Theatre Artistic Director Courtney Stewart co-directs the work with Nigel Poulton and says Antigone is a deliberate and powerful way to begin La Boite’s 2026 season.

“We’re determined to bring audiences bold, urgent theatre that is deeply engaged with the world we’re living in; Antigone sets the tone for exactly that,” Stewart says.

“There’s something both ancient and shockingly current about Antigone. It’s a story that feels alive, following a young woman who chooses to act according to her conscience, even when that choice costs her everything.
“That act of courage continues to resonate, particularly when we’re thinking about whose voices are heard, and whose are expected to stay quiet.”

After Antigone’s brothers Eteocles and Polynices kill each other while on opposing sides of a civil war, King Creon honours Eteocles but leaves Polynices’ body unburied as punishment for attacking Thebes. When Antigone defies the king’s command and buries Polynices herself, she ignites a brutal clash between personal conviction and authoritarian power.

Antigone’s act of resistance sparks questions that burn with urgency today: Who gets to decide what is just? Where should our loyalty lie? What price are we prepared to pay to honour the truth?

Antigone
5 – 21 March 2006
La Boite Theatre, Brisbane
www.laboite.com.au

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is finally coming to QPAC! Direct from its triumph in the West End where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story. Men, money and microphones will be fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance.

This “smart, laugh out loud funny” (Daily Telegraph) show features a string of pop classics including “Young Hearts Run Free”, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “You’re So Vain”. Coming to Australia for the first time, five fearless women bring Austen’s world of love, class and chaos to life with heart, humour and unstoppable energy in this modern take on one of the world’s most adapted pieces of literature.

Pride & Prejudice (Sort Of)
Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane
30th September – 11th October 2026
www.qpac.com.au

Welcome to The Jazz Age: a fever dream of dizzying excess where love, lies and liquor are in hot supply. Late to this glittering party arrives Nick Carraway, a blow-in from the mid-West, who’s immediately drawn to the enigmatic playboy next door: Jay Gatsby.

Every Saturday night New York’s Flappers, Freeloaders and Pleasure Seekers swill from Gatsby’s generosity while rumours swirl about their mysterious host. Is he a racketeer? A mobster? A bootlegger? A saint? Nick soon discovers the forlorn Gatsby is a man who has everything he wants – except the only woman he’s ever loved … Daisy.

Considered one of the greatest novels ever written, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literary masterpiece comes roaring to the stage in a stylish and scintillating adaptation where dreams shimmer then shatter, hearts beat achingly out of time and everyone’s chasing their own green light.

Queensland Theatre Company and our nationally-acclaimed homegrown heroes Shake & Stir Theatre Co spirit you away to that elusive gin-soaked Summer of 1922, where love and longing is served on the rocks. From the creative teams that brought you Pride & Prejudice, Frankenstein, A Christmas Carol and GRIMM, alongside a cast of rising stars, this Gatsby is shaken, not stirred.

The Great Gatsby
12 Februray – 8 March
Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane
www.queenslandtheatre.com.au