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Final Tickets Now On Sale For Brisbane’s Hit Summer Musical, Annie

16/10/2025 Breaking News🥉

Final tickets have been released today for the Brisbane season of the new Australian production of the ever-popular Broadway musical Annie, which begins on 27 December for five weeks only at the Lyric Theatre, QPAC. Brisbane’s blockbuster summer musical will play until 31 January, an ideal school holiday treat for the whole family. No extension to the season is possible.

This inspiring new Australian production, directed by Karen Johnson Mortimer and choreographed by Mitchell Woodcock, received huge acclaim and standing ovations in Sydney and Melbourne. Critics have praised the production with quotes including: “Annie offers a fun night out with its simple, classic storyline, beloved by many for generations” (Theatre Matters); “Filled with optimism, joy and hope … a great reason for a night on the town” (Time Out); “The production was a knockout” (Melbournise Me); “Theatrical sunshine” (Limelight); “This production is a triumph” (Australian Stage); and “Annie proves the golden age of musical theatre is here…Broadway is so back” (thescoop.au).

Stephanie-McNamara-Anthony-Warlow-and-ensemble-in-ANNIE-c-Daniel-Boud SMALLER.jpg

Stephanie McNamara and child cast in ANNIE (c) Daniel Boud_262.jpg

The stellar cast is led by Anthony Warlow as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks and Debora Krizak as Miss Hannigan. Mackenzie Dunn plays Lily St. Regis, Keanu Gonzalez plays “Rooster” Hannigan, and Amanda Lea LaVergne plays Grace Farrell. Greg Page plays President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his musical theatre debut. The talented ensemble cast includes Luke Alleva, Cameron Boxall, Tim Brown, Emily Casey, Nakita Clarke, Andrew Dunne, Sebastian Johnston, Anna Mallows, Chloë Marshall, Kristina McNamara, Tom New, Ryan Orphel, Madeline Pratt, Lisa Sontag, Suzanne Steele and Dean Vince. Auditions for the Brisbane Annies and her orphan friends have just happened, so the child cast will be announced shortly.

Producer John Frost for Crossroads Live said: “I’m thrilled with the response to this marvellous fresh production of Annie for a whole new generation, with its new choreography, updated sets and spectacular cast led by Anthony, Deb, Mackenzie, Keanu, Amanda and Greg. Annie is one of the most delightful and inspiring musicals of all time, and it’ll be in Brisbane for five weeks only. Don’t wait until tomorrow to book tickets for the summer holidays!”

One of the most awarded and loved musicals of all time, Annie features an iconic score with classics like It’s the Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street and Tomorrow, with book and score by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin. Based on the Harold Gray comic strip “Little Orphan Annie” (debuted 1924), the musical burst into popularity in 1977 when it opened on Broadway. It won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, 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 a Broadway run of almost six years, it has played in more than 22 countries worldwide and became a hit movie musical in 1982 starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney and Carol Burnett.

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

BRISBANE SEASON DETAILS
Venue Lyric Theatre, QPAC
Season 27 December – 31 January
Performance Times Tue 7:30pm; Wed, Fri, Sat 7pm; Matinees Wed & Thurs 1pm, Sat 2pm; Sun 1pm & 6pm (performance times vary each week)
Prices: From $70 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: anniemusical.com.au or phone 136 246
Groups 8+ call (07) 3840 7466

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Powerful, Passionate, and Fantastic

02/10/2025 Karen Yee🥉

The Comedy Games with Coach Mon Rating

★★★★★

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Comedy Games With Coach Mon is now on at the Ivanhoe Library & Cultural Hub’s Yarra-me Djila Theatrette as part of the Melbourne Fringe. Aimed at children age 4 and up, the show is a really fun way to introduce your junior primary and pre-school kids to interactive live theatre. It’s a great antidote to the effects of too much screen time – it’s upbeat, inclusive, funny and interactive. It stimulates the imagination and reminds us how to play. The age appropriate humour is infectious, and a lot of it is supplied organically by the children themselves. I highly recommend it.

The theatrette is cosy, clean and family-friendly. Coach Mon makes your child feel at home by introducing herself to each child and learning their names before the show starts, so I recommend getting there a little early to settle into the space. There is ample parking at the Ivanhoe venue which also has a lovely café and a library on the same level.

The theme of the show is sports. Coach Mon’s dream is to be a sports coach and she is looking for athletes who are Powerful, Passionate, and Fantastic. There’s a good dose of the ridiculous, which kids love, so we’ll be starting with eyebrow push-ups and weight-lifting with marshmallows on a skewer, for starters. Sometimes Coach Mon might need some coaching herself. Does she really know what hurdles are? Why is she asking for child hurdles – “churdles”? Will she jump over them or fly?

Adults – you will not be bored! Coach Mon knows how to keep the kids’ attention with singing, acrobatics, jokes, miming and clowning-skills, all with a warm connected personality. She knows how to keep them quietly in their seat, if needed, and, conversely, how to get them up and noisy depending on the scene of the show. You’ll be able to relax and enjoy the antics with your child, and possibly even take part in some synchronised swimming!

The fast pace of the show is underscored by well-chosen classical and pop-rock songs. For example, who doesn’t like a slow-mo running race with Chariots of Fire as the soundtrack? I loved that this show was exposing the young ones to really good music from Peer Gynt Suite’s Hall of the Mountain King to Eye of the Tiger. We might know these songs, but it might just be the first time the little ones get to hear it.

After the show, Coach Mon stayed to chat to kids and adults as they were leaving. I had a chat to her too and discovered that Coach Mon is the multi-talented Monique Warren who is an actor, musician, educator, choir director and clown. She grew up singing in the Australian Girls Choir and then stayed on as a choir teacher for 12 years. Her inspiration for the show came out of blue one day while she was teaching an online co-curricular drama class online during COVID lockdown in 2021. Worn out by the sheer boredom she had had enough and walked away from the faces on the computer screen. A minute later, she was back with sports cap on and tennis ball in hand and announced “I’m Coach Mon. Let’s play!”.

Monique Warren’s dream is to build her kids show to be a regular school holiday gig. The joy she gets from doing the show is from bringing people together and that is her passion. It’s a Passion that is Powerful and her show is Fantastic! Go see it before it closes. Let’s play!

To book tickets to The Comedy Games with Coach Mon, please visit https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/the-comedy-games-with-coach-mon.

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Nostalgic, Hilarious, Infectious Fun for Fans Old and New!

26/09/2025 Chantal Harrison Writer🥉

Stranger Sings! A Parody Musical Rating

★★★★★

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The Eternity Playhouse Theatre in Darlinghurst is a perfect blend of plush red velvet and modern design, creating a space that feels rich with history, despite modern touches. To the side of the stage, a small band waits eagerly, giving that unique thrill only live musical theatre provides. Early show wrinkles were handled with humour and camaraderie, immediately setting the tone for a show that thrives on both chaos and connection.

Stranger Sings! The Parody Musical is exactly what its title promises: a satirical, joyfully camp reimagining of Stranger Things. Across 90 minutes, Hawkins is gleefully turned upside down, with the iconic core four; Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will; at the story’s centre. Each young performer captures their role with razor-sharp comic nuance. Raven Swinkels gives Eleven both haunting presence and playful edge, while Anouk Macarthur Mitchell leans into Will’s fragility with endearing self-parody. Julien Daher’s winning Dustin brims with charisma, Ruben Aguilera hits the mark as earnest Mike, and Jahzara Mariasson brings fiery energy to Lucas.

And then, of course, there’s Barb. Belle’s powerhouse vocals ensure justice is not just served but belted to the back row, a standout that lit up the night. The wider ensemble provide a constant stream of physical comedy and energy, morphing into bullies, scientists, and perhaps most memorably, a gloriously camp Demogorgon. Together, their knack for timing and willingness to push into parody’s extremes kept the show fizzing with momentum.

The production is deliberately low-fi in its design, which only adds to its charm. Simple staging is enlivened with clever costumes, witty choreography by Anna Jaques, and inventive ensemble work that makes even the scene changes cheekily entertaining. Musical director Mitch Brown guides the band through a synth-heavy score that perfectly skewers the 1980s vibe, layered with inside jokes and knowing winks to pop culture.

Vocally, the cast are outstanding. Occasional mic issues threatened clarity, but the performers carried through with enough charisma and vocal strength that the cracks only showed how strong the foundations were.

What elevates Stranger Sings! beyond parody is its cheeky breaking of the fourth wall. These playful intrusions make the audience co-conspirators, reminding us all that this is both fan satire and affectionate send-up. Even for those of us who lost track of the show past season three, the humour lands. The references are sharp enough for superfans, yet broad enough to keep casual viewers grinning throughout.

Above all, the joy radiating from this young cast is infectious. They aren’t just parodying Netflix’s most nostalgic property; they’re celebrating the simple delight of putting on a show with gusto, fearlessness, and a palpable sense of fun. To see so much future talent unified in delivering something this funny, smart, and warm is a treat, and a reminder that Sydney’s next wave of performers is already here.

Did I want to leap onto the stage to join them? Absolutely. And that’s the upside-down magic of Stranger Sings!: a parody that revels in its chaos, and a cast that makes you want to be part of the ride.

To book tickets to Stranger Sings! A Parody Musical, please visit https://sydneyfringe.com/events/strangers-sings-the-musical-parody/.

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A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen

22/08/2025 Paige Jenkins🥉🦉

A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen Rating

★★★★★

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The charming production of ‘A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen’ (or ‘How to Make the Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry’) has made its way to its mainstage premier at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre.

At the core of this production, is the theme of self-discovery and belonging. Joshua Hinton, with his brother Dominic at the technical helm, tell stories of their grandparents’ formative experiences throughout not just their family history, but major historical events as well. Josh interweaves monologues and recordings to tell decades of stories, all the while cooking his grandmother’s one-pot chicken curry.

The technical elements of this production and the use of the cooking utensils and pots as props to tell stories was incredibly well thought out. Dominic’s sporadic interjections and his use of physical theatre at key moments really heightened the storytelling, and moments of humour that displayed their sibling relationship. I absolutely adored the imagery and the use of the world map throughout the show. Using spices as they are and as tools to showcase different people within the stories being told was a genius move. The mix of lighting and sounds with spices as fires and bowls as buses was next level. It can be really difficult to keep an audience engaged for an hour or so when it’s just one person on stage, but with all the technical elements like the use of the audio, video and photos were really well utilised that it didn’t feel like a one man show.

It was really cool to see a whole meal be cooked on stage whilst being invited into a family’s history. It was an intimate experience pieced together with a grandmother’s love for her grandchildren and an equally beautiful reciprocation of the adoration and respect of a grandchild for their grandparents. I love the idea of breathing new life into old stories, as well as keeping a loved one’s legacy alive even after death. Hinton used a really powerful analogy, likening grief to that of the process of cooking the curry, and I just found that so beautifully poignant.

Finally, sharing the spotlight to close out the show with an original song, the Hinton brothers gave their all in a soft goodbye and see you later to their Pop. Thank you for sharing that beautiful tribute with us and for following it up with some delicious curry! Dinner and a show? Sign me up!

‘A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen’ is in Wollongong for a few more shows, finishing on Saturday August 23 at 7:30pm, before moving on to the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre and Brisbane Festival. Grab a ticket at the Merrigong website or stay tuned for its next stops!

To book tickets to A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen, please visit https://merrigong.com.au/shows/a-place-in-the-sultans-kitchen-2025/.

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