Hit Broadway Musical Anastasia Loved By Brisbane, Opening To Rave Reviews

Feature-ANASTASIA

The Courier Mail said “Georgina Hopson is every bit the star” and that ANASTASIA is “the ultimate theatrical tasting platter. You get the show tunes and soaring ballads, but you also get comedy, romance, opera, ballet, extravagant costumes and big Broadway moments”. Scenestr said that “Georgina Hopson is a perfect princess” and “an absolute must see” while The Hollywood Reporter called it “musical theatre at its absolute finest. Don’t miss it.”

The cast for this charming modern fairytale and much-loved musical includes Georgina Hopson as Anya, Robert Tripolino as the charismatic con artist Dmitry, Joshua Robson in the role of antagonist Gleb, Rodney Dobson as Vlad, the universally adored Rhonda Burchmore as Countess Lily and theatre icon Nancye Hayes AM in the role of the Dowager Empress.

The ensemble cast includes Sophia Bae, Elliot Baker, Nicholas Cunningham, Davis Giotopoulos Moore, Todd Goddard, Matthew Jenson, Stephanie Kurlow, Bella Minniti, Simon Plant, Nathan Stafford, Alexis Van Maanen, Patrick Volpe, Annie Wilson, Deone Zanotto and Andrea Zappacosta with the Swings team featuring Manon Gunderson-Briggs, Iosefa Laga’aia, Nathan Pinnell and Emma Russell. The local Queensland performers who feature as Little Anastasia include Eva Boldery, Kalina Kita, Harvey Rose McClelland and Holly Murray.

Inspired by the mysterious tale of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov’s rumoured escape in the dawning days of the Russian Revolution, and the 1997 Oscar nominated animated film of the same name, ANASTASIA has been brought to life on the stage by the Tony Award-winning creative team of Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.

ANASTASIA is a lavish musical for all ages, transporting audiences from the twilight years of the Imperial rule to the euphoria and exuberance of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman named Anya sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by an army officer determined to silence her, she 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.

Directed by Tony Award winning director Darko Tresnjak, ANASTASIA premiered on Broadway in March 2017. It received a Tony Award nomination for Best Costume Design in a Musical and won more than 15 major international awards including Best Musical awards in Germany, the Netherlands and Spain.

The book for ANASTASIA was written by the late five time Tony Award winning writer Terrence McNally, whose credits include Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class, Kiss of the Spider Woman and Ragtime.

Music and lyrics for ANASTASIA were written by the renowned writing team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens who have been referred to as “one of the greatest songwriting teams in Broadway history.” (Chicago Tribune).

Lyric Theatre QPAC, Brisbane until 18 October 2026

For tickets and further information, please visit www.anastasiathemusical.com.au

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

‘Come Alive!’ The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular Coming To Adelaide October 29

Feature-‘COME ALIVE!’ The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular

‘COME ALIVE!’ The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular is coming to Adelaide, opening at the Morphettville Racecourse on October 29. This is the third stop on the production’s Australian tour which has already delighted fans across Sydney and Perth. Following its six week run in Adelaide the spectacular will then move on to Brisbane before farewelling Australia in Melbourne in early 2027.

Performed beneath a purpose-built Hippodrome, this all-ages spectacular reimagines Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s iconic soundtrack from the 20th Century Fox motion picture like never before—live, loud and breathtakingly close, with world-class circus artistry, dazzling visuals and electrifying performances.

Since its Australian premiere in May in Sydney, COME ALIVE! has become a must-see favourite, bringing to life beloved anthems including This Is Me, Rewrite the Stars and A Million Dreams.

Leading the all-Australian cast of actors, singers, dancers and acrobats Des Flanagan (CATS, Moulin Rouge!) as The Showman and Ruby Clark (The Lord of the Rings) as Max have won over audiences along with the local and international circus sensations responsible for bringing this internationally acclaimed production to life.

David Hutchinson, CEO of The Path Entertainment Group said: “After an ongoing sellout run in the UK, we have been thrilled to see Australian audiences so warmly and enthusiastically embrace COME ALIVE! We look forward to taking the show to Adelaide for the next stop on our national tour after being so warmly welcomed by fans new and old in both Sydney and Perth.”

At the helm of the production is Drama Desk award-winning Creative Director Simon Hammerstein (Masquerade, a bold new immersive production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera; Usher’s sold-out ‘My Way’ Las Vegas Residency; and Queen of the Night).

The creative team behind the production and its expansion consists of Music Producer and Olivier Award-nominated Matthew Brind (Paddington 2, Just For One Day, Legally Blonde – West End), Choreographers Jerry Reeve (Taylor Swift, The Queen’s Jubilee Platinum Party At The Palace) and Lukas McFarlane (Strictly Come Dancing, So You Think You Can Dance?, The X Factor), Emmy Award-nominated Lighting Designer Adam Bassett for Woodroffe Basset Design (The Rolling Stones – ‘SIXTY’ Tour 2022, London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony, Adele – Live), Set Designer Ruby Law (Billie Eilish, Jorja Smith, the Royal Albert Hall, Sadler’s Wells Theatre), Costume Designer Susan Kulkarni (The Peripheral, Silence, Dirty Dancing – Secret Cinema), Co-Musical supervisor Greg Arrowsmith and Technical Consultancy by Gary Beestone Associates.

‘COME ALIVE!’ The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular is inspired by the 20th Century Fox Motion Picture The Greatest Showman story by Jenny Bicks and songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

‘COME ALIVE!’ The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular in Australia is produced by Showpath Entertainment Ltd by special arrangement with Outside The Box Amusements and TSG Entertainment.

Tickets are on sale now at comealiveshow.com.au

‘COME ALIVE!’ The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular 2026/27 remaining Australian Dates:
Adelaide – From 29 October 2026, at the Morphettville Racecourse
Brisbane – From 23 Dec 2026, at Royal Queensland Golf Course
Melbourne – 25 Feb 2027, at Caulfield Racecourse

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

World Premiere: Opera Australia’s New La Bohème Brings Snowy Paris To Melbourne This November

Feature-La Bohème

Opera Australia (OA) will unveil a shimmering new production of Puccini’s beloved opera La Bohème at the Regent Theatre, Melbourne in a World Premiere season from 7-18 November.

The first new mainstage production of one of the world’s most famous operatic tragedies by OA in 15 years, this production is set in the winter wonderland of 20th century Paris, recreated through the eyes of the painters, poets and musicians of its time.

One of Australia’s most exciting opera directors, Constantine Costi, will lead a talented team of young Australian creatives to envision this new La Bohème, including Set Designer Dann Barber, Costume Designer Sabina Myers and Lighting Designer Morgan Moroney.

Spectacular set pieces, including a flying balloon basket and life-sized, on-stage floats, will bring a painting-inspired set to life, with glorious scenery hand painted by OA’s talented team of scenic artists, with magnificently detailed and richly coloured costumes, all crafted by hand at OA’s headquarters.

La Bohème will star a luminous cast of international and Australian singers, including Melbourne-born Alexandra Flood who will sing Musetta in a highly-anticipated homecoming season, while award-winning soprano Galina Cheplakova, in her Australian debut, will share the heartbreaking role of Mimì with Italian soprano Valeria Sepe, who makes a welcome return to OA.

snowwyparis.png

Quickly becoming one of the most sought-after young lyric tenors in the opera world, Australian Chinese tenor Kang Wang will share the role of Rodolfo with award winning Italian Paride Cataldo, who will also perform with OA for the first time.

Under the baton of acclaimed British conductor Finnegan Downie Dear, making his OA debut, will be the brilliant Orchestra Victoria, internationally acclaimed Opera Australia Chorus and Opera Australia Children’s Chorus.

Puccini’s timeless music captures the power of love, the beauty of youth, and the sheer joy of being alive and in this production it finds new life once again by a whole new generation of talented creatives and performers.

Creatives
Conductor Finnegan Downie Dear
Director Constantine Costi
Set Designer Dann Barber
Costume Designer Sabina Myers
Lighting Designer Morgan Moroney
Movement & Assistant Director Shannon Burns

Performance information
7.30pm: 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18 November
2:00pm: 8, 15 November
Regent Theatre, Melbourne
Running time: Approximately 2 hour and 15 minutes.
Performed in Italian with English surtitles.

Cast
Mimì: Galina Cheplakova (7, 10, 12, 14 & 17 Nov), Valeria Sepe (8, 11, 13, 15 & 18 Nov)
Rodolfo: Kang Wang (7, 10, 12, 14 & 17 Nov), Paride Cataldo (8, 11, 13, 15 & 18 Nov)
Musetta: Alexandra Flood
Marcello: Luke Gabbedy
Schaunard: Stephen Marsh
Colline: David Parkin
Benoit/Sergeant: Clifford Plumpton
Alcindoro: Simon Meadows
Officer: Tom Hamilton
Parpignol: Benjamin Rasheed
Orchestra Victoria
Opera Australia Chorus
Opera Australia Children’s Chorus
Opera Australia Actors

Bookings
Adult tickets from $79 (fees may apply)
Opera Australia Box Office (03) 9685 3700
www.opera.org.au

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Final Tickets For Sydney Season Of A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical Released

Feature-A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL

Producers Paul Dainty AO and TEG Dainty, Ken Davenport and Bob Gaudio are thrilled to announce the final release of tickets for the smash-hit Broadway musical A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL. Due to overwhelming demand, the season has been extended by five weeks through to Sunday 14 February 2027, with ticket presales commencing today and tickets to the general public going on sale Friday 25 September from ticketmaster.com.au.

The musical is currently playing at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre and has received extraordinary praise from critics and audiences alike.

“Full of spectacle and humour, emotion and nostalgia, and of course, the music.” – The Age
“An abundance of rich, memorable songs, and energy to burn.” – The Guardian
“A Brilliant Show” – The Today Show (Richard Wilkins)
“This is a dazzling blockbuster of a show that honours the singer-songwriter’s career and legacy.” – Time Out
“A thrilling, nostalgic and deeply moving celebration of the man behind the music.” – Stage Whispers

The Australian cast of A BEAUTIFUL NOISE is led by Broadway star Will Swenson in the titular role Neil Diamond – Then, bringing his acclaimed, award-winning performance to Australia for the very first time. Joining Swenson is an exceptional company of Australian talent, featuring principal cast members Terence Crawford (Neil Diamond – Now), Ashleigh Rubenach (Marcia Murphey), Monica Sayers (Doctor), Alana Tranter (Jaye Posner), Tim Wright (Fred Weintraub / Tommy O’Rourke), Paul Hanlon (Bert Berns / Kieve Diamond), Hannah Fredericksen (Ellie Greenwich / Rose Diamond), with Rob Mallett (Standby Neil Diamond – Then), and Mark Owen Taylor (Standby Neil Diamond – Now, Fred Weintraub / Tommy O’Rourke, Bert Berns / Kieve Diamond).

Rounding out the company as “The Beautiful Noise” ensemble are Katrina Bickerton, Cameron Davey, Paul Leandre Escorrido, Matt Hourigan, Alana Iannace, Jerome Javier (Swing), Joshua Kobeck, Etuate Lutui (Shilo soloist), Anna Mallows (Swing), Jordan Malone, James Maxfield (Swing), Isabella Roberts, Sophie Tzioumis, Emma Wilby (Swing), and Erica Wild (Swing).

Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE is the uplifting true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chartbusting, show-stopping American rock icon. With 140 million albums sold, a catalogue of classics like “Cracklin’ Rosie”, “Forever in Blue Jeans,” and “Sweet Caroline,” an induction into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and sold-out concerts around the world that made him bigger than Elvis, Neil Diamond’s story was made to shine on Broadway – and the world.

Like Jersey Boys and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical before it, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL — from the Australian producers of TINA – The Tina Turner Musical — is an inspiring, exhilarating, energy-filled musical memoir, that tells the untold true story of how America’s greatest hitmaker became a star, set to the songs that defined his career.

Neil Diamond’s connection with Australia spans nearly half a century of music and memories. He has toured here seven times with promoter Paul Dainty AO, from the landmark Thank You Australia tour in 1976 through to 2015, with his music resonating deeply with audiences. His iconic 1972 live album Hot August Night spent 29 weeks at number one and 65 weeks on the chart, making it the third-longest-charting album of its era in Australian music history.

A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL is directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, Hedwig and the Angry Inch), choreographed by Olivier Award winner Steven Hoggett (Once, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), and written by four-time Academy Award nominee Anthony McCarten (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Two Popes). The design team for A BEAUTIFUL NOISE features Tony Award winner David Rockwell (Scenic Design), Tony Award nominee Emilio Sosa (Costume Design), four-time Tony Award winner Kevin Adams (Lighting Design), Tony Award winner Jessica Paz (Sound Design), and Luc Verschueren (Hair, Wig and Make Up Design). The production has Music Supervision and Arrangements by Sonny Paladino, Incidental Music and Dance Music Arrangements by Brian Usifer, Vocal Design by AnnMarie Milazzo, and Orchestrations by Bob Gaudio, Sonny Paladino, and Brian Usifer.

Final tickets for the Sydney season of A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL, through to Sunday 14 February at the Sydney Lyric, go on sale this week.

SEASON DETAILS SYDNEY
Venue: Sydney Lyric, Pyrmont
Season: Previews commence on Saturday 14 November
Performance Times: Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Wed/Thu/Sun 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 6.30pm
Prices: From $69 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: Visit ticketmaster.com.au or phone 02 9509 3600
Groups 10+: Visit ticketmaster.com.au or phone 1300 558 878 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
Groups 10+: Email groups@ticketmaster.com..au

SEASON DETAILS MELBOURNE
Venue: Princess Theatre
Season: Playing now through to Saturday 7 November
Performance Times: Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Wed/Thu/Sun 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 6.30pm
Prices: From $69 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: Visit ticketek.com.au or phone 1300 665 915
Groups 10+: Visit ticketek.com.au or phone 03 9299 9873 Mon-Fri 9am-4pm
Groups 10+: Email groups@marrinergroup.com.au

SEASON DETAILS BRISBANE
Venue: Lyric Theatre, QPAC
Season: Previews commence on Saturday 20 March, 7:30pm
Performance Times: Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Wed/Thu/Sun 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 6.30pm
Prices: From $69 (Transaction fees apply)
Tickets: Visit qpac.com.au or phone 136 246
Groups 10+: Contact QPAC Groups Department qpac.com.au or phone 07 3840 7466
Groups 10+: Email groups@qtix.com.au

Spread the word on your favourite platform!

Subscribe to What's The Show

Reviews, show news and what is on, straight to your inbox.