Media Release

Cast Announced For New Australian Production Of Steel Magnolias

Feature-Steel Magnolias

Producers Neil Gooding and Alex Woodward today are thrilled to announce an all-star cast featuring some of the country’s most recognisable and celebrated television actors for the upcoming production of STEEL MAGNOLIAS. Under the direction of Lee Lewis, this dazzling new Australian production brings together an extraordinary ensemble led by Lisa McCune, Belinda Giblin, Debra Lawrance, Mandy Bishop, Jessica Redmayne and Lotte Beckett – a line up that reads like a who’s who of Australian television, now uniting on stage for one of theatre’s most cherished plays. Written by Robert Harling, the timeless tale of STEEL MAGNOLIAS will tour to QPAC, Brisbane from April 2026, Theatre Royal Sydney in May 2026, Wollongong and Canberra in June 2026, His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth in July 2026 and Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre from July 2026. Tickets are on sale now.

In the role of M’Lynn is Gold Logie winner and leading lady of stage and screen Lisa McCune (Blue Heelers, The 39 Steps) joined by Home and Away icons, Belinda Giblin (Amadeus, Doubt) as Ouiser and Debra Lawrance (Harry Potter and The Cursed Child AU and UK, A Christmas Carol) as Clairee. Acclaimed performer Mandy Bishop (Wharf Revue, Blue Heelers) plays Truvy while current Home and Away star Jessica Redmyane (800 Words, The Great Gatsby) plays Shelby. Newcomer Lotte Beckett (Julia, The Election Monologues) joins this elite line up in the role of Annelle.

Director Lee Lewis said “Once upon a time I wished for the best cast ever for Steel Magnolias…. Lisa McCune! BRILLIANT! Belinda Giblin! LEGEND! Deborah Lawrence! FABULOUS! Mandy Bishop! OUTRAGEOUS! Jessica Redmayne! GORGEOUS! Lotte Beckett! PERFECT!!!! Yes, said my fairy godmother, you shall have a ball.”

Lewis continued, “Assembling a magic cast for this very special play has been a real joy. This story means so much to so many people and I can’t wait to bring everyone together to revisit all the love, laughter and tears that fill Truvy’s salon. A dream cast for a play that lives in all our dreams.”

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Jessica Redmayne, Lisa McCune, Debra Lawrance, Mandy Bishop, Belinda Giblin, Lotte Beckeet (c) Benny Capp_4676.jpg

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.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS originally opened in Australia at the York Theatre at Sydney’s Seymour Centre in May 1988 and toured to Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre, featuring a cast which included Maggie Dence, Nancye Hayes, Melissa Jaffer, Genevieve Lemon, Pat McDonald and Nicole Kidman making her professional stage debut.

Bursting with sass, warmth and Southern charm, STEEL MAGNOLIAS delivers laughter, love and unforgettable heart.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS
By Robert Harling
Director – Lee Lewis
Composer & Sound Designer – Brady Watkins
Set and Costume Designer: Simone Romaniuk
Lighting Designer – Paul Jackson
Producer – Neil Gooding Productions and Woodward Productions
By Arrangement with ORiGiN Theatrical
On behalf of Samuel French Ltd, A Concord Theatricals Company

SEASON DETAILS

BRISBANE
Venue: Playhouse Theatre, QPAC
Season: 30 April – 10 May
Performance Times: Tue-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Wed, Thurs & Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm (times vary weekly)
Prices: From $89 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: qpac.com.au or phone 136 246
Groups 8+ call (07) 3840 7466

SYDNEY
Venue: Theatre Royal Sydney
Season: 13 – 31 May
Performance Times: Tue-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Wed, Thurs & Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm, 3pm & 6pm (times vary weekly)
Prices: From $59 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: theatreroyalsydney.com or 1300 163 808

WOLLONGONG
Venue: Illawarra Performing Arts Centre
Season: 3 – 11 June
Performance Times: Tues 6:30pm, Wed 11am or 1:30pm, 6:30pm or 7:30pm, Thurs 1:30pm & 6:30pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Sat & Sun 1:30pm (times vary weekly)
Prices: From $89 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: merrigong.com.au or (02) 4224 5999
Groups 8+ call (02) 4224 5999

CANBERRA
Venue: Canberra Theatre Centre
Season: 17 – 21 June
Performance Times: Wed 6:30, Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Thurs 2pm, Sat-Sun 1pm, Sun 6pm (times vary weekly)
Prices: From $55 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au or (02) 6275 2700
Groups 8+ call (02) 6275 2727

PERTH
Venue: His Majesty’s Theatre, Perth
Season: 7 – 18 July
Performance Times: Tue-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Wed & Sat 2pm
Prices: From $59 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: artsculturetrust.wa.gov.au or (08) 6212 9292
Groups 8+ call (08) 6212 9291 or email groups@artsculturetrust.wa. gov.au

MELBOURNE
Venue: Athenaeum Theatre
Season: 23 July – 9 August
Performance Times: Tues- Thurs 7pm, Fri -Sat 7:30pm, Wed & Sat 2pm, Sun 3pm
Prices: From $55 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or phone (03) 9650 1500
Groups 8+ visit ticketmaster.com.au
Groups 20+ email groups@ticketmaster.com.au

 

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Cast Announced For Australian Premiere Of The Prom

Feature-THE PROM

They’re invited! The cast of the upcoming Tony-nominated Broadway smash-hit production, THE PROM has today been announced. This Drama Desk Award Winner for Best Musical is arriving in Sydney for its Australian Premiere at the newly revitalised Teatro at the Italian Forum from March 2026. Tickets to this musical comedy are on sale now at www.teatroitalianforum.com.au

Broadway and West End star Caroline O’Connor leads this stellar cast as Tony Award Winner Dee Dee Allen. Currently performing in Putting it Together at The Foundry, Caroline has played lead roles on Broadway, the West End, France and across Australia, including Chicago, Anything Goes, 9to5 The Musical, West Side Story and Anastasia, among many others.

At the heart of this joyful musical are its young stars- Sophie Montague (Sister Act) plays Emma, High School Student Banned from The Prom and Paige Fallu (Hairspray) plays Alyssa Greene, Head of Student Council with a Secret. The role of Broadway Chorine, Angie is played by Renae Corser née Berry (Saturday Night Fever) while Brendan Monger (Urinetown) plays Drama Desk Award Winner Barry Glickman. Brad Green (Bootmen) plays Sheldon Saperstein, Broadway Press Agent with a Plan while Thern Reynolds (Evita) plays Esteemed Julliard Graduate/Cater Waiter, Trent. Mrs. Greene, President of the PTA, is played by Erin Bruce (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – The Musical) with the role of Mr Hawkins, High School Principal (and Theatre Fan) played by Scott Irwin (West Side Story).

Joining this incredible line up are Murray Cunynghame as Nick, Ewan Herdman as Kevin, Abbey McPherson as Shelby and Nina Hurley as Kayley. The ensemble comprises of Isabella Colusso, Rafael Gill, Sophie Gulloch, Kye Hall, Clementine Jenkins, Bella McSporran, Brock Rankmore, Jack Ryan, Sophie Sutton, Jasper Wind with Siena Bucknall and Justin Sacco as swings.

With direction by Teatro Co-Founder Andrew Bevis and co-direction and choreography by Teatro Co-Founder Nathan M. Wright and musical direction by Bev Kennedy, THE PROM features a book by Tony Award winner Bob Martin (Elf, The Drowsy Chaperone) and Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (Aladdin), music by Tony Award nominee Matthew Sklar (Elf the Musical) and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin.

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The Prom Cast (c) Suzanne Gately.jpg

Co-founders and co-drectors Nathan M Wright and Andrew Bevis said “Choosing The Prom as Teatro’s third musical felt both deliberate and deeply personal. From the outset, Teatro was created to champion work that is joyful, relevant, and unapologetically human, and The Prom embodies all of that. Its infectious energy and its message of love, acceptance, and belonging speak directly to the kind of theatre we believe in and the community we are building. This cast is truly exceptional. What excites us most is the combination of leading artists with emerging voices, performers who are fearless, collaborative, and deeply connected to the story they are telling. It’s a company that reflects the spirit of The Prom itself: bold, inclusive, and full of joy.”

“A smart, big-hearted musical!” New York Magazine

“It’s so full of happiness that you think your heart is about to burst.” Variety

Four eccentric Broadway stars are in desperate need of a new stage. So, when they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue…and themselves. The town’s parents want to keep the high school dance on the straight and narrow-but when one student just wants to bring her girlfriend to prom, the entire town has a date with destiny. On a mission to transform lives, Broadway’s brassiest join forces with a courageous girl and the town’s citizens and the result is love that brings them all together. Everyone deserves a chance to celebrate!

THE PROM made its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia in August 2016 before it moved to Broadway and enjoyed a successful and critically acclaimed run. The musical was nominated for seven Tony Awards in 2019, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score. It won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical and received multiple Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations as well.

In addition to its Broadway success, a Netflix film adaptation of THE PROM, directed and produced by Ryan Murphy and starring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, James Corden, Jo Ellen Pellman, and Ariana DeBose, was released in December 2020.

So, grab your tickets and your friends and join the most joyful night of the year at THE PROM.

THE PROM
Season: From 24 March
Venue: Teatro at the Italian Forum, Norton Street, Leichhardt
Performance Times: Wed-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7.30pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm
Prices: $75 for previews Tue 24 – Thu 26 March (a handling fee of $6.95 per transaction applies). From $85 for remaining dates (a handling fee of $6.95 per transaction applies)
Bookings: www.teatroitalianforum.com.au

 

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Last Two Weeks At The Foundry Theatre For Putting It Together

Feature-Putting It Together

The dazzling celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest work, Putting It Together, has only two more weeks to play at Sydney’s Foundry Theatre. This wonderful show, which garnered four and five stars from critics and huge acclaim from audiences, must close on 15 February. Set at a glamorous cocktail party, the show blends wit, charm and razor-sharp insight as the cast navigate the complexities of love, ambition and desire.

Featuring a seamless revue of Sondheim’s most iconic songs, audiences are taken on a journey through the genius of one of musical theatre’s most influential composers and lyricists, all wrapped within a clever and intimate story set at an all-night, black tie party.

★★★★ “For charm and sophistication this superb show can’t be beaten” – Sydney Morning Herald
★★★★ “Superbly staged and performed” – Limelight
★★★★★ “musically spectacular” – Stagenoise
“Do not miss this!” Broadway World
“A once-in-a-lifetime ensemble, and the performances are genuinely extraordinary” – Sydney Travel Guide

This once-in-a-lifetime event brings together some of Australia’s finest performers – Caroline O’Connor (Chicago, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd), Michael Cormick (The Phantom of the Opera, Beauty & the Beast), Bert LaBonté (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, The Book of Mormon), Nigel Huckle (Miss Saigon, West Side Story) and Stefanie Caccamo (Into The Woods, The Lord of the Rings) – alongside Australia’s finest creative team.

Cast of PUTTING IT TOGETHER (c) Daniel Boud_095.jpg
Caroline O'Connor and Michael Cormick in PUTTING IT TOGETHER (c) Daniel Boud_017.jpg

Putting It Together was first performed in Oxford, UK in 1992, directed by Julia McKenzie and produced by Cameron Mackintosh, with a cast led by Diana Rigg and Clive Carter. The original US production in 1993 by the Manhattan Theatre Club featured Christopher Durang, Rachel York and Dame Julie Andrews, making her return to the New York City stage after an absence of more than 30 years. The Broadway production in 1999 starred Carol Burnett, George Hearn, Ruthie Henshall, John Barrowman and Bronson Pinchot. Hearn was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. The revue received its West End premiere in 2014 featuring Janie Dee, David Bedella, Damian Humbley, Caroline Sheen and Daniel Crossley.

Don’t miss this extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime musical event.

www.foundrytheatre.com.au/putting-it-together

PUTTING IT TOGETHER
Words and Music by Stephen Sondheim
Devised by Stephen Sondheim and Julia McKenzie
Starring Caroline O’Connor, Michael Cormick, Bert LaBonté, Nigel Huckle, Stefanie Caccamo

SEASON DETAILS
Venue: Foundry Theatre, Pirrama Road, Pyrmont
Season: To 15 February
Performance Times: Tue-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Matinees Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm (performance times vary each week)
Prices: From $69.00 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

 

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New Performances Added To The Next Step: Legacy World Tour

Feature-The Next Step: Legacy World Tour

Due to popular demand, new performances have been added to the Australian leg of global dance phenomenon The Next Step: Legacy World Tour. Additional performances have been added to Melbourne, Geelong, Brisbane, Sutherland and Sydney. Featuring many of the beloved cast members from the iconic TV show, The Next Step: Legacy World Tour arrives in Australia from 8 April turning up the heat in 10 electrifying venues around the country. Tickets available now from https://thenextstep.admitone.com/

The tour features a star-studded cast featuring fan-favourites from the series’ historic 10-Season Run of the beloved TV series The Next Step including Victoria Baldesarra (Michelle), Trevor Tordjman (James), Briar Nolet (Richelle), Jordan Clark (Giselle), Noah Zulfikar (Kingston), Emmerly Tinglin (Kenzie) Carter Musselman (Heath), Alex Chaves (Piper), Benjamin Williams (Pete), and Shane Mahabir (Ethan).

This latest tour is a must-see event for fans of the series, with fan-favourite cast members uniting on one stage to perform showstopping choreography, tell new stories, and revisit the iconic moments that made the series a global hit. The live action teen drama is broadcast in over 120 countries and has aired more than 250 episodes over its 10-season run. Season 10 is currently available on the ABC.

Cast member Trevor Trojman said, “I am so excited to be coming back to Australia with The Next Step Legacy Tour. I have so many incredible memories from touring Australia in the past and feel super lucky to get the chance to come back! Shoutout to all the Aussie TNS fans! Love y’all!”

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Fellow cast member Jordan Clark reiterated the sentiment saying “Hey mates! I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I am to come back to Australia. It’s been 10 long years since I’ve had the pleasure of performing there. I’m so pumped to meet and see all the fans! See you soon!”

The Next Step: Legacy World Tour is a collaboration between Boat Rocker Studios and MRG Live. The tour is choreographed by Amy Wright, Trevor Tordjman and Jordan Clark, with Tordjman and Clark also serving as show creatives. From the screen to the stage- feel the passion, power and pulse of The Next Step LIVE.

Tickets @ https://thenextstep.admitone.com/

THE NEXT STEP: LEGACY WORLD TOUR 2026

MELBOURNE
Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall
Date: 8 April
Performance Times: 2.30pm NEW MATINEE PERFORMANCE, 7.30 pm LIMITED TICKETS
Prices: From $65.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: artscentremelbourne.com.au

GEELONG
Venue: Geelong Arts Centre, The Playhouse
Date: 9 April
Performance Times: 2.30pm NEW MATINEE PERFORMANCE, 7.30 pm LIMITED TICKETS
Prices: From $69.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: geelongartscentre.org.au

ADELAIDE
Venue: Thebarton Theatre
Date: 10 April
Performance Time: 7.30 pm LIMITED TICKETS
Prices: From $75.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au

GOLD COAST
Venue: HOTA
Date: 12 April
Performance Time: 7.00 pm
Prices: From $69.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: hota.com.au

SUNSHINE COAST
Venue: The Events Centre, Caloundra
Date: 12 April
Performance Time: 7.30 pm
Prices: From $69.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: theeventscentre.com.au

BRISBANE
Venue: QPAC, Concert Hall
Date: 14 April
Performance Times: 2.30pm NEW MATINEE PERFORMANCE, 7.30 pm LIMITED TICKETS
Prices: From $69.00 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: qpac.com.au

NEWCASTLE
Venue: Civic Theatre
Date: 15 April
Performance Times: 7.30 pm
Prices: From $69.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: civictheatrenewcastle.com.au

SUTHERLAND
Venue: The Pavillion Performing Arts Centre
Date: 16 April
Performance Times: 2.30pm NEW MATINEE PERFORMANCE, 7.30 pm LIMITED TICKETS
Prices: From $69.00 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: tickets.thepavilionarts.au

SYDNEY
Venue: State Theatre
Date: 17 April
Performance Times: 2.30pm NEW PERFORMANCE, 7.30 pm LIMITED TICKETS
Prices: From $69.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au

CANBERRA
Venue: Canberra Theatre Centre
Date: 19 April
Performance Times: 7.30 pm LIMITED TICKETS
Prices: From $75.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au

 

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