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The Smash-hit Broadway Musical A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical Is Coming To Sydney

18/05/2026 Breaking News

Feature-A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL

Producers Paul Dainty and TEG Dainty, Ken Davenport and Bob Gaudio are thrilled to announce following its highly anticipated Australian premiere in Melbourne in August 2026, the internationally acclaimed production A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL will play a strictly limited season at The Sydney Lyric from November 2026.

Tickets for A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL in Sydney will be released first to waitlist members with an exclusive pre-sale commencing Tuesday 9 June, ahead of the general public on sale from Monday 15 June. Join the waitlist here www.theneildiamondmusical.com.au for tickets.

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, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE is a deeply personal and electrifying theatrical experience, charting Neil Diamond’s rise to superstardom through the songs that defined his life and 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.

“Some of my most thrilling nights have been while sharing my music with audiences around the world,” said Neil Diamond. “A BEAUTIFUL NOISE has already had an incredible journey on Broadway and is currently touring across the U.S. and it’s an incredible honour to see it heading to Melbourne and Sydney. I hope Australian audiences enjoy the show as much as I have.”

Producer Paul Dainty AO said: “Sydney has always had a deep connection with Neil Diamond’s music, and I’m delighted that audiences there will experience this extraordinary production following its Melbourne premiere. There has already been remarkable demand in Melbourne ahead of opening, which speaks to the enduring place Neil’s music holds in the hearts of Australians. This musical is a powerful celebration of his life and legacy, filled with the songs that have meant so much to generations. It’s an honour to bring this story to the Sydney stage.”

Producer Ken Davenport said: “A BEAUTIFUL NOISE has connected with audiences around the world because it’s more than a musical — it’s a deeply human story told through one of the greatest songbook of all time. We’ve been thrilled by the extraordinary response already building in Melbourne, and we’re excited to bring that same energy to Sydney audiences later this year.”

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).

A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL is directed by Tony Award® winner Michael Mayer (Chess, 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.

A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL
Melbourne – The Princess Theatre, Previews commence on Wednesday 5 August, 2026.
Sydney – The Sydney Lyric, Previews commence on Saturday 14 November, 2026

For Ticketing information visit www.theneildiamondmusical.com.au

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Sweet Charity

17/05/2026 Melissa Marsh🥉

Sweet Charity Rating

★★★★★

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Hornsby Musical Society’s production of Sweet Charity succeeds because it understands the difficult balance at the heart of the musical. Beneath the colour, comedy, energetic choreography, and sharp stylisation sits a story about loneliness, resilience, and the exhausting act of continuing to hope. This production never loses sight of that emotional core.

At the centre of everything is Victoria Alfieris as Charity Hope Valentine, and it is her performance that anchors the entire production. Alfieris brings charm, vulnerability, spark, and sincerity to the role without ever reducing Charity to caricature or sentimentality. Her performance captures the essential contradiction of the character: a woman repeatedly bruised by disappointment who continues moving through life with irrepressible optimism. That emotional openness carried through her singing and dancing, creating a Charity who always felt emotionally alive and in motion.

Several musical numbers particularly showcased her strengths. “You Should See Yourself” was tender and sincere, while “If My Friends Could See Me Now” balanced comic exuberance with emotional honesty beneath the fantasy. “I’m A Brass Band” became one of the evening’s emotional high points, with Alfieris capturing Charity’s overwhelming rush of hope and possibility with infectious warmth.

James Denton’s Oscar Lindquist provided an effective counterpoint to Charity’s energy. Denton wisely leaned into Oscar’s physical awkwardness, using nervous movement, hesitant posture, and restrained reactions to make the character endearing rather than merely eccentric. This physicality gradually softened during the Ferris wheel scene, allowing genuine warmth and connection to emerge naturally between the two leads. Denton’s understated comic work during “I Love to Cry at Weddings” was particularly effective, with small physical reactions and visible discomfort generating both humour and sympathy.

Among the supporting cast, Max Waterson stood out as Vittorio Vidal. Rather than pushing the role into parody, Waterson gave Vittorio genuine charm and sweetness, especially during “Too Many Tomorrows,” which landed with surprising sincerity. Alfieris and Waterson also played beautifully off one another during the apartment sequence, balancing comedy, fantasy, and genuine warmth in a way that made Charity’s excitement feel completely believable.

The ensemble work throughout the production was consistently strong. “Big Spender,” “Rich Man’s Frug,” and “Rhythm of Life” each possessed distinct physical identities and strong collective energy. Director and choreographer Lauren Oxenham, who also choreographed Hornsby Musical Society’s Grease last year, again demonstrated a strong instinct for ensemble movement and theatrical rhythm. Where Grease required buoyant nostalgia, Sweet Charity demanded sharper stylisation and emotional edge, and Oxenham’s choreography rose confidently to that challenge.

The production’s visual design also deserves praise. The abstract, block-like set design, at times reminiscent of Rothko paintings, created flexible playing spaces that transformed smoothly into locations such as the elevator, closet, and Ferris wheel. Costumes brought generous colour to the production while still allowing larger numbers like “Rich Man’s Frug” and “Rhythm of Life” to develop distinct visual identities. Lighting was also used effectively to shape mood and transitions, though from some audience positions several lighting cues projected directly into sightlines and briefly became distracting.

Musically, the production maintained strong momentum throughout the evening, with the orchestra supporting the show’s shifting emotional rhythms without overwhelming the performers. Just as importantly, the production trusted the emotional honesty of the material. Rather than treating the ending as cynical, the final moments suggested something more hopeful: that despite repeated disappointments, Charity retains the capacity to keep moving forward.

That sense of resilience lingered after the curtain call. In the end, Hornsby Musical Society delivered a production of Sweet Charity that was not only entertaining and visually confident, but emotionally sincere, anchored by a warm and compelling central performance from Victoria Alfieris.

To book tickets to Sweet Charity, please visit https://www.pioneertheatre.com.au/whats-on/sweetcharity.

Photographer: Stefanie Roche Dobb

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Hit Hayes Theatre Co Musical Opens This Week At The Foundry Theatre

11/05/2026 Breaking News

For the first time ever, Hayes Theatre Co brings The Pirates of Penzance, one of its landmark productions to the Foundry Theatre stage, from tomorrow evening, with the official opening night on Friday 15 May. After a sold-out extended season at Hayes in 2025, plus visits to Wyong, Wollongong and Canberra, Hayes Theatre Co-Artistic Directors Richard Carroll and Victoria Falconer will raise the Jolly Roger once again as they revive their acclaimed version of The Pirates of Penzance. Madcap, hilarious and bursting with invention, Carroll’s sparkling new adaptation harnesses the irreverent, genre-busting spirit of Gilbert & Sullivan’s sprawling satirical masterwork and launches it into the 21st century with raucous new life. And the wildest part? Just five actors play every role.

Original cast members Jay Laga’aia (The Pirate King and others), Brittanie Shipway (Ruth and Mabel) and Maxwell Simon (Frederic) return to the motley pirate crew once again, joined by new recruits Jonathan Holmes (The Major-General and others), Sarah Murr (Isabel, Barry and others) and Tana Laga’aia (swing). Together, this fearless ensemble conjures a world of pirates, lovers, sisters, major-generals, and many, many more. Transforming in an instant as costumes, voices and characters fly past at breakneck speed, it’s a breathtaking theatrical feat, with no safety net and truly “all hands on deck”. A “riotous example” of Carroll and Falconer’s famous “What if?” approach to theatre-making, the production was hailed by the Sydney Morning Herald as “a stroke of hilarious genius.”

Brittanie Shipway in The Pirates of PenzancePHOTO John McCrae (1).jpg

Brittanie Shipway, Jay Laga'aia in The Pirates of Penzance PHOTO John McCrae (2).jpg

“Hayes shows thrive on being inventive, nimble and always entertaining, which aligns perfectly with the vision behind the Foundry Theatre. We’ve been looking for the right moment to bring a show to this space, and our rollicking, rowdy Gilbert & Sullivan reimagining is the ultimate way to kick off this exciting new partnership,” said Richard Carroll.

“There is a specific magic built into the DNA of every Hayes production – an intimacy that we know will translate beautifully to an innovative space like the Foundry Theatre. Expanding our reach to new spaces, creative partnerships and bigger audiences isn’t just a growth milestone, it paves an ambitious pathway that will directly fuel the creativity and scope of future Hayes productions,” said Victoria Falconer.

This is Gilbert & Sullivan like you’ve never seen it before; a full throttle tour de force, as five wildly outnumbered actors (swash) buckle up for an epic voyage.

★★★★★ “A practically perfect Pirates experience… Beautifully ridiculous charm” – Time Out
★★★★ “A hugely sophisticated show” – Sydney Morning Herald
★★★★ “A delight!” – Stagenoise
★★★★ “Keeps the laughs bubbling up” – Cultural Binge
★★★★☆ “Such a treat to watch” – What’s the Show

Batten down the hatches and jig along to the Foundry Theatre for The Pirates of Penzance or The Slave of Duty. Five Actors. Every Role. The original mega-musical – re-wired, re-booted, re-duced!

SEASON DETAILS
Venue: Foundry Theatre, inside the Sydney Lyric, Pirrama Road, Pyrmont
Season: 12 May – 7 June
Performance Times: Tues 6:30pm, Wed-Sat 7pm, matinees Wed or Thurs 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm or 3pm (performances vary weekly)
Prices: From $59.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ticketmaster.com.au or 136 100

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My Brilliant Career

11/05/202611/05/2026 Paige Jenkins🥉🦉

My Brilliant Career Rating

★★★★★

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‘My Brilliant Career’ is now playing at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, and it is a must-see for all. It’s always a treat to have original cast members come back to a production, and the passion for this story is overwhelmingly clear from this incredible ensemble cast.

From the moment you walk into the theatre, you’re met with upbeat live music from the cast on a simple yet stunning stage set-up. I love a simple set, and this set up made the stage look like a vast expanse of country with a beautiful piano raised in the centre, surrounded by what we would quickly discover to be some of the most talented musicians I’ve ever seen. I lost count of how many instruments each cast member played throughout the two and a half hour run, and I was at awe every time a different guitar was picked up or instruments came together to not only support the vocal talent, but be ambient sounds of being out on a boat in the middle of nowhere. The obvious musical talent from the entire cast cannot be understated. Dancing while playing an instrument is difficult enough, high kicks while playing a cello that is strapped to your body is honestly insane and I am going to be thinking about that for a long time.

Sybylla Melvyn is the kind of character that you can’t help but root for, and the pure energy and authenticity brought to her by Kala Gare also made her impossible not to love. Her embodiment and growth throughout the show as Sybylla aged was perfection. From the first song, with punk rock attitude and mannerisms, I knew we were in for a treat. Having been a 15-year-old girl not too long ago, it was the perfect display of the amount of ‘hate’ a 15-year-old can muster at the world. Gare is an absolute powerhouse. Her tenacity and playfulness were so engaging, and my goodness she did not stop the entire time and there was not one hint of exhaustion or vocal deterioration. I cannot applaud her enough, that is indeed, one brilliant performer.

The simplicity of sets and costumes rounded out the explosiveness of the arcs in ‘My Brilliant Career’. It easily could have played out as just another story we’ve heard many times about a young woman in the 1800’s who had to follow a pre-determined path rather than having the opportunity to do whatever she wanted in life. However, the wholistic approach and balance of big songs and simple effects was excellent. Single spotlights and a slow violin drew everyone in and a simple joke or facial expression diffused any notions of this being a show about romance. Every step of the way felt exactly like the journey of finding yourself for yourself, and not giving in to what everyone else is telling you to do and to be.

‘My Brilliant Career’ is a must-see for musical lovers, dreamers, and anyone looking to have some fun. Get yourself a ticket to go and sit amongst your “Fellow Australians” and enjoy a night at the theatre. Head over to the Merrigong Theatre Company website and don’t miss the powerhouse that is this incredible cast and show.

To book tickets to My Brilliant Career, please visit https://merrigong.com.au/shows/my-brilliant-career/.

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