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Waitress to Premiere in Sydney in 2026

08/10/2025 Breaking News

Broadway’s smash-hit musical WAITRESS is baking its way to Australia for the very first time, premiering at the Sydney Lyric Theatre in July 2026. Waitlist at WaitresstheMusical.com.au to be first in line to buy tickets when they go on sale later this month.

Inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s beloved film, and brought to life by a trailblazing creative team, including a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson, an original, uplifting score by Grammy® winner Sara Bareilles (Love Song, Brave) and direction by Tony® winner Diane Paulus, WAITRESS is the irresistible Broadway hit about resilience, friendship and hope that has captured hearts worldwide.

“It’s been a dream of mine to see WAITRESS (finally) find its way to Australia,” said Sara Bareilles. “This story is about dreams, friendship and the courage needed to learn to love oneself, which feels so universal, and so timely. Over the years, we have witnessed such an incredible embrace of this show, and I’m so proud to be a part of the team that is bringing you something so full of heart and soul. I’m so excited for Sydney audiences to experience WAITRESS.”

This heartwarming and empowering musical tells the story of Jenna, a small-town waitress and expert pie maker who longs to escape her rocky marriage and start again. When a baking contest, an unexpected new romance and the support of her fellow waitresses offer her a taste of change, Jenna discovers that the secret ingredient to happiness might be closer than she ever imagined.

“I am so excited to bring this original and inspiring production to Australian audiences,” said producer John Frost for Crossroads Live. “WAITRESS became a huge hit on Broadway where it played for almost four years, receiving four Tony nominations and six Drama Desk nominations, as well as many other awards and nominations. It had a return season on Broadway, played the West End from 2019, toured the US three times, and was a huge hit in many countries across the world. WAITRESS has become a ‘must see’ musical, with its memorable music by Sara Bareilles and universal themes of hope and resilience.”

WAITRESS made history on Broadway with the four top creative spots in a show being filled by women – Sara Bareilles (music and lyrics), Jessie Nelson (book), Lorin Latarro (choreography) and Diane Paulus (direction). It opened on Broadway on 24 April 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it ran until 5 January 2020. WAITRESS was originally produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and Norton and Elayne Herrick.

"WAITRESS’s Australian premiere has been many years in the making. Collaborating with our longtime partner John Frost and his team at Crossroads Live, we are thrilled to finally have the chance to share this story “baked from the heart” with audiences in Oz. Pie for everyone!" said Original Producer Barry Weissler.

“Treat yourself to a slice of 5 Star musical pie” - The Times
“Sweet, sassy, passionate & delightful!” - New York Magazine
“Simply delightful! A glorious reminder that life is messy and wondrous!” - The Washington Post

Sweet, sassy and soul-stirring, WAITRESS is “a little slice of heaven” (Entertainment Weekly) and “made from the finest ingredients” (Time Out). It’s a feel-good celebration of second chances, and the magic of a well-made pie.

If only life were as easy as pie…

WAITLIST NOW WAITRESSTHEMUSICAL.COM.AU

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Samson

08/10/2025 Georgia Drewe🆕

Samson Rating

★★★★★

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Samson, the stunning debut production from Luminar Theatre Company, opens with a hauntingly beautiful performance of Nick Cave's ‘O children.’ From the very first notes, I had goosebumps over my entire body; from the first scene to the very last Samson had me utterly entranced.

Samson centres around a group of teenagers in a small seaside town, who are grieving the sudden loss of a friend they've known their whole life when he dies tragically and unexpectedly in an accident. Julia- Rose Lewis’ script is visceral, raw and brimming with vulnerability and emotion, masterfully brought to life with sensitivity and zeal by director Chloe Callow.

It's difficult to believe that Samson is Chloe Callow's debut production as a theatre director. Everything about this production, from its striking visuals to its beautifully tempered emotionality, was perfectly curated. With a debut production of this quality, I'm eager to see what Callow has in store for the future.

The cast brought boundless energy and a grounded authenticity to the characters, as well as an unexpected but welcome dose of humour. Samuel Ireland was brilliant as Sid, bringing a marvelous complexity to a character that, in the wrong hands, might have just been dismissed as a bully. Ireland's performance was deeply moving, his moments of humour landing perfectly with spot-on comedic timing.

Ava Jones' portrayal of Beth was perfectly delivered- her grief felt so raw and genuine, and her character's complicated relationship with God and religion was a fascinating exploration on the theme of spirituality and faith, and the ways in which belief can be both a comfort and a weapon in times of grief.

Henry Lopez Lopez is a brilliant ball of energy as Rabbit, equal parts sparkling vivacity and striking vulnerability. His chemistry with Rhiannon Jean as Essie was perfect. Jean's performance was deeply emotional, and her journey is, in many ways, the heart of the show. Lopez and Jean both also deserve an honourable mention as the show's producers.

Samson is carried by spectacular performances and thoughtful direction, and the production is full of little touches that really make it sing. Max Shaw's set design beautifully captures the essence of a small town, and his work as fight choreographer elevates the dramatic scenes beautifully. Rhiannon Jean also did some incredible work as sound designer, adding a polish and dimensionality to the show.

The most wonderful thing about Samson is how life affirming it is. It's a story about grief, but within that, it's a story about resilience. The experience of watching Samson was deeply affecting- I laughed, and I cried (a lot) but I left feeling uplifted. I highly recommend seeing this production as soon as possible- Samson is one not to be missed.

Samson, presented by Luminar Theatre Company, is on at The Greek Theatre in Marrickville until October 11th.

To book tickets to Samson, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/samson-tickets-1564791747239.

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Interactive Storytelling Once Upon a Grimm Night

07/10/202505/10/2025 Linda Lokhee🏆💎🔥🦉🎭

Once Upon a Grimm Night Rating

★★★★★

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Picture this. It's 8pm and you're driving through a forest. It's pitch black, except for the beam of your headlights cutting through the stillness. Lining one side of the single gravel road, silhouettes of inky branches reach over, like fingers beckoning you to continue to the house. Old Government House in Parramatta, Sydney. I have to shake off thoughts of ghoulish entities and murderous strangers hiding in the shadows! Maybe my imagination had run awry because we'd just entered Halloween month. Most likely though, it's because I was on the way to see Once Upon a Grimm Night, an interactive play by Odyssey Theatre! Just the title had scary connotations.

I need not have worried, because I arrived safely and in one piece at Old Government House's door. After we were greeted by The Narrator, it became clear that in Once Upon a Grimm Night, guests were adventurer travellers and not hapless victims, and this was going to be a live theatre experience with tons of humour, not horror.

Once Upon a Grimm Night is the brainchild of Emily McKendry, who wrote and directed the play. Emily says that her love of all things magical and fantastical inspired her to write about characters from the fairy tale realm. Once Upon Grim Night is set in the world of Everafter, and due to cosmic forces, our world and theirs have crossed for a short time, and we needed to help find a special something.

The Narrator, played with delicious relish and cheeky trickery by Jared Gerschwitz, was a chaos-loving mischievous character who reminded me of Loki with wicked laugh. He guided us in a quest to save Everafter, introducing the wayfarer travellers along the way to the other characters.

We first met Cly, AKA The Maiden, in the garden playing with a frog. Cly had an earnest innocence about her. I loved the way Phoebe Lumley Tow portrayed Cly, who was quick to deliver some very funny lines in response to audience participation . As Cly started singing, I had the impression that she was channelling Snow White, or Cinderella, or any another female stereotypical female fairytale character (which I think may have been the point).

The third character whose namesake is in the title, is Grimm Volkov, resident Everafter’s hero / heartthrob with fabulous fairytale prince-like hair. Grimm is played with a natural charm by Harlee Timms. Grimm assisted us travellers (or, “Princes” as he nicknamed us all) in the quest to find what we needed to save the realm.

Grimm led us to meet The Witch, a character who we could not help but warm to because of her sarcastic yet hilarious humour. Emily McKendry portrayed The Witch, and her spin on this character was unique. She wasn’t really an evil wicked witch as fairytale land stereotypically paints witches to be. Emily was quick to improvise answers with funny quips and respond to our questions, making us feel comfortable in her dark and dank basement. One of the highlights of the performance was held in the basement, where The Witch chose different audience members / travellers to interact with the magic potions to uncover a mystery.

The set up of Once Upon a Grimm Night is very original, with physical puzzles for us travellers to discover and solve in certain rooms. The Narrator was there to encourage us to work together and to ensure that most guests had a turn.
The costumes of all the characters added to the fairy tale feel. The cast had taken care to ensure their characters looked the part, right down to little details like the jewellery they wore, (especially The Narrator’s extended silver sharp finger ring) waist belts, corsets, billowy sleeves and black boots.

Odyssey Theatre selected the heritage-listed Old Government House as a fitting location for their performance. It was a former country residence, home to Governors and their families from 1800 to 1847. The play was performed both outdoors and indoors, allowing the audience to explore the rooms and experience a set that matched the story. The performance lasted one hour, though I would have liked more time to explore the house and its rooms.

Once Upon a Grimm Night was a unique and enjoyable experience. The small group I attended with was lively, and there was a lot of laughter throughout the evening as the audience banded together to solve puzzles. The interactive nature of this play would be an excellent opportunity for companies to bring their staff together for bonding. With the holiday season coming up, it would make a fantastic choice for an end-of-year Christmas party. Whether you go solo or with a group of friends, it is certainly worth taking a trip into Everafter where you can enjoy a hands-on potion-making activity and take part in clue-solving challenges that are perfect for clue finding sleuths.

Season run: Friday 3 October – Saturday 25 October. 3 session available at 5.30pm, 7pm and 8.30pm
Duration: One hour, no intermission
Old Government House. Parramatta Park, Pitt St entrance. Limited parking is available nearby.
Tickets: www.odysseytheatre.com.au/once-upon-a-grimm-night-parramatta

To book tickets to Once Upon a Grimm Night, please visit https://www.odysseytheatre.com.au/once-upon-a-grimm-night-parramatta
.

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No Day Like Today to See Rent: The Musical

02/10/2025 Linda Lokhee🏆💎🔥🦉🎭

Rent Rating

★★★★★

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A legendary rock opera is coming to the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House, ready to electrify the audience. Opening on September 30, 2025, Rent the Musical will run for one month and showcases an exceptionally talented cast portraying a group of young, struggling artists living in Manhattan’s Alphabet City in the East Village.

Set in the early 1992, composer and lyricist Jonathan Larson’s retelling of Puccini’s La Boheme explores battles with poverty and gentrification, love, addiction and the fear and impact of the AIDS epidemic. Yet amongst all of the hardships in their lives, this is ultimately a musical about hope, strength and passion. This group of characters discover the importance of connection and community, living in the moment (“No Day Like Today”) and to measure life in love (“Seasons of Love”).

Larson left a lasting legacy by openly featuring love themes between two gay couples and a duet between queer characters on a Broadway stage when the show first premiered in 1996. This milestone in queer representation in musicals deeply resonated with audiences.

With themes such as the hardships of trying to make ends meet, as well as the coming together of friends when it’s most needed, director Shaun Rennie says, “this show, like what Jesus Christ Superstar was in the 70s and what Hamilton was for that generation, Rent really is a show that spoke directly to the youthful MTV generation.” Now, a new generation of people will fall in love with Rent The Musical.

Larson wrote the book and subsequent multi-Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical for his friends but tragically passed away unexpectedly aged 36 from an aneurysm on the eve of his off-Broadway premiere. Despite this, the musical was performed the following night in his honour. Rennie, along with the cast, ensemble and crew, say that they continue to pay tribute to Larson nightly throughout this Sydney production.

Rennie has assembled an experienced and talented cast, all of whom have come from musical greats such as Jesus Christ Superstar (Tana Laga’aia, Calista Nelmes, Henry Rollo), & Juliet (Jesse Dutlow) and Hadestown (Imani Williams) Tina Turner (Kristin Paulse), Dear Evan Hansen (Harry Targett) and Hamilton (Googoorewon Knox). They all have strong voices that are needed for belting out some of Rent’s rock opera songs.

For the preview media call attended today, I got a small glimpse into Rent and I can see that it will be an eye opening full production. The staging is detailed, with revolving movements and the backdrop of typical NYC apartments flanked by the metal criss cross jigsaw of fire escapes. The lighting by Paul Jackson is moody and atmospheric. The moment the first note is played with the opening song, the ensemble moves together as one. They are all dynamic! The musical arrangements by Steve Skinner and the choreography by Bree Tipoki are beautifully fluid. It is a large ensemble and there are so many moving characters singing and dancing, all with perfect sharp dance angles and flashes of energy. For anyone who has never seen Rent before, or for fans who know that “525,600 minutes … a year in the life of friends”, this is going to be one fantastic musical not to be missed this Spring inside the Sydney Opera House.

Season run: September 30 - November 1 2025
Run Time: 2 hours and 35 minutes including interval
Tickets: www.opera.org.au/productions/rent-sydney

To book tickets to Rent, please visit https://opera.org.au/productions/rent-sydney/.

Photographer: Neil Bennett

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