Theatre

Waitress Australian Premiere In Melbourne This Week

Feature-WAITRESS

Broadway’s smash-hit musical WAITRESS has its Australian Premiere on Thursday night, 7 May at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne. Preview audiences have been effusive in their praise of the show, with heart-felt standing ovations each performance.

Tickets are on sale for both the Melbourne and Sydney seasons at waitressthemusical.com.au

“This inspiring show was a massive hit on Broadway where it played for almost four years, and was a huge success in the West End and across the world. And now WAITRESS has arrived in Australia,” said producer John Frost for Crossroads Live. “With its inspiring music by Sara Bareilles and universal themes of hope and resilience, WAITRESS has fast become a ‘must see’ musical. We have a sensational Australian cast, led by Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Rob Mills, John Waters, Gabriyel Thomas and Mackenzie Dunn, and preview audiences are loving this moving and original musical. Get your tickets now while you can.”

Leading the cast as Jenna is Natalie Bassingthwaighte (Chicago, Shirley Valentine), while Gabriyel Thomas (Cats, Sister Act) and Mackenzie Dunn (Grease, Annie) play Becky and Dawn, Jenna’s coworkers at the diner. Charismatic star of stage and screen Rob Mills (& Juliet, Wicked) is Dr Pomatter, and legendary actor John Waters (Jesus Christ Superstar, Oliver!) plays Joe, the owner of the diner. Keanu Gonzalez (Annie, West Side Story) is Earl, Gareth Isaac (Elf the Musical, Mary Poppins) plays the role of Ogie, John Xintavelonis (The Wizard of Oz, The Lion King) plays Cal, and Annie Aitken (Guys & Dolls, The Sound of Music) is the Jenna Alternate.

Gabriyel Thomas, Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Mackenzie Dunn in WAITRESS (c) Jeff Busby_3079_V2.jpg
Rob Mills and Natalie Bassingthwaighte in WAITRESS (c) Jeff Busby_1182.jpg
The cast of WAITRESS (c) Jeff Busby_1043.jpg

The ensemble and swing cast comprises Cameron Boxall, Alexandra Cashmere, Ethan Jones, Dwayne P. Mitchell, Joseph Naim, Conor Neylon, Belle Parkinson, Emily Robinson, Elandrah Tavares, Bree Tipoki and Stephanie Wall. Lulu is played by Stevie Denton (5 years old, from North Warrandyte), Lola Inman (5, from Langwarrin), Ruby Marshall (5, from Port Melbourne) and Evie Papas (6, from Templestowe).

Inspired by Adrienne Shelly’s beloved film, and brought to life by a trailblazing female-led 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.

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.

“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

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 in April 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it ran until January 2020. WAITRESS was originally produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and Norton and Elayne Herrick.

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.

Everyone deserves a slice of happiness!

MELBOURNE SEASON DETAILS
Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Season: To 19 July
Performance Times: Tue-Thurs at 7pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm, 3pm or 6pm (performance times vary each week)
Prices: From $69.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: waitressthemusical.com.au or phone 13 28 49
Groups 8+ call (03) 9662 9571

SYDNEY SEASON DETAILS
Venue: Sydney Lyric Theatre
Season: From 1 August
Performance Times: Tue-Thurs at 7pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm, 3pm or 6pm (performance times vary each week)
Prices: From $69.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: waitressthemusical.com.au or 136 100
Groups 8+ email groups@ticketmaster.com.au

 

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An Enemy of the People

An Enemy of the People

An Enemy of the People Rating

★★★★★

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1

Scene 1, Sunday afternoon. We meet the main players, namely Dr. Katherine Stockman and her family, friends, and local community members, as they gather for a casual BBQ lunch. Pay close attention to the interactions between each of the characters – they will evolve and change as the story progresses but it’s important to remember this immediate sense of community and family between them. The stage is set, the tongs being test snapped, beers cracked, and banter flowing freely. Upstage, nice and close to the audience, the cast are immediately under close scrutiny, but they react and interact with and around each other with practiced ease. Dr. Katherine shares the discovery that the local baths at the spa resort – which was her idea, and have become an important part of the towns economy – are poisoned with heavy metals.

Scenes 2 and 3 reveal Dr. Katherine’s tumultuous relationship with her brother, the mayor, and her father-in-law, as well as her warmer friendships with other members of the community. The community friendships Dr. Katherine has obviously cultivated work in her favour to help her get the word out about the poisoned bath house. But the Mayor has other plans. We are swiftly transported from Dr. Katherine’s living room to the entrance of the spa report, where we witness the Mayor marshalling the community members to oppose Dr. Katherine. The Mayor is persuasive and captivating in his speech, striking in his suit and confident in his decision. If you watch closely you can see the moment Dr. Katherine feels the rug is ripped out from underneath her.

And the lights lift for interval. The volunteers serving the refreshments on offer are so friendly, if you aren’t paying attention you may not notice when the cast make their way to the auditorium and begin mingling with the audience…

 

An Enemy of the People
An Enemy of the People

 

Scene 4, Dr. Katherine is addressing the town in an informal meeting. She wants the town to understand the concerns and risks at the resort spa. In this case, the town is the audience. The rest of the cast wander around and through the auditorium, not only interacting with the audience, but throwing snarky comments to Dr. Katherine. Be prepared to be exceptionally frustrated at the outstanding performance from the male cast members of shouting down a female colleague, and keep your ears open for their amusing commentary in response to Dr. Katherine’s statements.

With a simple, but elegant stage decoration and furniture, each scene is clearly set. At no point was it unclear where the characters were, and their interactions with the props outstanding. Every prop, piece of furniture, and piece of set was used to its fullest, being moved, manipulated, acted with and around naturally, nothing stood out as out of place. The lighting, and the timing of, were never out of place, the same for which can be said about the sound. The costumes and makeup were perfect for the small town aesthetic – the men all looked very striking in their suits, and the women suitably dressed for their work and station.

One thing I did notice was the first and final scenes between Dr. Katherine and the Mayor felt shakier, and less in line with their characters than the rest of their performance. But every cast member brought their characters to life with very natural interactions, amusing expressions in the background, and a compelling presence on stage. This cast melded together spectacularly, even when their characters were at odds. “An Enemy of the People” by St. Jude’s players is thoroughly enjoyable, professional, and not to be missed.

To book tickets to An Enemy of the People, please visit https://stjudesplayers.asn.au/bookings/.

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Due To Overwhelming Demand, The 8-time Tony Award Winning Musical Once Extends Run Before Opening This Week!

Feature-Once

The smash hit Irish musical Once, opening in Melbourne this week at Chapel Off Chapel, has announced an extension to its strictly limited season until June 6th, following phenomenal demand at the box office. This highly anticipated production is helmed by the critically acclaimed new Melbourne theatre company, AG Theatre, and renowned Melbourne director Pip Mushin. AG Theatre has quickly established itself in the Melbourne theatre scene, enjoying a stellar 18 months of sell-out successes, including Avenue Q 2025 and Mamma Mia 2026. Dedicated to nurturing and promoting new Melbourne talent both on and off stage, AG Theatre is known for its innovative approach to classic and contemporary works, promising to captivate audiences again with a fresh, intimate, deeply moving, and cleverly reimagined take on this eight-time Tony Award-winning musical.

The show evolved from Irish filmmaker John Carney’s low budget indie film in 2007, into a critically acclaimed global stage production that has captivated theatregoers worldwide – solidifying its distinguished position within the history of Western musical theatre. Its popularity is deeply rooted in its refreshingly grounded approach, focusing on two ordinary people – a busker and an immigrant who connect through music in the grimy streets of Northside Dublin.

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The production also showcases the spell-binding score composed by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, which notably features the Oscar-winning song, “Falling Slowly.” Once possesses the unique distinction of being the sole Broadway production whose musical composition has garnered the Academy Award, Grammy Award, Olivier Award, and Tony Award.

The production boasts a stellar cast, featuring Green Room Award-nominated creative Mark Taylor in the lead role of Guy. Sharing the stage with him in the role of Girl is the phenomenally talented Sian Fuller, a semi finalist from the 2021 season of The Voice. Playing alongside Mark and Sian is the highly respected performer, Donald Bridges as Da. The production also stars Frazer Shephardson as Billy; Rose Chambers as Reza; James Frampton as Andrej; John Yanko as Svec; William Lopez as the Bank Manager; Misha Gordon as Ex-Girlfriend; Bridget a’Beckett as Baruska; Felix Star as Eamon; Lila Colombi, Imogen Young and Emersyn Orchard as Ivonka. The rest of this cast includes Kaiyeesha Kim Tambakau (Kye Tamm) as Emcee; and Jackson Cross and Belinda Jenkin as swings.

WHEN:
Previews Thursday May 8
Official red carpet opening May 13
Extension to June 6th
Chapel Off Chapel – The Chapel, 12 Little Chapel St, Prahran, 3181
Once The Musical will play at Chapel Off Chapel from Wednesday to Sunday from May 8th, 2026 until May 30th, 2026.
Tickets are available for purchase now at https://booktickets.com.au/

 

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mil-aa-qa

mil-aa-qa

mil-aa-qa Rating

★★★★★

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5

‘Mil-aa-qa’ is a live studio cooking show, written and performed by Jude Soussan at The Blue Room Theatre. It was a pleasantly different experience from beginning to end. Jude, being the main character of two, explores food, chronic illness, culture and self-love, through an intimate and deeply personal lens, while being filmed by camera operator and AV assistant, Alleyne Aviles. The show within a show, reflects on how cooking and sharing meals can become one of the purest expressions of care, especially when living with dietary restrictions like coeliac disease. If cooking is your love language, you will also resonate with this show.

‘Mil-aa-qa’ transformed the intimate performance space into a Lebanese domestic kitchen. The mood felt warm and homely, while ‘Aunty’ (Jude) sings ‘Al Bostah’ while cutting onions as we entered. Bowls of spices, vegetables and traditional cookware were on display and the wider set extended into a carefully curated family living area. Generations of family history and inherited tradition were on display as framed personal photographs, floral prints, spice racks, lace doilies and dark wooden cabinets gave the room that cosy atmosphere you’d expect in grandma’s kitchen.

 

mil-aa-qa
mil-aa-qa

 

Through stories of growing up Lebanese while navigating illness and the social pressures usually unappreciated in Lebanese culture, Jude reveals the emotional complexity of food – both nourishing and harmful. During ‘ad-breaks’, Jude interacts with the audience, treating them as part of the show. A discussion on the impact of coeliac disease, the comorbidities of depression associated with the disease and what constitutes respectful behaviours reveal that there is much opportunity to educate on this topic. Jude successfully provided that education without lecturing, giving layers to the show, being both entertaining and thought-provoking.

‘Mil-aa-qa’ created an intimate theatrical world that felt authentic, emotionally layered and quietly cinematic. The show celebrates resilience and the longing to preserve traditions of hospitality and shared meals with people you love, but also highlighting that when you are not being considered, that can quickly turn into resentment. Jude achieves maintaining her passion for food on her own terms by being more creative with her cooking. So what begins as struggle, transforms into healing and cultural reconnection.
When the show ends, do not run out the door like we almost did. The audience were delighted to be invited by producer, Anja Starkiss, to try a warm bowl of her delicious cooking in the foyer. I’d tell you what it is, but I think you’d better try it for yourself!

‘Mi-aa-qa’ is showing at The Blue Room Theatre until May 9th.

To book tickets to mil-aa-qa, please visit https://blueroom.org.au/events/%d9%85%d9%84%d8%b9%d9%82%d8%a9-mil-aa-qa/.

Photographer: Apurva Gupta

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