More Cast Revealed For The Shawshank Redemption

Feature-The Shawshank Redemption

As final performances for the Sydney and Melbourne seasons for the Australian tour of The Shawshank Redemption go on sale today, additional cast members were revealed. The stage adaptation of one of the most popular and enduring films of all times, The Shawshank Redemption will play in Sydney from 2-31 January 2027 and Melbourne from 3 February to 7 March, before moving to Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane. Head to ShawshankLive.com.au to buy tickets.

Stephen Anzo (Headless, The Big Fix) will be playing the role of Nelson, alongside Laurence Boxhall (The Mousetrap, Lord of the Rings) as Tommy and Soren Jensen (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) as Hadley. Stephen Lopez (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Fisk) will play Rico, Blessing Mok (Bad Blood Blues, NCIS: Sydney) is Entwistle, and Nathan O’Keefe (The Importance of Being Earnest, Betrayal) plays Rooster. Completing the cast are Mark Saturno (The Normal Heart, A View From The Bridge) as Dawkins and Jeremiah Wray (Macbeth, A Few Good Men) as Bogs Diamond.

They join acclaimed television, film and theatre actor David Berry (Outlander, A Place To Call Home, Home and Away) who will play Andy Dufresne, prolific stage and television actor Bert LaBonté (The Book of Mormon, Colin From Accounts, Cloudstreet) playing “Red”, and one of Australia’s most recognised screen actors Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Rush, Channel 9’s The Floor) in the role of the Warden.

The Shawshank Redemption is a powerful stage production that places you just metres from the action. Raw, intimate and deeply moving, this is theatre at its most compelling – where every moment unfolds live before your eyes. Based on Stephen King’s celebrated novella, this gripping adaptation tells an unforgettable story of hope, friendship and the resilience of the human spirit.

Wrongly convicted of the brutal murders of his wife and her lover, Andy Dufresne is sentenced to life imprisonment in the notorious Shawshank prison. As he navigates the harsh realities of incarceration, he forms an unlikely friendship with fellow inmate Red, discovering that even in the darkest of places, hope can endure. But when the corrupt Warden seeks to exploit Andy’s talents for his own gain, a quiet and daring plan begins to emerge, one that will challenge the very walls of Shawshank itself.

“Electrifying – it truly is a must see show” – The Observer
“This production has nailed it … Gripping live theatre” – Broadway World

Adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, and directed by David Esbjornson who directed Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones in the Australian tour of Driving Miss Daisy, this acclaimed production captures the emotional power and humanity that have made The Shawshank Redemption one of the world’s most enduring stories.

The 1994 film adaptation, nominated for seven Academy Awards, has become one of cinema’s most beloved classics. Now, experience a story of hope, friendship and redemption brought vividly to life in an unforgettable live theatrical event.

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
Adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, based on the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
Directed by David Esbjornson
Produced by Impresario Productions, by arrangement with Bill Kenwright Limited
By arrangement with Knight Hall Agency Ltd in association with Paradigm Talent Agency

SEASON DETAILS

SYDNEY
Venue: Theatre Royal Sydney
Season: 2 – 31 January 2027
Performance Times: Tues-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm
Prices: From $89.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ShawshankLive.com.au or 1300 163 808

MELBOURNE
Venue: Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne
Season: 3 February – 7 March 2027
Performance Times: Tues-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 2pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm (schedule varies weekly)
Prices: From $89.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ShawshankLive.com.au or call 1300 182 183

PERTH SEASON
Venue: Regal Theatre
Season: 12 – 28 March 2027
Performance Times: Tues-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm (schedule varies weekly)
Prices: From $89.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ShawshankLive.com.au or 08 9381 9943

ADELAIDE SEASON
Venue: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Season: 1 – 11 April 2027
Performance Times: Wed-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7.30pm, Thurs 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm (schedule varies weekly)
Prices: From $89.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ShawshankLive.com.au or phone 131 246

BRISBANE SEASON
Venue: Glasshouse Theatre, QPAC
Season: 28 April – 9 May 2027
Performance Times: Wed-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm & 6pm
Prices: From $89.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ShawshankLive.com.au or phone 136 246

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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.”

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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