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First Look At The Australian Cast Of Tootsie In Costume

06/05/2026 Breaking News

Rehearsals are well underway as the supremely talented cast of Tootsie, the smash-hit Broadway musical, prepare for the Australian Premiere at Teatro at the Italian Forum later this month. Wigs and sequins have been donned in preparation to bring this nostalgic classic to the stage at Sydney’s newest exciting venue. Tootsie opens on 26 May, with tickets on sale now at www.teatroitalianforum.com.au. Based on the beloved Oscar-winning hit film starring Dustin Hoffman, the Tony Award® winner for Best Book of a Musical promises’ laughs, heart, and a generous dose of nostalgia.

Leading the cast in the dual role of Michael Dorsey and his alter ego Dorothy Michaels, made famous on screen by two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman, is Andrew Bevis (The Lord of the Rings, The Rocky Horror Show). The role of Julie Nichols will be played by Sydney Theatre Award winner Elenoa Rokobaro (Hadestown), while Alana Tranter (Beauty and the Beast) plays Sandy Lester. Brendan Irving (The Rocky Horror Show) plays Max Von Horn, Tyran Stig (Titanique) plays Jeff Slater, Donna Lee (Hairspray) is Rita Marshall, Chris Huntley-Turner (Friends: The Parody Musical) is Stan Fields, and Lachlan O’Brien (The Phantom of the Opera) plays Ron Carlisle.

The ensemble features Sam Austin, Lisa Callingham, Katie Green, Arthur Lees (swing), Maximillian Macdonald, Jessica Parris, Jamie Reisin, Julian Seguna, and Nicole Vella.

Cast of TOOTSIE (c) Robert Miniter 1.png

Andrew Bevis and Andrew Bevis TOOTSIE (c) Robert Miniter.png

Described by The New York Post as “Broadway’s funniest new musical” and praised by Rolling Stone as “musical comedy heaven”, Tootsie is the laugh-out-loud story of a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one bold, show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime.

Tootsie received 11 Tony Award nominations for its Broadway production, including Best Musical and Best Original Score. With music and lyrics by Tony Award and Grammy Award winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and a book by Tony Award winner Robert Horn (13 The Musical, Shucked), Tootsie has had audiences rolling in the aisles.

This all-new production of Tootsie is directed and choreographed by award-winning director and choreographer Cameron Mitchell (Putting It Together, Sweet Charity) with co- musical direction by Kevin Wang and Nicholas Till (Putting it Together) and costume design by Angela White.

Fast-paced and outrageously funny, Tootsie explores identity, ambition, and ego, all while keeping the laughs coming.

TOOTSIE
Season: From 26 May
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 (26–28 May); from $85 for remaining dates (a handling fee of $6.95 per transaction applies)
Bookings: www.teatroitalianforum.com.au

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Due To Phenomenal Demand Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett Is Extending Their Season!!!

05/05/2026 Breaking News

Due to overwhelming demand, the acclaimed international hit Club Kabarett has extended its current Melbourne season for an extra two weeks, producers Velvick confirmed today. The encore run, now playing through to Sunday, June 7th, at Melbourne’s iconic Meat Market, has proven to be a box office hit and has been met with widespread applause from critics and audiences alike. The production, a celebrated fixture on the international festival circuit with acclaimed seasons from London’s West End to Edinburgh, previously enjoyed a significant success in Melbourne in 2025, securing a Green Room Award for Outstanding Cabaret Ensemble and earning three nominations.

Creative director and producer Tom Velvick’s production design has been widely lauded for its incredible transformation of the Meat Market’s historic Cobblestone Pavilion. Velvick, who has also produced and designed Crown’s Pipers Playhouse this year – has breathed new life into the venue with an immersive design that gives the transformed Berlin club both grandeur and grit. Audiences are immediately immersed in a visceral experience, saturated in red light with stark black and crimson walls adorned with spray-painted German and English phrases.

WHEN: Extension to June 7th 2026
Meat Market, Blackwood Street, North Melbourne

Club Kabarett stars the deliciously salacious and wildly talented, Bernie Dieter, alongside her band of legendary misfits and mischief makers including show favourites, Soliana Erse, a world class contortionist whose moves defy the limits of the human body; the human heatwave known as Jacqueline Furey, a purveyor of the beautiful and bizarre, whether she is swallowing swords or breathing fire; the avante garde drag cabaret artiste, Iva Rosebud, whose work spans Cabaret, Musical Theatre, Drag, Burlesque and Performance Art; and the world renowned circus performer, Jarred Dewey, whose grace and skill as an aerialist have seen him perform on some of the most prestigious stages in the world. Joining this immensely talented group of Club Kabarett favourites in Melbourne this year will be international tap dancer Caleb Cameron, who has been dazzling the stages of the Crazy Horse in Paris with his astonishing dance moves; and the hair suspension viral TikTok sensation, Mel Lee, fresh from the stages of London’s West End.

Photography Jacinta Oaten

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Comic Sunshine In A Can For Bondi June 4 And 5

05/05/2026 Breaking News

The CAN Principle – The barely believable origin story of a fake guru!

“The CAN Principle is Jonny Pasvolsky’s first production as script writer and performer, and it shows a deft touch for pace and timing.” Diana Carroll – ARTS HUB Every ‘know-it-all’ has a few tall tales and Mervin Gimplik is about to impose his barely believable ones on you!

Direct from sell-out shows at Adelaide Fringe and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, self-proclaimed guru, Merv is bringing his ‘game-changing’ life philosophy to Bondi with one VERY big promise: the sun! Yes, Mervin is promising the sun itself and he’s almost certain he can deliver it!

Inspired by a childhood memory of cracking open a souvenir can labelled “Genuine Australian Sunshine” and finding absolutely nothing inside, the show skewers the modern self-improvement economy. This delicious parody of today’s ‘gurus’ and snake-oil salesmen – written and performed by Jonny Pasvolsky – is a one-man comedy about what it takes to re-invent yourself in the face of failure and the self-proclaimed ‘experts’ lining up to take your money for nothing!

“Jonny Pasvolsky is a clever parody writer and a comedian with excellent timing and superb pacing; he is also a brilliant character actor as he brings Mervin’s absurd story to life.” Clara Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Beneath the satire is a personal thread, drawing on Pasvolsky’s experience migrating from South Africa to Australia and the awkward business of navigating some stark, cultural differences. If you have ever been promised a total reinvention in six easy steps, this one is for you. Merv’s infectious blind optimism and ‘can-do’ attitude (pun intended), will win you over. It’s the quintessential example of believing your own bulldust. And you will too!

“You deserve NOTHING…but… SUNSHINE! And I’m going to show you where it is!” Mervin Gimplik

Best known to Australian audiences for his roles on McLeod’s Daughters, Underbelly, The Moodys, Mr and Mrs Murder to name a few, and internationally for roles in Mortdecai and Westworld, Jonny brings serious screen credentials and NYC stand-up chops to the stage in this smart, biting satire.

The CAN Principle – The barely believable origin story of a fake guru!

Written and performed by Jonny Pasvolsky
Directed by Jo Turner | Produced by Kate Ryerson
Bondi Pavilion Friday June 5 & Saturday June 6 – 7.30pm
Tickets: $25 / Concession, Mob Tix, Under 30’s: $20
All bookings and info: thecanprinciple.com.au

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Sydney Dance Company’s Engine Ignites The Stage This August

05/05/2026 Breaking News

Sydney Dance Company returns with Engine, an exhilarating triple bill uniting three bold choreographic voices—Rafael Bonachela, Fran Diaz, and Melanie Lane—in a dynamic program of contemporary dance.

At its core is Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela’s The Journey Itself is Home, a striking new work inspired by the writings of 17th-century Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō. Set to a score by Grammy Award-winning composer Bryce Dessner, the piece delves into the interplay between movement, memory, and place, offering audiences a deeply immersive and reflective experience.

Making its Australian premiere, The Mass Ornament by Berlin-based Spanish choreographer Fran Diaz reinterprets Siegfried Kracauer’s influential 1927 essay through a hypnotic contemporary lens. Accompanied by the evocative music of Henryk Górecki, the work explores themes of collectivity and connection, where individuality remains present within a powerful shared rhythm, creating a visually compelling and emotionally resonant performance.

Rounding out the program is Melanie Lane’s critically acclaimed Love Lock, a visionary reimagining of folk dance for a modern world. Drawing on shared cultural traditions and the urgency of global change, Love Lock is both celebratory and cautionary—highlighting dance as a unifying and transformative force. The production features intricate costumes by renowned Australian designer Akira Isogawa and an immersive electronic score by UK artist Clark.

Hailed by critics and audiences alike, Love Lock has received widespread praise:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “…choreographed with electric intelligence by Melanie Lane.” – Sydney Morning Herald
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Love Lock is a work of bold genius and unfiltered creativity… It’s a cult I absolutely want to join.” – BachTrack
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “…Love Lock feels exceedingly contemporary. In fact, it feels like a glimpse into the future. You just can’t look away.” – ArtsHub
★ ★ ★ ★ “Each element of Love Lock is expertly crafted… a spectacular explosion of colour, richness and immersion that leaves the audience craving more.” – State of the Art

Engine showcases contemporary dance at its most daring—bringing together distinct creative voices in a program that is both intellectually engaging and visually captivating.

Program
The Journey Itself is Home – Rafael Bonachela
The Mass Ornament – Fran Diaz
Love Lock – Melanie Lane

Performance Dates: 5–8 August 2026
https://www.artsculturetrust.wa.gov.au/

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