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Coliseum Theatre To Present The World Premiere Of Cirque Empire

17/09/2026 Breaking News

The Coliseum Theatre today announced the world premiere season of Cirque Empire, an epic new spectacle from the creators of the global smash hits Cirque Alice, Now You See Me Live and Circus 1903 which will transform Sydney’s Coliseum Theatre into a 1920’s party from 7 January 2027.

Produced by Simon Painter and Tim Lawson, Cirque Empire boasts extraordinary acts from some of the greatest performers around the globe promising the most outrageous entertainment in a decade of decadence.

The year is 1922. A visionary young impresario recently inherited his late father’s fortune and invested every penny in creating the ultimate New York City destination for roaring twenties revelry. He has imported the most breathtaking, outrageous, and exotic talent from across the globe to perform nightly in his opulent theatrical extravaganza, assembling an eclectic cast of characters from high-flying aerialists and avant-garde acrobats to hysterical comedians and dazzling dancers.

Executive Producer, Tim Lawson, said he was thrilled to be returning to the Coliseum with a world premiere production. “We had such fun and great success with Cirque Alice at the Coliseum last year, it was our first choice to open Cirque Empire. The show will, as always, boast spectacular entertainment that will dazzle audiences of all ages – whether you’re on a date night or you want to bring the whole family along”

With the cast to be announced in the coming months, Creative Producer Simon Painter said audiences could expect a lineup of some of the most extraordinary performers on Earth who must be seen to be believed, from jaw-dropping international circus acts to side-splitting comedians, alongside an elite troupe of Australia’s most sensational dancers.

“The cast that has been selected for this show is amongst the very best acrobatic, dance and comedic talent that has ever been presented in any circus show, and we cannot wait to share these truly unbelievable acts with Sydney audiences,” said Painter.

Richard Errington, CEO of West HQ, said, “Securing Cirque Empire for the Coliseum Theatre is a significant win for Western Sydney and reflects our commitment to bringing exceptional live entertainment to the region. Cirque Empire offers audiences a spectacular and distinctive live experience. It’s another example of the calibre and diversity of entertainment being delivered right here in Western Sydney.

Errington added “This is about more than one show – it’s about building the identity of the Coliseum Theatre as a destination for live entertainment. Cirque Empire adds to that momentum and reinforces the Coliseum’s role in putting Western Sydney firmly on the cultural map.”

Prepare for a night of roaring glamour and outrageous spectacle.

The season is presented by the Coliseum Theatre in association with Tim Lawson and Simon Painter.

Join the waitlist at coliseumtheatre.com.au now

CIRQUE EMPIRE
Venue: Coliseum Theatre
Season: 7 – 16 January
Performance Times: Wed & Thurs 7pm, Fri & Sat 7.30pm, Sun 6pm, Matinees Wed & Sun 1pm, Sat 2.30pm
Prices: From $69 (Transaction fees apply)

Bookings: coliseumtheatre.com.au or ticketek.com.au
Phone: 02 9625 5500 10am to 5pm
In Person: West HQ Box Office, 33 Railway Street, Rooty Hill,

BOOKINGS
Priority Presales: From Tuesday 22 September, 10am
Tickets start at $69 plus booking fees.
General Public On Sale: Tuesday 29 September, 10am
Tickets start at $69 plus booking fees.

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12th Annual Smart Fone Flick Fest Finalists Named For Opera House Screenings

16/09/2026 Breaking News

Following its ‘Mini’ and Feature Film screening presented with Eventspec at the White Bay Power Station in Rozelle on Saturday night 31 October, the fest moves to iconic Bennelong Point – with the SF3 Kids finals and Awards Ceremony in the Sydney Opera House Playhouse from 10.15am. Then – the thrilling climax – the annual SF3 Gala Finals in the same venue from 4.30pm. And Melbourne gets its own taste with the MINA and SF3 Film Festival at ACMI in Fed Square on 20 November from 6pm.

A record 400 entries including 19 feature films and 16 AI films entered from 70+ countries including some new ones such as Sudan, Georgia, Malaysia, Thailand, Czechia, Luxembourg, Peru, Pakistan, Romania, China. Plus all ‘the usual suspects’ of Australia, America, the UK, South Africa Western Europe. The best of them will face off in front of a slew of industry A-listers, festival ambassadors and celebrity and industry judges for a share of more than $50,000 in prizes.

James Demitri of Hurlstone Park in Sydney returns to back up his Best Feature Film award last year, with a new full-length movie: Three Chapters – a queer, horror and drama anthology with a twist – is the perfect Halloween treat (or trick!).

Gala Finals highlights this year include: Storyboard: the Musical from first-time filmmaker Jordan Gibbs from the USA – a stunning musical hybrid live action and animation made with his animator sister; No Bears Allowed is made by Sydney dad/daughter duo, Jimmy and Stevie Gannon, but the film was written and directed by Stevie, who is only 7 years old, making her our youngest ever Gala Director.

The Hole, by NIDA grad team of Sean Luther Hall and Josh Stewart, starring Albert Mwangi (Bump, Tom Swift, Primitive War) and Jack Ellis (A Place to Call Home, Mr InBetween, Home & Away and Sweet River).

There are two films by filmmakers with a disability – What Life Can Be and You Won’t Be Left Behind.

The Weight of Mercy is a western sci fi, starring 2025 winner Tatjana Marjanovich.

In the SF3 Kids section, there’s Code Blue from the youngest kids at Centre Stage Academy in Blacktown and special effects work from teenage Aston Di Donato of Port Kembla in Hero-Man.

There’s also an incredible film about water and memory plus a deeply moving movie about the cost of living crisis and one man’s decision for the sake of his daughter.

The Mini Screening is diverse: from crochet murders to super-heroes, from a father-daughter disagreement to a ‘good time’ ruined by AI.

As in previous years, all Gala films must be 20 mins or less; SF3 Kids films are for filmmakers 18 and under and must be 10 minutes or less; SF3 Mini films must be 3 minutes or less and the word to be inspired by is “GO”; SF3 AI is for films written by a human and made using generative AI.

Major sponsors include Blackmagic (Gold Sponsor), Melodie and Try & Byte (Silver Sponsors), Chicken & Chips Casting, Røde Microphones and Rubber Monkey (Bronze).

Australian international filmmaker Phillip Noyce heads the Ambassadors list and the judging panel that includes Louis Nowra, Serhat Caradee, Ros Gentle, Joe Ochman, Yolandi Franken and Megan Rikos.

SF3 Festival Director and co-founder Angela Blake says she’s been privileged to experience the richness and diversity in stories from all corners of the globe, and highlighted the incredible array of stories from local Australian filmmakers.

SF3 Ambassador, Australian international actor Kerry Armstrong says SF3 is one of Australia’s most important annual cultural events and celebrates the accessibility of smartphone filmmaking.

Tickets for all session are available at www.sf3.com.au with full program, awards categories and prizes also detailed.

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More Cast Revealed For The Shawshank Redemption

15/09/2026 Breaking News

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.

Rodger Corser, David Berry, Bert LaBonté The Shawshank Redemption (c) Daniel Boud_56390.jpg

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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Hayes Theatre Co Unveils Its 2027 Season

15/09/2026 Breaking News

Stylized retro city skyline with a heroic figure standing to the right, symbolizing urban leadership and ambition.

Hayes Theatre Co today announced its 2027 season, the company’s biggest yet, expanding beyond its Potts Point home with work presented at larger Sydney venues under the banner Hayes in New Places while continuing an expansive program at the Hayes Theatre. Artistic Directors Richard Carroll and Victoria Falconer, in their final year as ADs, will lead a season of new work, reimaginings, classics and major theatrical events.

Leading the season is Steven Kramer’s Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical, starring Joel Granger, returning to Sydney for an expanded staging at Carriageworks from 8 July to 8 August ahead of a national tour culminating at Melbourne Theatre Company. Phar Lap previously received rave reviews, sold-out seasons and awards; the 2027 staging is on a larger scale.

The Foundry Theatre will be transformed into an underground bar in October for Mack The Knife, a major new work by Richard Carroll, Victoria Falconer and Jordan Shea that re-imagines The Threepenny Opera. Beginning as an immersive promenade experience, it evolves into a rock-cabaret musical shaped by the audience each night.

At the Hayes Theatre in Potts Point, the season of eight productions spans cabaret, comedy, opera, contemporary musical theatre and drama. The year opens with Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door, a new cabaret-concert directed by Hayden Tonazzi with arrangements and musical direction by Steven Kramer (three-week season from 13 January). February and March feature Claudia Barrie’s Lucky Stiff, followed by the return of House of Rot after its sell-out at the 2026 Winter Cabaret Festival. May presents the Australian premiere of the folk epic Swept Away (directed by Drew Livingston), followed in July by Jacinta John’s production of Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal.

In August Matthew Barclay presents a technicolour reimagining of Mozart’s Così fan tutte or The School for Lovers. September brings Cameron Mitchell directing and choreographing the sci-fi satire Be More Chill, and the season closes with Flowers for Mrs Harris starring Rachael Beck and directed by Julia Robertson.

Hayes will again present two major festivals: the Festival of New Work returns for its fourth year extended to three weeks, and the Winter Cabaret Festival returns in June rebranded as Flare. Regular Hayes events include three Neglected Musicals (1776 in March, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in May and Dames at Sea in October), Theys at the Hayes and Victoria Falconer’s Parlour Night for Mardi Gras 2027, plus returning favourites Musical Bang Bang, Home Grown, An Evening With and Carols by Cabaret. Subscriptions are on sale from Monday 14 September, with single tickets on sale at various times in coming months. Phar Lap single tickets are available now from https://hayestheatre.com.au/event/phar-lap-2027-carriageworks/.

With its most expansive program yet, Hayes Theatre Co’s 2027 season is presented as an invitation to discover music theatre in new places, in new forms and at every scale while continuing to champion artists, audiences and Australian work.

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