SEASON 2026: ORDINARY PEOPLE, EXTRAORDINARY MOMENTS
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CALENDAR GIRLS
By Tim Firth Directed by Kathy Petrakis 20 February – 1 March 2026 “a triumph of heart, humour, and community spirit.” When Annie's husband John dies of leukaemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow Women's Institute members to pose nude with them for an "alternative" calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer Lawrence. The news of the women's charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie's friendship is put to the test under the strain of their new-found fame. Tim Firth’s hilarious play based on the true story of eleven women who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund, Calendar Girls is a witty and heart-warming story of friendship and determination. An amateur production by arrangement with ORiGiN™ Theatrical, on behalf of Samuel French Ltd |
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NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH By Lally Katz Directed by Kathryn Thomas 20 – 31 May 2026 “Many people will want to kill you. Better you is ready.” Neighbourhood Watch is a glorious comedy about hope, death and pets. Ana is a battle hardened Hungarian-Australian veteran of the twentieth century. Catherine is her neighbour: a 20-something aspiring actress waiting for a better world. As their unlikely odd-couple friendship develops, Catherine’s life is transformed by Ana’s stories of the traumas of war, the desolation of the refugee experience, and the struggle of settling in a foreign land. In turn, Ana is granted one last great friendship at a time when the journey to her life’s end was looking to be a lonely one. This glorious comedy about hope, death and pets, takes on a sense of enormity in the midst of the ordinary, questioning whether we really know what’s out there in the ‘burbs’. “Entertaining and substantial, very funny and tremendously enjoyable” - Australian Stage “This story of the importance of human connection is presented at a time when communities have not been able to come together and many are feeling the struggle of social isolation.” - BroadwayWorld Please note: this production contains strong language, violence, adult themes (abortion, suicide, death), and references to cancer, mental illness and sexual violence AFTER DINNER
By Andrew Bovell Directed by Andrew Castle 21-30 August 2026 “YOU SEE THERE’S ALL SORTS OF THINGS YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU’RE SINGLE.” - PAULA Get ready to party like its 1989! A knock out comedy from master playwright Andrew Bovell (The Secret River, Things I Know To Be True) following five eccentric lonely hearts in a 1980s pub bistro. After Dinner is a poignant and hilarious collision of lonely hearts, sex, friendship and Friday night drinks. Paula, Dympie and Monika are, in the words of Roxette, Sweden’s greatest export, “dressed for success”. Primped, preened and ready to rumble, they are up for anything and, perhaps, anyone. Except that is for Stephen and Gordon, the alpha male and nerdy no-hoper at the table next to them. Over the course of the night bad dance moves are on display, friendships are tested and the map of the human heart is crisscrossed. After Dinner will leave you rolling in the aisles. Please note: this production contains string sexual references. Presented in association with HLA MANAGEMENT PTY LTD |
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ALL THINGS MUST PASS By David Potter Directed by Luke Derrick September 2026 All Things Must Pass is an intimate, time-bending exploration of friendship, fame, grief, and the legacy of music. In the wake of John Lennon’s death, Ringo, George, and Paul each grapple with the loss of their brother-in-arms — the man who changed their lives and the world. As memories blur with reality, John drifts in and out of their minds, appearing in fragments of laughter, arguments, and songs long finished. Ringo feels John’s presence most vividly, haunted and comforted by the ghost of their bond. George retreats into his faith, searching for peace through spirituality. Paul, ever the perfectionist, wrestles with how to move forward — both as an artist and as a man. Through a series of heartfelt, surreal, and often darkly funny scenes, the four Beatles — one living on in spirit — navigate the long and winding road of grief, learning that even legends must face the truth that all things must pass. XANADU JR Book by Douglas Carter Beane Music and Lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar Directed by Trent Gardiner 13-29 November 2026 “A place where nobody dared to go” Xanadu JR. is inspired by the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical and the Universal Pictures’ cult classic movie that starred Olivia Newton-John and Gene Kelly. Xanadu JR. is a moving, electrifying tale of endless fun that will keep audiences in stitches while the original, legendary chart-topping tunes lift them out of their seats. Xanadu JR. follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse, Kira, who descends from the heavens of Mt. Olympus to Venice Beach, California, on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time – the first Roller Disco. (Hey, it’s 1980!) But, when Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation, and chaos abounds. Join us as we introduce this magical music to a whole new generation — a vibrant celebration of love, laughter, and the power of following your dreams! "A million lights are dancing and there you are, a shooting star" Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia). |
