By Nic Conolly
This week, the theatre community finds itself in a moment of reflection, as two significant events cast a shadow across the stage: the devastating fire at Belvoir Theatre and the sudden cancellation of Beetlejuice in Australia.
Belvoir Theatre has confirmed that its production and storage workshop in Marrickville was destroyed by fire, with the cause still unknown. Most importantly, all workshop and production staff are safe. While this is a significant loss for the company, Belvoir’s immediate focus is on supporting its people and assessing the impact on its productions and equipment. The workshop was a vital creative hub; a place where past sets were stored and future ones brought to life. As Belvoir’s Construction Manager once captured in a sign hung in the space: “MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE.” Losing this environment is deeply devastating, not only for the company but for the broader theatre community that relies on spaces like these to create and innovate. Despite the setback, Belvoir remains determined to move forward, with plans for its upcoming season continuing as scheduled while the practical implications of the fire are worked through. The company has also encouraged those who wish to support its recovery to do so by purchasing tickets, becoming season ticket holders, or making a donation. Each contribution helping sustain its four-decade-long legacy.
At the same time, the cancellation of Beetlejuice has come as a shock to audiences and industry professionals alike. The production, which had generated significant excitement ahead of its Australian run, will no longer go ahead, leaving fans disappointed and raising broader questions about the challenges facing large-scale musical theatre productions. Shows like Beetlejuice bring a particular kind of magic to the stage – irreverent, daring, and full of life. Its absence leaves a noticeable gap before it even had the chance to fully take hold.
Together, these moments highlight the transient and often unpredictable nature of theatre. Productions can be halted, spaces can be lost, and plans can change in an instant, yet the spirit of the industry endures. As someone who deeply values the world of performance, this week has prompted reflection on how important it is to support and cherish the arts while they are here; to show up, to engage, and to celebrate the work being created. Theatre is built on resilience. It has always found ways to rebuild, to adapt, and to continue telling stories, even in the face of loss. While this week carries a sense of heaviness, it also reinforces the strength of the community behind the curtain; artists, technicians, and audiences: all united by a shared love for the stage. In moments like these, we are reminded not to take any performance, any venue, or any opportunity for granted.
Brisbane
Current – Beetlejuice the Musical
Brisbane, Brisbane, Brisbane…Playing until Sunday, July 5th, Beetlejuice the Musical brings Tim Burton’s cult classic to life in an irreverent, high-energy Broadway hit. Featuring an original score by Australia’s own Eddie Perfect, this production is strange, spectacular, and seriously fun.
Official Website: https://beetlejuicethemusical.com.au
Tickets: https://www.qpac.com.au/whats-on/2026/beetlejuice-the-musical
Melbourne
Current – Sweet Charity
Sweet Charity is playing at Chapel Off Chapel in Prahran until June 28th, 2026, presented by Heirlume Productions and Forest Collective. Celebrating 60 years of the iconic Fosse musical, this reimagined production follows Charity Hope Valentine’s New York City adventures through a fresh queer lens, set between the Lavender Scare and the Stonewall Riots, featuring classic songs including “Big Spender,” “The Rhythm of Life,” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now.” Performances are held in The Chapel, with tickets from $59, and the show runs for approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including interval. More information and bookings are available through the official Chapel Off Chapel page: https://chapeloffchapel.com.au/show/sweet-charity/
Current – Pride and Prejudice (*sort of)
Pride & Prejudice (*sort of) is touring Australia in 2026, bringing the five-star comedy sensation direct from the West End to Melbourne, Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra, and Brisbane. Written by Isobel McArthur, the Olivier Award-winning comedy is an irreverent but affectionate retelling of Jane Austen’s classic romance, complete with pop classics including “Young Hearts Run Free,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and “You’re So Vain.” The tour opened in Melbourne at the Athenaeum Theatre on June 18th till July 11th, then travels to Sydney Opera House from July 16th – August 30th, Wollongong’s IPAC from September 2nd – 13th, Canberra Theatre Centre from September 16th – 27th, and QPAC Brisbane from September 30th –October 11th. The Australian cast includes Amy Lehpamer, Zoe Ioannou, Kaori Maeda-Judge, Ruby Shannon, and Teo Vergara, with Victoria Abbott and Matilda Moran as understudies. More information and bookings are available through the official website https://prideandprejudicesortof.com.au
Current – The Book of Mormon
Hello! Playing all month at the Princess Theatre, The Book of Mormon is the outrageously funny, multi-Tony Award-winning Broadway satire from the creators of South Park. Bold, cheeky, and wildly popular, this musical comedy continues to be one of Broadway’s biggest crowd-pleasers.
Official Website: https://thebookofmormonmusical.com.au/
Princess Theatre / Marriner Group: https://marrinergroup.com.au/shows/the-book-of-mormon-2026
Tickets: https://thebookofmormonmusical.com.au/tickets/melbourne/
Current – Waitress the Musical
Now playing at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Waitress the Musical is serving up a sweet slice of Broadway with plenty of heart, humour and just enough pie to make you question your interval snack choices. Featuring music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, this deliciously heartfelt musical follows Jenna, a waitress, and expert pie-maker, as she searches for a fresh start.
Official Website: https://waitressthemusical.com.au/
Tickets: https://waitressthemusical.com.au/tickets/melbourne/
Sydney
Current – Anastasia
Playing through July 5th at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, Anastasia is taking audiences on a journey to the past and all the way from imperial Russia to 1920s Paris. This sweeping Broadway adventure follows a young woman searching for home, identity, and belonging.
Official Website: https://anastasiathemusical.com.au/
Sydney Lyric Event Page: https://www.sydneylyric.com.au/anastasia/ Tickets: https://anastasiathemusical.com.au/tickets/sydney/
Current – Mackenzie
Mackenzie is a world-premiere Bell Shakespeare production playing in Sydney at The Neilson Nutshell until July 18th, 2026, before transferring to Arts Centre Melbourne from July 23rd. Created by Yve Blake, the award-winning writer behind FANGIRLS, this new play with songs is a camp, dark and deranged reimagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, asking: what if Macbeth was a 13-year-old child star? The story follows Mackenzie, a young performer who books her first tiny television role, only for a strange prophecy to spark a ruthless climb toward superstardom, fuelled by ambition, fame, and a dangerously determined stage mum. Directed by Virginia Gay, the production features Kimberley Hodgson as Mackenzie, Nikki Britton as Ruth, Ryan González as Beau and others, Billie Palin, Anusha Thomas, and Jane Watt, with a creative team including Keerthi Subramanyam, Kelsey Lee, Tom Lowndes, Elle Evangelista, and Sean Donehue. Recommended for audiences aged 13+, Mackenzie blends Shakespearean tragedy with early-2000s pop culture, celebrity obsession, and dark comedy.
For more information: https://www.bellshakespeare.com.au/mackenzie
Current – The Lion King
Playing all month at the Capitol Theatre, The Lion King is ready to make audiences feel the love tonight. Disney’s visually stunning Broadway phenomenon roars to life with world-class puppetry, breathtaking staging and iconic music by Elton John and Tim Rice.
Official Website: https://thelionkingmusical.com.au/
Capitol Theatre Event Page: https://www.capitoltheatre.com.au/the-lion-king
Tickets: https://thelionkingmusical.com.au/tickets/
Current – Hair
Running until Sunday, July 12th, the sun shines in with peace, love, rebellion, and a whole lot of rock-musical energy. Presented by the Australian Shakespeare Company and directed by Glenn Elston OAM, this major professional tour features a fully professional cast, crew, and live band. Expect big voices, big hair, and even bigger flower-power vibes.
Official website: https://shakespeareaustralia.com.au/productions/hair-sydney
Tickets: https://www.theatreroyalsydney.com/events/season-2026/hair/
Perth
Current – MJ The Musical
Moonwalking across the boards at Crown Theatre until Sunday, July 19th, MJ The Musical is in Perth for its final Australian tour stop. This explosive Broadway musical celebrates the life, artistry, and iconic moves of Michael Jackson.
Official Website: https://mjthemusical.com.au/
Crown Theatre event page: https://www.crownperth.com.au/entertainment/crown-theatre/shows/mj-the-musical
Tickets: https://mjthemusical.com.au/tickets/perth/
Treading the Boards…
Rob Guest Endowment Awards
The Rob Guest Endowment was established in 2009 in memory of acclaimed musical theatre performer Rob Guest OBE, created to honour his outstanding contribution to musical theatre and support the next generation of Australian performers and creatives. Rob Guest’s career included major roles in Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked, and he became known as the world’s longest-serving Phantom after performing the role 2,289 times. The Endowment has supported emerging artists through major awards and opportunities, including the Rob Guest Endowment Award for emerging performers, the Sue Natrass Award for technical artists, and the Brian Stacey Award for musicians.
The Endowment’s newer development opportunities include the Kellie Dickerson Emerging Musical Director Program, which honours Kellie Dickerson OAM CF, a respected musical director, conductor, mentor, and collaborator who helped establish and develop the Rob Guest Endowment. Kellie Dickerson’s career included work on major productions such as The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast, Wicked, Legally Blonde, Grey Gardens, Once, Fiddler on the Roof and The Book of Mormon. She also conducted the Sydney and West Australian Symphony Orchestras, was musical supervisor for productions including Wicked and Once, and received major honours including an OAM, a Churchill Fellowship and three Green Room Awards for Musical Direction.
In 2026, the Rob Guest Endowment continues this legacy through workshops and development opportunities, with the Melbourne workshops featuring leading Australian music theatre practitioners including Bert LaBonté, Cristina D’Agostino, Dana Jolly, Luke Hunter, and Michael Ralph.
For more information: https://robguestendowment.com.au/about-the-workshops/
Rowan Witt
Rowan Witt has been recognised at the 2026 TV WEEK Logie Awards for his role as Sean in Ghosts Australia on Paramount+, receiving a nomination for the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent. While this nomination celebrates his growing screen profile, Witt has been performing on screen and stage since childhood, including appearing as Spoon Boy in the iconic film The Matrix. He is also a highly accomplished musical theatre performer, having trained in classical voice at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and appeared in major Australian productions including The Book of Mormon, where he played Elder McKinley in the original Australian cast, Hamilton as King George III, Les Misérables, South Pacific, Into the Woods, Dogfight, She Loves Me, Follies, Baby and Friends! The Musical Parody. His career across film, television, comedy, and musical theatre shows his versatility as a performer. Congratulations Rowan!
SIX Rehearsals
Monday, June 22nd , 2026, saw rehearsals begin for the next Australian leg of SIX the Musical, as the global pop-musical phenomenon prepares to make its royal return. The new tour opens in Melbourne from July 2026 at the Comedy Theatre, before heading to Sydney from October 2026 at Theatre Royal Sydney, and Brisbane from January 2027 at QPAC’s Playhouse Theatre. This electrifying 80-minute musical reimagines the six wives of Henry VIII as modern pop icons, turning history into a high-energy concert filled with humour, glamour, and empowerment. The 2026 Australian cast features Sarah Murr as Catherine of Aragon, Mia Paris Scalise as Anne Boleyn, Cara Bessey as Jane Seymour, Kadesa Honeyhill as Anna of Cleves, Angela Brischetto as Katherine Howard and Lorinda May Merrypor as Catherine Parr, joined by swings Lauren Goetz, Geena Hutton, and Thalia Smith, with Cristina D’Agostino as Australian Associate Choreographer, Assistant to the Director and Alternate Swing.
Further information can be found at sixthemusical.com.au.
The Buzz… Recently Announced Shows
Grey Gardens
Grey Gardens will play at fortyfivedownstairs in Melbourne from July 17th to August 2nd, 2026, presented by Clovelly Fox and fortyfivedownstairs. With music by Scott Frankel, lyrics by Michael Korie and book by Doug Wright, the Tony Award-winning musical is inspired by the iconic 1975 documentary about the eccentric and deeply bonded mother-daughter duo Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, relatives of Jackie Kennedy. This new production marks the musical’s first Melbourne season since its 2011 premiere and is directed by Tyran Parke. The cast features Helen Dallimore as Edith Bouvier Beale / Little Edie, Deidre Rubenstein as Big Edie, David Hobson, Nick Simpson – Deeks, Luke Ward, Meg Williams, Evan Evans, and Adeline Hunter. More information and bookings are available at fortyfivedownstairs.com/event/grey-gardens.
Middle Raged – Brisbane Announcement
Big news! We are packing the fans, the lip gloss and the pitch deck, and heading to Brisbane this September for the Australian Performing Arts Exchange. We are thrilled that Middle Raged has been selected by @PACaustralia to be a part of APAX Arts Market lineup, where we’ll be pitching the show, seeing brilliant new work, and talking with artists, producers, and presenters from across the country.
Watch out for the Queenagers in Queensland!
For more information: https://middleraged.com.au/
Aussies Abroad
Phoebe Panaretos
The cast of Sinatra the Musical performed “Come Rain or Come Shine” at West End LIVE 2026, giving audiences a taste of the new biographical musical celebrating the life, music, and legend of Frank Sinatra. Now playing at London’s Aldwych Theatre, the production follows Sinatra’s rise to fame, his relationship with first wife Nancy Barbato, and his turbulent romance with Ava Gardner, all set to more than 20 classic songs. The West End production stars Joel Harper-Jackson as Frank Sinatra, with Phoebe Panaretos as Nancy and Ana Villafañe as Ava Gardner. Written by Joe DiPietro and directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall, Sinatra the Musical brings the sound and story of “Ol’ Blue Eyes” to a new generation of theatre audiences.
Tickets and information are available via: https://sinatramusical.com
In the Green Room with … Stephen Mahy
Stephen Mahy is one of Australia’s most versatile musical theatre performers, with more than 20 years of experience across stage, screen, concerts, and live events. A WAAPA graduate, Stephen has appeared in major productions including Jersey Boys, Grease, The Rocky Horror Show, Mamma Mia!, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Wedding Singer, Miss Saigon, and Saturday Night Fever. He is best known to many audiences for originating the role of Bob Gaudio in the Australian production of Jersey Boys- no small feat, given that singing Frankie Valli-adjacent music for a living should probably come with its own Olympic category. Off stage, Stephen is also a father, which means he brings not only talent and experience to the room, but the stamina of someone who has negotiated with a small human before breakfast. Beyond performing, he has worked across television, voice, corporate entertainment, and MC work, bringing warmth, polish, and good humour to everything he does. Whether he is belting out a show tune, steering an event, or charming a room before anyone has located the catering table, Stephen brings professionalism, generosity and just enough cheek to keep things interesting.
What is your name, what do you do in MT?
My name is Stephen Mahy, and it seems I am just auditioning. Do you know what I mean? It is the job. I just keep auditioning for shows, getting out there and putting myself forward. I am practising, having singing lessons, getting some dance lessons in, and working on my acting. I have a career in musical theatre. The last show I did was Footloose, and I am in a remarkably interesting bracket at the moment, getting close, but not quite getting the cigar. So, at the moment, I am not in a show, but I definitely still enjoy musical theatre.
What is one theatre habit you have that would confuse people outside the industry?
I am a run-of-the-mill kind of person, to be honest. I train hard at the gym, I am a father, and I eat a lot of food. Maybe that’s it. I used to have a whole barbecue chicken at interval.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you earlier in your MT journey?
Save your money. You can get paid some amazing money when you are doing a musical, especially if you are lucky enough to be touring and getting per diems. Get a financial advisor and stash that money away. Also, learn to be an understudy. Watch, observe and listen. It is remarkably easy to be in the ensemble and get carried away, but if your goal is to be a lead in any show, understudying is one of the biggest lessons you can have. I did not learn that at WAAPA. I did not learn it anywhere other than understudying in my first show, and it was the biggest lesson of my life in musical theatre.
What is one thing from your area of MT that you think everyone should try at least once?
Probably understudying. I certainly do not think I have the mindset to be a swing, although I have never done it. Swings are superhuman. Also, singing a solo song in front of a packed house is incredible. It is a beautiful feeling, so I think everyone should try that once.
What is your go – to beverage order?
Coffee at the moment, because I am so tired. I love a strong oat cappuccino.
After a big rehearsal, show, or production week, how do you unwind without accidentally still thinking about theatre?
When I am in a show, you must think about what you are about to do the next day. However, I definitely like to unwind with my favourite shows. I love a good series and a good binge because it takes me out of reality. Also surfing. Surfing is my go-to. I love getting out in the water and framing myself – although I will probably still end up singing a musical theatre tune while I am out there.
What is your dream role, job, or creative opportunity in MT?
There are so many different roles I would like to play. Being almost 44, I do not think I will ever get to play some of them – Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, for example, I am probably a little bit too old for now. Javert in Les Misérables would be amazing. There are also so many different shows coming out that I am really excited by, I love the music, so it is an ever-evolving question. I would love a role to be made for me. That would be exciting.
WRITER
Stage Door Matters is written by Nic Conolly (she/they) for Theatre Matters, an Australian-based theatre publication. By day, Nic works as a Teacher Aide; by night, they can usually be found loitering in a theatre foyer, pretending this is a personality trait and not a lifestyle choice. Nic’s background includes performing in a travelling Australian circus, teaching circus arts, and being involved in local productions- which explains the dramatic flair and lack of inside voice. They saw their first show, Cats under the Big Top, and have been in a committed relationship with theatre ever since.
