Outgoing STC Artistic Director Kip Williams last night announced Sydney Theatre Company’s 2025 program, his eighth and final season with the Company.
Williams said, “It is with immense pride that I share this final season of theatre with you. Australian stories have always been at the centre of my programming at STC, and I’m thrilled that of the twelve shows in the 2025 Season, eight of them are by Australian writers.
“Of these, two new STC commissions that I’m particularly proud to be announcing are STC Patrick White Fellow Joanna Murray-Smith’s return to the engrossing world of Patricia Highsmith with a brand-new adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley and, following her sublime adaptations of Ruth Park’s The Harp in the South and Playing Beatie Bow, Kate Mulvany will bring to life another beloved Australian classic, The Shiralee by D’Arcy Niland.
“From brand new Australian writing and the best contemporary international plays, to thrilling reinterpretations of classics and the return of some of our most-loved productions of recent years, this is a season for lovers of theatre.
“I am so thankful for the opportunity to program and present eight seasons of theatre in my time as Artistic Director. This is by no means the end of my connection with this Company that I love so much, but for now, please accept my heartfelt gratitude for this special time we have shared in the theatre together.”
STC 2025 Season highlights:
- Following the triumphs of Julia and Switzerland, STC Patrick White Fellow Joanna Murray-Smith reunites with former STC Resident Director Sarah Goodes to return to the engrossing world of Patricia Highsmith with an insightful adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley starring Will McDonald (Heartbreak High)
- After her sublime adaptations of Ruth Park’s The Harp in the South and Playing Beatie Bow, Kate Mulvany will bring to life another beloved Australian classic, The Shiralee by D’Arcy Niland
- STC Resident Director Ian Michael will delve into the mystery and majesty of Tom Wright’s adaptation of Joan Lindsay’s Picnic at Hanging Rock starring Olivia De Jonge and Kirsty Marillier
- For the first time in twenty years, the Australian stage’s national treasure Nancye Hayes will return to STC in Amy Herzog’s heartwarming and poignant, 4000 Miles directed by STC Resident Director Kenneth Moraleda
- Dean Bryant will direct Australia’s beloved star of the screen, Rebecca Gibney, making her STC debut in Circle Mirror Transformation by Pulitzer Prize-winner, Annie Baker
- After a sold-out premiere season, Melbourne Theatre Company’s captivating musical Bloom comes to Sydney, with book and lyrics by Working Dog’s Tom Gleisner, music by Katie Weston and direction from STC favourite Dean Bryant
- Congratulations, Get Rich! by Merlynn Tong, a three-way co-production with Brisbane’s La Boite Theatre and Singapore Repertory Theatre, directed by former STC Resident Artist Courtney Stewart, is an absorbing story about mothers and daughters set in a karaoke bar
- The great Kat Stewart makes her STC debut alongside her husband David Whiteley in the hugely acclaimed Red Stitch production of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, directed by Sarah Goodes
- A groundbreaking collaboration between sublime lighting designer Nick Schlieper (The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dracula) and legendary director and actor Pamela Rabe will see Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days receive a uniquely creative reinvigoration
- Continuing the much-valued relationship with Griffin Theatre Company, STC will present the exquisite and profound Whitefella Yella Tree by Palawa writer Dylan Van Den Berg, co-directed by Griffin’s Artistic Director Declan Greene and Wiradjuri and Worimi theatremaker, Amy Sole
- Two of STC’s most successful productions in recent years return for encore seasons: Verity Laughton’s adaptation of Pip Williams’ best-selling novel The Dictionary of Lost Words; and the one and only Heather Mitchell is back again due to popular demand in her now legendary performance in Suzie Miller’s RBG: Of Many, One, directed by Priscilla Jackman
4000 MILES
By Amy Herzog
Director Kenneth Moraleda
With Nancye Hayes, Shiv Palekar, Shirong Wu
3 FEB – 23 MAR 2025
Wharf 1 Theatre
PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK
A play by Tom Wright Adapted from the novel by Joan Lindsay
Director Ian Michael
With Olivia De Jonge, Kirsty Marillier, Lorinda Merrypor, Masego Pitso
17 FEB – 5 APR 2025
Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
THE DICTIONARY OF LOST WORDS
Adapted by Verity Laughton from the novel by Pip Williams
Director Jessica Arthur
With Arkia Ashraf, Rachel Burke, Ksenja Logos, Shannen Alyce Quan
1 – 22 MAR 2025
Roslyn Packer Theatre
BLOOM
Music by Katie Weston and Lyrics by Tom Gleisner
Book by Tom Gleisner
Director Dean Bryant
With Evelyn Krape, Vidya Makan, Mandy McElhinney, Maria Mercedes, Eddie Muliaumaseali’I, John O’May, Christina O’Neill, Jackie Rees, Slone Sudiro, John Waters
29 MAR – 11 MAY 2025
Roslyn Packer Theatre
RBG: OF MANY, ONE
By Suzie Miller
Director Priscilla Jackman
With Heather Mitchell
11 Apr – 17 May 2025
Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
HAPPY DAYS
By Samuel Beckett
Conceived and Directed by Nick Schlieper & Pamela Rabe
With Pamela Rabe
5 MAY– 29 JUN 2025
Wharf 1 Theatre
CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION
By Annie Baker
Director Dean Bryant
With Ahunim Abebe, Nicholas Brown, Rebecca Gibney
12 JUL – 7 SEP 2025
Wharf 1 Theatre
THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY
By Patricia Highsmith Adapted for the stage by Joanna Murray-Smith
Director Sarah Goodes
With Will McDonald, Andrew McFarlane
19 AUG – 28 SEP 2025
Roslyn Packer Theatre
WHITEFELLA YELLA TREE
By Dylan Van Den Berg
Directors Declan Greene & Amy Sole
With Joseph Althouse
19 SEP – 18 OCT 2025
Wharf 1 Theatre
THE SHIRALEE
By D’Arcy Niland Adapted for the stage by Kate Mulvany
Director Jessica Arthur Dramaturg Kip Williams
With Josh McConville, Kate Mulvany, Aaron Pedersen, Ziggy Resnick
6 OCT – 22 NOV 2025
Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
EDWARD ALBEE’S WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?
Director Sarah Goodes
With Emily Goddard, Kat Stewart, David Whiteley, Harvey Zielinski
7 NOV – 14 DEC 2025
Roslyn Packer Theatre
CONGRATULATIONS, GET RICH! (恭喜发财, 人日快乐)
By Merlynn Tong
Director Courtney Stewart
With Seong Hui Xuan, Merlynn Tong, Kimie Tsukakoshi
21 NOV – 14 DEC 2025
Wharf 1 Theatre
