Cody Simpson to Star in Guys & Dolls on Sydney Harbour

Opera Australia has announced that pop star and champion swimmer Cody Simpson return to the stage in 2025, making his Australian musical theatre debut alongside an all-star cast in a brand-new production of the award-winning Broadway musical Guys & Dolls at Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour from 21 March to 20 April. 

Not content to slip quietly back onto the entertainment scene, Simpson is making a big splash, choosing the country’s largest outdoor stage for his first major musical endeavour since retiring from competitive swimming earlier this year.  

Hailing from the Gold Coast, Cody Simpson rose to fame in Australia and the USA as a young pop singer, signing an international record deal at the age of 14 after uploading covers to YouTube. He toured with Justin Bieber and scored a Top 10 debut on the US Billboard 100. An accomplished vocalist and guitarist with four studio albums under his belt, he made his Broadway musical debut in 2018 after landing the lead role of Dmitry in Anastasia. 

Drawing on his ‘inner crooner’, Simpson will play the lead role of Sky Masterton, which was made famous in the 1955 film by one of the biggest names of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Marlon Brando, starring alongside Frank Sinatra.  

“The role of Sky has always been one of my dream stage roles ever since I was first introduced to the story and the soundtrack of Guys & Dolls. I fell in love with the film as a teenager when I first developed a passion for musical theatre prior to my debut on Broadway.  

“I’m drawn to 1940’s-50’s era, the music, the style, the fashion. I’m heavily inspired by the singers and crooners of the era and am excited to introduce this to the next generation. It’s probably why the Guys & Dolls movie is an all-time favourite and Frank Sinatra in particular, is a major inspiration,” he said. 

Starring alongside Simpson will be two of Australia’s favourite leading men, the uber-talented entertainer Bobby Fox as Nathan Detroit, and the highly acclaimed breakout star of Hamilton Jason Arrow as the cheeky rogue, Nicely-Nicely Johnson, along with celebrated musical theatre performer Annie Aitken as the saintly Sarah Brown, the object of Sky’s scheming and eventual love interest.  

With music by Frank Loesser and book by Joe Swerling and Abe Burrows, the five-time Tony award-winning musical is filled-to-the-brim with instantly recognisable tunes, including ‘Luck Be a Lady’ and ‘Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat’.  

Directed by award-winner Shaun Rennie, Guys & Dolls on Sydney Harbour promises lots of laughs, show-stopping dance numbers all set on a larger-than-life slice of New York City designed by Brian Thomson with costumes by Jennifer Irwin. 

www.opera.org.au/harbour