The 2021 Adelaide Festival officially opened on today February 26, having already hit its box office target! With 70 events, including 10 world premieres, 14 Australian premieres and 18 events exclusive to Adelaide over 17 days, 2021 marks the 61st Adelaide Festival and the fifth under Artistic Directors Neil Armfield and Rachel Healy.
Tim Minchin, Bob Downe and Anne “Willsy” Wills are among performers starring in two new headline shows, announced today as part of Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2021.
Tim Minchin, will return to Adelaide Cabaret Festival with the encore of his award-winning show BACK – performing on the festival’s opening weekend, on Saturday June 12 and Sunday June 13 at Festival Theatre. Adelaide will be the first stop of the show’s national tour.
The stars of the Australian professional premiere of The Wedding Singer have been announced. More performers and creatives are set to be announced for the Broadway musical, touring the country from 9 April.
Overflowing with ‘80s nostalgia, this rom-com will see Kinky Boots’ star Teagan Wouters pull up her leg warmers and tweak her side-pony, ready to belt out the role Drew Barrymore made famous.
Arts Theatre Cronulla’s first production for 2021 is David Williamson’s Travelling North during February and March. Directed by Michael Gooley, the production will play to 75% capacity audences.
Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Paulini, Rob Mills, Alexander Lewis & Mark Furze are set to star in Chess The Musical touring Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane from April to June 2021.
The male leads play second fiddle in the Disney musical Frozen – which centres on the relationship between two sisters – but they don’t mind at all. David Spicer spoke to the men playing Olaf, Hans and Kristoff at the beginning of what is expected to be a national tour.
Matt Lee is a Disney veteran, having toured the world as Bert in Mary Poppins. In this production he’s swapping soot for snow as the hot Snowman Olaf.
The 4th annual Brisbane Music Festival (BMF) is back for 2021 running from February 12 through to December 12. BMF’s 48-person creative team is presenting 24 events (including seven world premieres) across 11 venues, all supported by a comprehensive ‘pay to play’ digital offering.
Southern Cross Soloists are starting their 2021 playlist with a bang. Their maiden show Souvenirs De Aranjuez features none other than ARIA Award-winning virtuoso guitarist Slava Grigoryan supported by a team of talented musicians at QPAC. Originally intended as a 25th birthday celebration for the ensemble, instead their first concert of 2021 will mark the beginning of the the Southern Cross Soloists’ journey toward their jubilee.
In final rehearsals: Our Town by Thornton Wilder, Queensland Theatre (QT) at the Bille Brown Theatre, Brisbane, 30 January to 20 February 2021
In the lead-up to opening night for QT’s production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, Beth Keehn from Stage Whispers sat in on rehearsals and met some of the Our Town creative community.
Putting people centre stage: Lee Lewis and Nathalie Ryner set the scene for Our Town