Melbourne Theatre Company Season 2022

Image: Admissions. Photographer: Sam Bisso.

Artistic Director & CEO Brett Sheehy has unveiled his final season for Melbourne Theatre Company – a program of 11 productions including both new Australian and critically acclaimed international works.

‘MTC’s long-standing role as a beacon of innovative modern storytelling is reinforced in 2022 across a season of works that will delight, inspire and enthral,’ Sheehy said.

‘Australian works once again feature prominently, including some making their long-awaited premieres after the disruption of recent years along with terrific commissions that have come through our NEXT STAGE Writers’ Program. These are complemented by five award-winning, extraordinary plays from the US and UK. Together, they offer a year of thrilling theatre full of fresh perspectives, pure entertainment and thought-provoking stories relevant to our 21st century lives.

Image: Touching the Void. Photographer: Jo Duck.

‘Season 2022 is my final program for MTC and my parting contribution to theatre lovers of Melbourne and Victoria. It has been my absolute pleasure to lead this extraordinary Company for a decade, bringing unforgettable theatre to the stages of this great city along with the phenomenal team at MTC.’

Alongside the mainstage program, the company continues developing local artists, creating opportunities for young people and making theatre accessible to as many people as possible.

ANZ will continue their partnership with MTC in 2022 with the return of ANZ Forum Nights, in addition to expanding their support to include MTC Digital Theatre –  with more productions set to be filmed and available Australia-wide.

Image: Laurinda. Photographer: David Kelly.

Students across Victoria will again have access to learning opportunities through the company’s Education Program and MTC’s range of signature programs and initiatives made possible by philanthropic support will return. These include the First Peoples Young Artists Program, NEXT STAGE Writers’ Program and the Women in Theatre Program. Alumnae from the Women in Theatre Program also feature prominently in MTC’s 2022 season, with past participants working in the creative teams for 8 of the 11 productions. New in 2022 will be the MinterEllison Future Directors Initiative, designed to foster the talents of aspiring mainstage directors.

Image: Sunshine Super Girl. Evening Standard.

MTC Executive Director and Co-CEO Virginia Lovett said, ‘It has been a wonderful 10 years working with Brett and his final program is another marvellous line-up of theatre. 2022 is going to be a great year at MTC as we begin to return to a fuller program both onstage and off – through our live presentations, touring and MTC Digital Theatre – world-class theatre will be accessible to audiences around the country.

‘As we continue on our path of recovery and rebuilding, we look forward to MTC playing its important role in the revitalisation of Melbourne and the state’s renowned cultural sector.’

Australian Works In The Spotlight

Local storytelling takes centre stage in MTC’s 2022 season, with six Australian works dominating the program.

The Heartbreak Choir by Aidan Fennessy makes its world premiere starring Tariro Mavondo (Jumpy), William McInnes (An Ideal Husband), Emily Milledge (The House of Bernarda Alba), Genevieve Morris (True Minds) and Louise Siversen (Noises Off), directed by Peter Houghton. This MTC NEXT STAGE Original is a celebration of music, friendship and community that opens on Friday 29 April.

Image: Come Rain or Come Shine. Photographer: Jo Duck

The Helpmann Award-winning team behind Ladies in Black – Carolyn Burns, Tim Finn and Simon Phillips – return with a new boutique musical, Come Rain or Come Shine opening Friday 24 June. An adaptation of Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro’s comic short story about music, memory and lifelong friendship, this MTC NEXT STAGE Original will feature Simon Gleeson (An Ideal Husband) and Chris Ryan (Shakespeare in Love), and will be directed by Simon Phillips. 

Laurinda, an adaptation of Alice Pung’s award-winning novel of the same name opens on Thursday 11 August, brought to the stage by writer and comedian Diana Nguyen with MTC’s Petra Kalive. Directed by Kalive and starring Fiona Choi (Torch The Place), Chi Nguyen (The Wilds), Jillian Nguyen (Hungry Ghosts SBS), Ngoc Phan (Boy Swallows Universe) and Jenny Zhou (Girl, Interpreted), this MTC NEXT STAGE Original is a study of a young woman caught between cultures and class.

Virginia Gay appears in Cyrano, a gender-flipped retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac packed with music, wit and aching romance, directed by Sarah Goodes. Opening on Thursday 29 September, Cyrano sees Gay freely adapting and reimagining Edmond Rostand’s classic play, resulting in a self-aware theatrical rom-com for our times.

Click here to read about more 2022 seasons