Best new musicals and theatre shows coming to Melbourne in 2026

Best Melbourne musicals in 2026

Heathers the Musical

Until 9 May 2026, Playhouse

Both funny and dark, Heathers the Musical is a cult-classic musical for good reason. Coming direct from London and New York to Melbourne, Heathers the Musical is based on the film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater and full of killer soundtracks.

In 1989 Westerberg High, popularity is a matter of life and death. Veronica Sawyer is just another nobody dreaming of a better day after high school - until she's taken under the wings of the Heathers: beautiful, popular and cruel. Will she fight to stay at the top - or fall under the spell of mysterious teen rebel J.D.? At Westerberg, any choice could quickly turn deadly.

WAITRESS

Until 12 July 2026, Her Majesty's Theatre

Tune in to WAITRESS: a smash-hit musical with music and lyrics by Grammy winner Sara Bareilles, baking its way to Australia for the very first time.

It's inspired by the 2007 film by Adrienne Shelly, which follows small-town waitress Jenna, who wants to escape her rocky marriage and start again. A new romance, a baking contest and the support of her fellow waitress may just offer Jenna the taste of change she needs...

Enjoy a story of friendship, hope and resilience, full of the iconic Bareilles songs you know and love.

The Book of Mormon

Until 19 July 2026, Princess Theatre

The Book of Mormon is an outrageous musical comedy about a pair of missionaries sent to a remote village in Uganda. It's jam-packed with catchy songs, explicit content and naughty jokes - parents be warned!

Nevertheless, this nine-time Tony Award-winning has been called 'the best musical of this century' by The New York Times, and will make for a fabulous night out.

SIX the Musical

24 July - 23 August 2026, Comedy Theatre

SIX the Musical returns to Melbourne this year after touring more than 15 countries and scoring 38 major international awards, including two Tony Awards and a Grammy nomination.

Get ready to see Henry VIII's six wives - Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr - remix 500 years of history into an electrifying 80-minute pop concert fit for royalty.

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)

18 June - 11 July 2026, Athenaeum Theatre

The musical comedy sensation Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is heading to Australia following its award-winning West End run. Celebrated for its bold and unconventional style, the show took out Best Comedy at the Laurence Olivier Awards.

This irreverent yet affectionate retelling reimagines Austen's world with a modern twist, where five performers bring all the characters to life in a fast-paced, high-energy production. As romance, class and social expectations collide - underscored by pop anthems - men, money and microphones are all up for grabs.

Pretty Woman: The Musical

14 July - 23 August 2026, Regent Theatre

See Pretty Woman - one of the most beloved rom-coms of all time - brought to fresh life in Pretty Woman: The Musical. This dazzling stage adaptation is full of glamour, charm and love, with an original story by Grammy winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance plus direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell.

Pretty Woman focuses on Hollywood escort Vivian, hired by wealthy businessman Edward for a week-long stay to attend several business events with him. Will they fall in love, or go their separate ways?

A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

5 August - 11 October 2026, Princess Theatre

Are you a Neil Diamond fan? Created in collaboration with Neil Diamond himself, A BEAUTIFUL NOISE tells the uplifting story of how a kid from Brooklyn became an American rock icon selling 140 million albums.

This exhilarating musical shines a spotlight on Neil Diamond's career, with a catalogue of classics like Forever in Blue Jeans and Sweet Caroline. You'll soon see why Neil Diamond sold out concerts around the world, was inducted into the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame and won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Fiddler on the Roof

31 October - 27 December 2026, Her Majesty's Theatre

Sold out in London and breaking records as the best-selling musical of all time, Fiddler on the Roof arrives in Melbourne for a strictly limited season in 2026. This critically acclaimed West End production has earned three Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best Musical Revival, and is based on the short story Tevye the Dairyman by prolific Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem.

Set in 1905 in the small village of Anatevka, the story follows Tevye, a milkman devoted to tradition as he navigates life with his five daughters. As each daughter begins to challenge long-held customs around love and marriage, Tevye must confront the tension between preserving his cultural identity and adapting to a rapidly changing world.

MRS. DOUBTFIRE

From November 2026, PrincessTheatre

The feel-good comedy musical MRS. DOUBTFIRE is coming to Melbourne, with fabulous new songs and fun dance numbers paired with the iconic film moments you know and love!

This hilarious yet heartfelt musical is based on the 1993 comedy-drama film Mrs. Doubtfire, in which recently divorced voice actor Daniel Hillard creates the alter-ego Euphegenia Doubtfire: an elderly Scottish nanny who gets hired into his ex-wife's household to spend more time with his kids.

Best Melbourne plays and theatre shows in 2026

Julius Caesar

Until 10 May 2026, Fairfax Studio

Shakespeare's political masterpiece Julius Caesar comes to life with Peter Evans' thrilling new production. Senators Brutus and Cassius are growing nervous at Caesar's growing power in the Roman Republic, which hasn't had a king for four centuries. Discover the conspiracy that led to Caesar's famous assassination, and the storm of civil war that followed.

Never Closer

7-24 May 2026, fortyfivedownstairs

Australian playwright Grace Chapple’s Never Closer is set in Northern Ireland in 1987, where the everyday rituals of friendship unfold under the constant pressure of The Troubles. On Christmas Eve, Deirdre hosts her old schoolfriends in her kitchen and finds herself suspended between arguments, nations, and the versions of herself she might have become.

This Melbourne premiere, presented by Patalog Theatre in association with fortyfivedownstairs, stars Ella Ferris, Molly Holahan, Enya Daly, Karl Richmond, Damon Baudin and Ben Walter, best known for his role of Albus Potter in the Melbourne Princess Theatre production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Never Closer is a drama about home and belonging, the decision to leave or stay, and whether forgiveness is possible when the past is still present. Book online.

Pride and Prejudice

14 - 23 May 2026, Malthouse Theatre

Enjoy the classic romance Pride and Prejudice - originally a novel by Jane Austen, adapted numerous times for film and TV - on stage at the Malthouse Theatre. This is a searing satire on polite society, with plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments.

As in the original, Mrs Bennet wants to see her five daughters strategically married. But this is no ordinary adaptation. Here, Pride and Prejudice is pushed into the 21st century, riffing off the rising cost of living and plummeting dreams of home ownership. Elizabeth Bennet's sister Mary is in a goth phase; Mr Bennet is played by a potted monstera. Will there still be a happy ending?

Shoelace Chaser

9 - 27 May 2026, Southbank Theatre

Starring Leigh Lule and Zoe Boesen, Shoelace Chaser is a heartfelt new work from AWGIE Award-winning playwright Madelaine Nunn, directed by Green Room Award-winning Liv Satchell. This warm and uplifting production explores themes of care, responsibility and growing up, offering a sensitive and contemporary perspective on the challenges faced by young people navigating complex family dynamics.

At its centre is Thea, a 17-year-old balancing the everyday pressures of adolescence with the hidden responsibility of caring for her mum. Determined and self-reliant, she has kept her situation a secret - even from Syd, her enthusiastic new running partner who encourages her to pursue a university athletics scholarship. As Thea begins to consider a future beyond her current circumstances, she must confront the difficult reality of leaving her mum behind.

Prima Facie

Until 31 May 2026, Comedy Theatre

Australian playwright Suzie Miller's acclaimed one-woman play Prima Facie has returned to Australia in a powerful homecoming production following extraordinary international success. This landmark production stars Sheridan Harbridge and is directed by Lee Lewis in a true powerhouse production.

The story centres on Tessa, a successful criminal defence barrister who firmly believes in its ability to deliver justice. Her perspective is upended when an unexpected event forces her to confront the law from the other side, challenging her faith in the rules and procedures she once championed.

The Glass Menagerie

Until 5 June 2026, Southbank Theatre

Experience Tennessee Williams's haunting play The Glass Menagerie, brought back to Melbourne for the first time in two decades by the Melbourne Theatre Company. This is one of the most beloved and enduring works of the 20th century.

Amanda Wingfield, a faded Southern Belle abandoned by her husband to raise two children under harsh financial conditions, just wants her daughter Laura and her son Tom to have a secure future. She's obsessed with finding a suitor for Laura, a fragile young woman with a limp and an inferiority complex.

Frustrated warehouse worker and aspiring poet Tom introduces Jim O'Connor, an old high school acquaintance, to the family. Will Jim be what the family is looking for - or a blow to their carefully constructed illusion?

Told from Tom's perspective, this bittersweet portrait of a fragile family will haunt you for days after you see it.

Retrograde

16 May - 27 June 2026, Fairfax Studio

 Following a critically acclaimed West End run, Retrograde draws on a real episode from the early career of Sidney Poitier, set against the backdrop of Hollywood's so-called Golden Age and the looming threat of McCarthyism. Directed by Bert LaBonté, this sharply relevant stage work brings together an impressive cast, including Donné Ngabo, Josh McConville and international screen star Alan Dale.

Set in a television studio at a pivotal moment in Poitier's life, the play centres on a high-stakes meeting that could launch his career. What begins as a straightforward contract negotiation quickly spirals into a tense and probing interrogation, as the racial and political pressures beneath Hollywood's polished exterior are laid bare.

Losing Face

22 June - 25 July 2026, Southbank Theatre

Are you ready for a perimenopausal Weekend at Bernie's? Losing Face is a clever new comedy from screenwriter and playwright Marieke Hardy (Heartbreak High).

In Losing Face, travel writer Jo invites two best friends to an all-expenses-paid visit to the flashy new wellness resort, The Royal You, for her 50th birthday. But instead of relaxing spas and saunas, they find themselves at a medispa that upsells supercharged cosmetic procedures to unsuspecting guests. When a medical mishap turns disastrous, the women are left with some wildly unexpected side effects.

Mackenzie

23 July - 9 August 2026, Fairfax Studio

Mackenzie is the Bell Shakespeare theatre company's latest reimagining: this time, a twisted and deeply camp version of Shakespeare's Macbeth.

It charts 13-year-old Mackenzie's rise to pop artist fame, fuelled by a cutthroat stage mum who'll stop at nothing to make her daughter a star. Set in the early 2000s, expect a wild ride that'll leave you both laughing and disturbed.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS

23 July - 9 August 2026, Athenaeum Theatre

You've probably seen the hit 1989 comedy-drama film Steel Magnolias - but did you know that it was based on a play? Watch the touching story back live on stage in this new Australian production, STEEL MAGNOLIAS, directed by Lee Lewis and performed by six powerhouse actors.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS is set in a small Southern US town, where the local women gather to share their joys, struggles, and of course a little gossip in the town beauty salon. When tragedy strikes, its this unshakeable friendship that will carry them through.

Uncle Vanya

21 July - 22 August 2026, Playhouse

Anton Chekhov's classic tragicomedy play Uncle Vanya has been brought to new life by one of Australia's most prolific playwrights, Joanna Murray-Smith. This is a masterful examination of the human condition, full of wit, longing and frustration.

Uncle Vanya is set on a once-grand estate in rural Russia, the abode of Sonya and her Uncle Vanya. When elderly Professor Serebryakov, owner of the estate, visits with his young second wife Yelena, it turns their quiet life on its head. Vanya, brother to the professor's late first wife, is besotted with Yelena; Sonya, the professor's daugher by his first wife, is in love with local doctor Astrov; Astrov also only has eyes for Yelena.

Animal Farm

12 - 24 August 2026, Fairfax Studio

George Orwell's biting allegory Animal Farm is given a sharp Australian political twist, thanks to independent theatre company Bloomshed's new production.

On Manor Farm, the animals revolt against their farmer to seize the means of production and free themselves from the yoke of humans. But their lofty dream doesn't take long to start rotting...

Animal Farm is just as relevant today as it was back in 1945 when first published. Tune in to a tale full of corporate greed, climate crisis, media spin and a revolving door of leadership. And don't worry - there's plenty of physical comedy, dance breaks, and other theatrical chaos to keep you laughing throughout.

Break of Day

7 - 29 August 2026, Malthouse Theatre

Break of Day is a compelling new work by playwright Steve Rodgers, winner of both the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award and the Australian Writers Guild Prize for Playwriting. The production stars Kat Stewart and reunites her with director Sarah Goodes following their acclaimed collaboration on Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

Set in the outer reaches of a satellite city, the story unfolds over a single night in Burra Creek, where Pam works the night shift at a vast warehouse while her daughter Rae stays up for reasons of her own. As Pam navigates long commutes and invisible labour, she becomes increasingly determined to change the trajectory of her daughter's life...even if it means bending the rules. Meanwhile, Rae grapples with the limitations of growing up in a place with few opportunities, where small moments of connection offer brief escape. Blending humour with social insight, this sharply observed drama explores class, ambition and the lengths a parent will go to in pursuit of a better future for their child.

The Jungle and the Sea

14 August - 12 September 2026, Southbank Studio

The Jungle and the Sea follows a family's epic journey to retain their dignity and safety, as they live through Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war. Central to the story is Gowrie, who blindfolds herself after an unexpected act of destruction splits her family apart, refusing to see the world again until her loved ones are reunited.

This touching tale is built out of real-life testimonies from the war, woven through with elements of the seminal Indian text Mahābhāratha and the Greek myth of Antigone. It's a stirring meditation on survival, honouring those who have endured unimaginable loss and still upheld their capacity for love, connection and pride.

KOREABOO

24 September - 10 October 2026, Beckett Theatre

Hannah is a young Korean woman raised in Australia, and she has a dream: travel to Korea to visit her birth mother and have an amazing summer creating precious memories. But reality in Seoul hits her hard.

In her Umma's mind, Hannah is a 'Koreaboo': a foreigner obsessed with K-pop, kimchi and hanbok. And her Umma seems more interested in her tiring work at the convenience store than reconnecting with her long-lost daughter. Can Hannah find a place in Umma's world before the end of summer?

Written and acted by Michelle Lim Davidson, this heartfelt play takes inspiration from Davidson's real life experiences.

Eliza

28 September - 31 October 2026, Southbank Theatre

Directed by Paige Rattray, the new psychological thriller Eliza confronts the ethical tensions surrounding rapidly advancing AI. Written by four-time AWGIE Award winner Tom Holloway, the production offers an unsettling reflection on the unintended consequences of technological progress.

The story centres on Joseph Weizenbaum, a brilliant MIT professor shaped by the trauma of fleeing Nazi Germany as a child. As he develops a groundbreaking computer program designed to simulate talk therapy - using intimate details from his secretary Becky's life - the boundary between human connection and machine response begins to erode.

Before I Forget

24 October - 28 November 2026, Fairfax Studio

Before I Forget is a poignant tribute to motherhood, family and culture. Blending wicked humour and deep emotional truth, this is a celebration of the strength of an ancestral line shaped by an accomplished matriarch.

In Before I Forget, the fiercely independent First Nations linguist, activist and academic Faith Wells is affected by escalating dementia. Her daughter Karma must sell her own home to fund Faith's relocation into aged care. Meanwhile, Karma's daughter Hope is dealing with her own personal struggles...

All About Eve

20 November - 12 December 2026, Malthouse Theatre

The iconic film All About Eve is brought to the stage in a sharp and stylish production that revisits a classic story of ambition and rivalry, interrogating the enduring pressures of fame, ageing and the relentless pursuit of relevance in the spotlight.

In a New York dressing room, Broadway star Margo Channing meets her devoted admirer Eve Harrington, who quickly ingratiates herself into Margo's world. While Eve presents as humble and eager to help, Margo senses a more calculating ambition beneath the surface. As the balance of power begins to shift, the play unpacks the precarious nature of success, where admiration can turn into rivalry and the rise of one woman may come at the expense of another.

A Room with A View

14 November - 19 December 2026, Southbank Theatre

Set between the sun-drenched streets of Florence and the reserved drawing rooms of Edwardian England, A Room with a View was originally a novel written by E.M. Forster. This sweeping and mischievous romance has been adapted for the stage by playwright Grace Chapple and director Hannah Goodwin.

A Room with a View follows Lucy Honeychurch, a young woman who travels to Italy with her prim cousin Charlotte Bartlett and encounters the unconventional and candid George Emerson. Torn between torn between social expectation and her own awakening desires, will Lucy choose a life of propriety or one of authenticity?

Best Melbourne stage shows in 2026

Ballet shows

Romeo and Juliet(6-16 June 2026, Regent Theatre)

John Cranko's interpretation of William Shakespeare's timeless tragedy Romeo and Juliet is realised as a beloved classical balle, set to the sweeping score of Sergei Prokofiev and brought to life through Jürgen Rose's opulent designs. Enjoy this classic tale of two young lovers caught between feuding families.

Copland Dance Episodes(23 June - 2 July 2026, Regent Theatre)

Justin Peck's Copland Dance Episodes is an exclusive Australian premiere and its first performances outside New York, marking a major moment for contemporary ballet audiences. A Tony Award-winning choreographer and Resident Choreographer of the New York City Ballet, Peck delivers a bold, large-scale series of dynamic vignettes, set to the vibrant score of Aaron Copland.

The Sleeping Beauty(9-18 October 2026, Regent Theatre)

Performing in Australia for the first time in decades, The Stuttgart Ballet brings Marcia Haydée's interpretation of The Sleeping Beauty to Melbourne by special invitation from The Australian Ballet. This exclusive season showcases a classic fairytale that unfolds as a dramatic battle between good (Lilac Fairy) and evil (Carabosse). It's set to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's iconic score and brought vividly to life through Jürgen Rose's intricate sets.

Dracula (1-25 October 2026, Her Majesty's Theatre)

The critically-acclaimed Dracula ballet returns to Melbourne this year after a sold-out London season and record-breaking tour across Australia and New Zealand. Witness this haunting, cinematic reimagining of the gothic classic, driven by masterpieces from Bach, Rachmaninov, Mozart, Liszt, Mussorgsky, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns and Debussy.

The Nutcracker(24-31 October 2026, Ian Potter Theatre)

Peter Wright's beloved production of The Nutcracker returns to enchant audiences in Melbourne this year. This faithful interpretation of the 19th-century Christmas tale is set to the iconic score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and captures the magic of the holiday season. With designs by John F. Macfarlane, the production is celebrated for its richly detailed staging and timeless appeal.

Opera shows

La Traviata (8-16 May 2026, Regent Theatre)

La Traviata is a glittering yet deeply emotional production udner Sarah Giles' direction. Featuring the soaring music of Giuseppe Verdi, the opera follows Violetta: a celebrated Parisian courtesan whose life is transformed after she meets the ardent Alfredo, forcing her to confront whether she can escape her past.

Ned Kelly: The Musical (24-25 July 2026, Union Theatre)

Originally created by Reg Livermore in the late 1970s, Ned Kelly: The Musical is reimagined by director Stuart Maunder and conductor Simon Holt, with a special cameo from Livermore himself. The musical traces the life and legacy of Ned Kelly, one of Australia's most infamous and debated historical figures.

The Coronation of Poppea (30 June-4 July 2026, Palais Theatre)

Victorian Opera presents a bold new staging of L'incoronazione di Poppea with Elena Kats-Chernin's distinctive re-orchestration, which infuses Claudio Monteverdi's masterpiece with touches of jazz, tango and ragtime. This sensuous production is set in ancient Rome, exploring a world where ambition and desire collide as the ruthless pursuit of love unfolds against a backdrop of political intrigue.

The Turn of the Screw (29 September-1 October 2026, Palais Theatre)

The Turn of the Screw brings Henry James' gothic novella to the stage via Benjamin Britten's suspenseful 1954 adaptation, in a new and haunting production directed by Stuart Maunder. This chamber opera is set within an eerie English manor as a governess cares for two children amid increasingly unsettling events, where sinister forces may or may not be at play.

The Spare Room (7-10 October 2026, Playhouse Theatre)

The Spare Room is adapted from Helen Garner's acclaimed novel and presented by Victorian Opera, with music by Jane Hammond and a libretto by Therèsa Borg. This intimate and emotionally rich production follows Helen as she prepares her home for her friend Nicola, who arrives in Melbourne seeking treatment she believes will cure her cancer. As Nicola's condition deteriorates, Helen becomes caregiver, protector and reluctant critic.

La Bohème (7-18 November 2026, Regent Theatre)

La Bohème returns in a fresh new production by director Constantine Costi, reimagining Giacomo Puccin's timeless tale of love and hardship among young artists in Paris. The opera captures the exhilaration and fragility of youth, where passion and creativity collide with the realities of poverty and loss.

The Trumpet of the Swan (20-22 November 2026, Regent Theatre)

The Trumpet of the Swan brings E. B. White's beloved story to life as a narration with a cinematic live score performed by Orchestra Victoria. Adapted by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Marsha Norman with music by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown, this acclaimed production follows Louis, a voiceless swan helped by a trumpet and a boy named Sam to find his own unique voice.

My Fair Lady (14 November - 13 December 2026, Ian Potter State Theatre)

Lerner and Loewe's iconic My Fair Lady will be the first major musical to perform at Arts Centre Melbourne's newly refurbished Ian Potter State Theatre. It's been 70 years since My Fair Lady's dazzling Broadway debut, which led to the iconic, Oscar Award-winning film in 1938. 2026's lavish production will be based on the 2016 Australian production directed by Julie Andrews, who originated the role of Eliza Doolittle: an irrepressible Cockney flower girl who transforms into a lady of society.