The biggest musicals to see in Australia this year

Among the spectacular outdoor events staged for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour, The Phantom of the Opera is perhaps the most ambitious and extravagant. Its 2022 premiere was record-breaking, making it the highest-grossing production in the event's decade-long history. Four years later, the tragic tale of the beautiful young singer returns for an exclusive 40th anniversary season, directed by Australia’s master of musical theatre, Simon Phillips. With the Sydney Opera House as a backdrop, an enormous floating stage, an exceptional live orchestra, audacious costumes and nightly fireworks, it’s set to be one of the biggest Aussie productions of 2026.

Touring dates: Sydney from March 2026

Did they really just say that?! I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard (while simultaneously feeling terrible about it) as I did watching The Book of Mormon. This horribly hilarious Tony, Olivier and Grammy award-winning production last toured Australia in 2015, where it broke the record for the highest-selling on-sale period of any production in Melbourne’s Princess Theatre’s 159-year history. Now it’s back to tell the story of two young Mormon missionaries sent to a small village in Uganda. While the plot centres on Mormonism, the creators (also behind South Park) call it an “atheist’s love letter to religion” – a wink and a jab at organised faith more broadly. You need not be a musical theatre nut, but you need to be cool with explicit language, challenging themes and “did they really just say that?” humour.

Touring dates: Melbourne from February 2026, Brisbane from July 2026

It's been seen by more than a million people on Broadway and many more on the West End, and now the Tony Award-winning MJ the Musical has landed in Australia for the first time. Centred around the making of his 1992 Dangerous World Tour, MJ the Musical features more than 25 of Michael Jackson’s biggest pop hits set to show-stopping dance numbers – including ‘Beat It’, ‘Smooth Criminal’, ‘Man In The Mirror’ and ‘Thriller’. Off the back of his critically acclaimed turn in the US National Tour of MJ, American actor Roman Banks is leading a stacked cast of local and international performers.

Touring dates: Brisbane from March 2026, Perth from June 2026

Since its debut on Broadway in 2018, Pretty Woman: The Musical has broken box office records and captivated audiences in London’s West End. Now, Pretty Woman: The Musical is heading our way, with its Australian premiere set to open in Brisbane in 2025. Based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved rom-coms, the 1990 blockbuster Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, this musical adaptation tells the iconic tale of a chance meeting between Edward (a ruthless businessman) and Vivian (a free-spirited escort) in a whole new way. It's going to be big. And we mean BIG! HUGE! 

Touring dates: Perth from April 2026, Adelaide from May 2026, Melbourne from July 2026

A lavish musical for the whole family with opulent settings and dazzling costumes, Anastasia will premiere Down Under in 2025. This rave-reviewed musical is inspired by the beloved 1997 animated feature from 20th Century Fox and, of course, the mysterious tale of Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov’s rumoured escape in the dawning days of the Russian Revolution. It will open once upon a December at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre in 2025, before touring to Perth’s Crown Theatre in March 2026, and will finally land at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre in April 2026.

Touring dates: Sydney from April 2026, Adelaide from August 2026, Brisbane from September 2026

Following its sold-out 2024 premiere, Melbourne Theatre Company's rip-roaring musical adaptation of My Brilliant Career is hitting the road with a 2026 Australian tour. This incredible production takes one of the best-known early Australian novels – Miles Franklin’s 1901 classic – and twists it into a musical for a new generation. Set in 1890s drought-stricken rural Australia, it follows Sybylla Melvyn’s dreams of an illustrious life as a writer, as she’s stifled by Edwardian mores. Six star Kala Gare will reprise her role as Sybylla, with much of the original ensemble of actor-musicians also coming back. Expect fantastic numbers that run the gamut from Six-like power pop to beer-soaked country pub rock and on to torch songs, including ‘Someone Like Me’ and ‘In the Wrong Key’.

Touring dates: Sydney from March 2026, Wollongong from May 2026

We’re already having a huge year for musicals in Australia – but now, the world’s #1 musical is heading back Down Under, with Disney Theatrical Group announcing that an all-new Australian staging of Disney’s The Lion King will premiere in Sydney from April 2026. Approaching 30 landmark years on Broadway, The Lion King has been seen by over 112 million people worldwide, and continues to ascend as one of the most popular stage musicals in the world. It has been more than a decade since The Lion King’s last Australian tour – and this epic show has captivated nearly 4 million audience members during its two previous tours Down Under.

Touring dates: Sydney from April 2026

Sting is sailing into Brisbane! The 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist will christen QPAC’s new Glasshouse Theatre with the Southern Hemisphere debut of his acclaimed semi-autobiographical musical, The Last Ship. Inspired by Sting’s own childhood and starring the music legend himself, this moving concert-show tells the tale of a community facing the disappearance of their shipyard. Expect a blend of storytelling and song, with 48 performers, musicians and choristers bringing Sting classics like ‘Island of Souls’, ‘All This Time’ and ‘When We Dance’ to life. The Last Ship docks at QPAC from April 9 to May 3, before sailing back to the Northern Hemisphere to continue its world tour.

Touring dates: Brisbane from April 2026

It’s time to get schooled! Following record-breaking runs in London and New York, Heathers: The Musical is making its professional Australian debut in 2026. In case you’re unfamiliar with the 1989 cult classic movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, the story follows teen misfit Veronica as she attempts to right the wrongs of a trio of high school queen bees, all named Heather. When mysterious teen rebel J.D. arrives, Veronica soon learns it might kill to be a nobody… but it’s murder being a somebody. The high-school-is-hell comedy rock musical is touring six Aussie cities in 2026, with tickets on sale now.

Touring dates: Melbourne from April 2026, Adelaide from July 2026, Gold Coast from late July 2026, Canberra from August 2026, Sydney from September 2026, Perth from October 2026

Something sweet is coming to Australia… and it’s not a new dessert pop-up. Broadway smash-hit musical Waitress is making its national debut in 2026, blending sweetness, sass and soulful songs – including iconic hit "She Used to be Mine' – in one heartwarming show. Based on the late Adrienne Shelly’s cult 2007 indie flick, the musical follows Jenna, a small-town waitress and seasoned pie maker who dreams of escaping her rocky marriage and starting fresh. When a baking contest and an unexpected new romance give her a taste of change, Jenna discovers that the secret ingredient to happiness might be closer than she thought. Waitress will debut in Melbourne in May, then head to Sydney from August.

Touring dates: Melbourne from May 2026, Sydney from August 2026

After the surprise smash-hit success of the 2017 musical film The Greatest Showman, fans had high hopes for a stage adaptation. While that didn’t happen – likely because there’s already a musical about legendary US circus impresario PT Barnum – the film’s blockbuster soundtrack paved the way for a dazzling new live experience debuting in Australia this autumn. Come Alive! The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular will arrive in Sydney this May, fresh off a wildly successful season in the UK, where the production was extended multiple times due to overwhelming demand. The Down Under season will feature an all-Australian cast, jaw-dropping acrobatic artistry and gravity-defying aerial acts, alongside iconic hits like ‘This Is Me’, ‘Rewrite the Stars’ and ‘A Million Dreams’. You can read our London review of the show here.

Touring dates: Sydney from May 2026, Perth from August 2026, Adelaide from October 2026, Brisbane from December 2026, Melbourne from February 2027

Brisbane, it’s time to get spooky! Earlier this year, Melbourne scored the Australian premiere of Beetlejuice the Musical – and now, the eight-time Tony Award-nominated show is returning to Australia in 2026 for a season at Brisbane’s QPAC. The unnerving, green-haired and striped-suit-wearing ghost that featured in the nightmares of '90s kids has been transported from screen to stage in the critically acclaimed musical version with a serious cult following. Let's get spooky!

Touring dates: Brisbane from June 2026

What if the Spice Girls did a concept album about King Henry VIII’s wives and Baz Luhrmann directed the concert video? That, in a nutshell, is Six’s vibe: an up-tempo, empowering, all-singing, all-dancing account of the lives of the six key ladies in the Tudor monarch’s orbit. In mid-2026, the smash-hit musical will make its royal return to Australia, just over a year after its last tour wrapped up in May 2025 – a sure sign of how good it is!

Touring dates: Melbourne from July 2026, Sydney from October 2026, Brisbane from February 2027

Direct from a sold-out season at London’s famous Barbican Theatre – where it became the best-selling musical of all time – Fiddler on the Roof is set to tour Australia in 2026. This multi-Olivier award-winning production takes place in 1905 in the small village of Anatevka, where Tevye, a poor milkman, lives his life guided by traditions. Audiences will follow Tevye as he navigates the clash between old customs and modern ways, while his three oldest daughters pursue increasingly unconventional marriages. Under the direction of award-winning visionary Jordan Fein, Fiddler on the Roof promises to captivate audiences with one of the finest scores ever written, featuring classics like ‘If I Were A Rich Man’, ‘Tradition’, ‘Matchmaker’ and ‘Sunrise, Sunset’. You can catch its inaugural premiere season at Theatre Royal Sydney from July 2026, before it heads to Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth.

Touring dates: Sydney from July 2026, Brisbane from October 2026, Melbourne and Perth TBC

It’s time to warm up those vocal cords: the Broadway smash-hit, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, is making its Aussie debut at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre this August. Celebrating the life and music of the legendary singer, this musical memoir is filled with classics like ‘Sweet Caroline’, ‘Forever in Blue Jeans’ and ‘Cracklin’ Rosie’ – you’ll have a hard time not singing along. Broadway star Will Swenson will reprise his acclaimed role, dazzling Aussie audiences for the first time.

Touring dates: Melbourne from August 2026

Hold onto your saucepan lids, folks – the musical adaptation of Mrs Doubtfire is coming to Melbourne. Based on the 1993 cinematic masterpiece starring Robin Williams and Sally Field, this warm, hilarious and high-energy live show is perfect for the whole fam. It's set to debut at Melbourne's Princess Theatre in November, with a few extra surprises that are tailor-made for the live stage (think catchy songs, dazzling dance sequences and plenty of goofy gags). You can expect to fall back into the wild exploits of divorced, out-of-work-actor dad Daniel Hillard, who, after losing custody of his kids, creates the showstopping alter ego of Scottish nanny Euphegenia Doubtfire. And as any fan of the movie knows, what follows is pretty damn hilarious. 

Touring dates: Melbourne from November 2026

John Farnham needs no introduction. He’s the King of Pop, the voice of a nation and Australia’s most successful artist on record. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Whispering Jack – the highest-selling Aussie album of all time, featuring ‘You’re the Voice’ – Sydney Theatre Company (STC) and Michael Cassel Group are teaming up for the first-ever musical dedicated to the rock legend. Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical will make its world premiere at STC’s Roslyn Packer Theatre in late 2026, telling the tale of his overnight success with hits like ‘Pressure Down’, ‘Age of Reason’ and ‘Two Strong Hearts’. Michael Paynter (Jesus Christ Superstar) will star as Farnham, and says that being asked to tell the story of "the greatest voice this country has produced’’ is an honour that is "hard to put into words". 

Touring dates: Sydney from November 2026

Do you believe in freedom, beauty, truth and love? Yes? Très bien. Following a sold-out Australian tour that wrapped up in February 2024, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is set to strut back into Sydney in 2027. The ten-time Tony Award-winning show’s arrival in Australia is a homecoming of sorts; it is of course based on Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film, which was filmed here. Packed with 75 songs – most of them chart-topping bangers – this two-hour extravaganza delivers glittering costumes, flawless choreography and powerhouse performances at every turn. You’ll be can-can-kicking yourself if you sleep on Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

Touring dates: Sydney from March 2027