A scene from 'My Brilliant Career'.
Photograph: Pia Johnson
Photograph: Pia Johnson

The best of Melbourne theatre and musicals this month

Get your culture fix via all the world-class productions happening in Melbourne this February

Leah Glynn
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February 2026: Feb is the month of love, and what better way to celebrate than by taking your significant other, bestie or mum to see some beautiful theatre. 'The Book of Mormon' makes its long-awaited return to Melbourne, and the laughs (and gasps) are set to echo through the city.  'Black Lightis a bold new work kicking off Malthouse’s 2026 season, and it offers a rich portrait of Black motherhood and the everyday drama of family life. Back by popular demand for a five-week run is the MTC's 'My Brilliant Career' – with returning star Kala Gare shining bright as Miles Franklin’s headstrong hero, Sybylla Melvyn. And you're running out of time to see 'Anastasia' and 'MJ the Musical', with both blockbuster productions finishing up by the end of the month,

From the toe-tapping to the cathartic, consider this your ultimate guide to all the best Melbourne theatre shows happening this month.

When stuck for things to do between shows, you can also always rely on our catch-all lists of Melbourne's best bars, restaurants, museums, parks and galleries, or consult our bucket list of 100 things to do in Melbourne before you die

Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Melbourne newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

Want something else to do this month? Check out our guide to the city's best exhibitions.

Melbourne's best theatre shows this month

  • Musicals
  • Melbourne
  • Recommended

Hey Melbourne, the Mormons are back! After wowing audiences in Sydney with plenty of "did they really just say that?” humour, The Book of Mormon is heading to the Princess TheatreFor the uninitiated, The Book of Mormon follows two inept Mormon missionaries from Salt Lake City on their journey to save mortal souls in a corner of Uganda ruled by a one-eyed warlord. It’s the brainchild of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone – hence, you can expect a lot of explicit language – along with Avenue Q and Frozen co-creator Robert Lopez

  • Musicals
  • Southbank
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Due to popular demand, Melbourne Theatre Company's rip-roaring musical adaptation of My Brilliant Career is returning for a limited five-week run in 2026. This incredible production takes one of the best-known early Australian novels, the 1901 book of the same name by Miles Franklin, and twists it into a musical for a new generation. Six star Kala Gare is reprising her role as Sybylla Melvyn, with much of the original ensemble of actor-musicians also coming back.

Stephen A Russell
Stephen A Russell
Contributor
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  • Drama
  • Southbank

Written and directed by acclaimed Larrakia, Yanyuwa, Bardi and Wardaman artist Jada Alberts, Black Light is a bold new work kicking off Malthouse’s 2026 Season. Supported by a powerhouse First Nations cast including Trisha Morton‑Thomas and Tahlee Fereday, as well as real-life sisters Rachael and Lisa Maza reuniting on stage for the first time in 17 years, the production threads together the familiar tangled intimacies and everyday drama of family life.

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  • Musicals
  • Melbourne
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Whether you’re a child of the ‘90s who grew up on a diet of animated films or simply a fan of feel-good musicals the whole family can enjoy, Anastasia makes for a charming theatre experience. And while some of the historical references (however glossed over they may be) will probably go right over the heads of any little ones, it won’t distract from magic of this captivating tale.

Leah Glynn
Leah Glynn
Melbourne Editor
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  • Musicals
  • Melbourne
  • 3 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

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 is heading to Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne. Centred around the making of his 1992 Dangerous World Tour, MJ the Musical features more than 25 of Michael Jackon’s biggest pop hits set to show-stopping dance numbers, including ‘Beat It’, ‘Smooth Criminal’, ‘Man In The Mirror’ and ‘Thriller’.

  • Comedy
  • Melbourne

If you’re ready to pop the Champers, laugh ’til your belly hurts and revel in tricks you didn’t know were humanly possible, strap in for a glittering night at Blanc de Blanc Encore. The cabaret spectacle fuses a delectable mix of circus, cabaret, jazz and comedy (with a couple of bottles of bubbles for good measure) for an effervescent night out – leave the kids at home for this one.

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Before you book...

Not all seats are created equal. Sure, there are some shows so spectacular and unmissable you’d happily sit anywhere, but most experiences in the theatre can be augmented by the best seats in the house. And occasionally ruined by the worst. So, without further ado, we give them to you.

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