It’s not uncommon for theatre productions to cast teenage characters a good bit older, body-swerving labour laws limiting the amount of time a young performer is on stage, and rightly so. So if you go in cold to MTC’s latest Tony-festooned Broadway import, Kimberly Akimbo, you might find yourself blinking for a moment at 60-something soprano and musical theatre matriarch Marina Prior doing so. But there’s an in-show explanation. Her titular character, Kimberly Levaco, is an old soul in a 16-year-old’s body, one that’s rapidly aging at four times the normal rate because of a rare genetic condition.
August 2025: Don't miss musical theatre powerhouses Marina Prior, Casey Donovan and Christie Whelan-Brown shine in MTC's 'Kimberly Akimbo' – a goofy-cute show about a teenager old beyond her years. Loved 'Hamilton'? Before he created the smash-hit musical phenomenon, Lin-Manuel Miranda was best known for 'In The Heights' – a colourful, high-energy production that just opened at the Comedy Theatre. Plus, 'Annie' continues to charm at the Princess Theatre, and 'Beetlejuice the Musical' has been extended until September 11.
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.