New and upcoming musicals in Melbourne

Do you like the strange and unusual? Then buckle up, because the juice is loose! The Australian premiere of Beetlejuice the Musical is about to open in Melbourne, with the musical adaptation of Tim Burton's kooky cult classic – starring the unnerving, green-haired and striped-suit wearing ghost – transforming the Regent Theatre into a world of footballer zombies, exorcisms and much more weirdness.

If there's one fantasy series to rule them all, it's hard to go past The Lord of the Rings. And now, Middle-earth is about to collide with our cultural capital, with the The Lord of the Rings – A Musical Tale landing in Melbourne. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved epic trilogy, the stage production will have its run at the Comedy Theatre until June 8. This musical invites audiences to join the Hobbits on a quest, bringing Middle-earth to life with a cast of multi-skilled actor-musicians in a theatrical event that celebrates community, courage and camaraderie – featuring an original folk-inspired score. 

If you've always dreamed a dream of seeing the musical Les Misérables live in a spectacular arena setting, now's your chance. The beloved production is officially marching towards Melbourne for the Australian leg of a massive world tour, following rave reviews and sold-out crowds across the UK and major European cities. It will arrive at Rod Laver Arena on May 14 for a 15-show run. Super-producer Cameron Mackintosh has assembled a world class creative team, with the exciting new production design being specifically created for each venue – and the international cast is also absolutely top tier. 

For the uninitiated, the gist is this: written by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown is a genre-defying musical adaption of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, set in a dystopian steampunk-esque underworld, set to an evocative score that blends New Orleans-style jazz and blues with modern American folk music – with a live brass band on stage, to boot. The show won eight Tony Awards when it opened in 2019, including Best Musical, and is still playing to packed houses five years later.

Melbourne, it’s time to put on some makeup and pull the wig down from the shelf – because Hedwig has finally announced plans to head on over to our wicked little town. Following a smash-hit season with Adelaide Festival, GWB Entertainment and Andrew Henry Presents have confirmed that Hedwig and the Angry Inch will unleash its raw energy at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre from June 13 as part of Rising.

Arguably none of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s shows have hit harder than his 1971 rock-opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, which arrives at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre after a much-lauded run in Sydney. First revived at London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in 2016 for the show’s fiftieth anniversary, it’s been restaged in Australia by director Timothy Sheader. Sheader favours a ‘more is more’ approach, leaning into every ‘Webber-ism’ that made the show a success in the first place: rock'n'roll maximalism, near-inhuman vocal lines, emotional spectacle. No crucifix is too glittery or top note too loud. Megawatt vocals and an electric ensemble cast make it a cut above the other Webber revivals we’ve seen in the last couple years. Yet its heavy-handed approach also exposes the limits of spectacle for spectacle’s sake, even when it comes to Webber.