If you’ve driven past Rooty Hill’s West HQ lately, you’ll know the Coliseum Theatre doesn’t exactly do subtle. With its sweeping curves, cathedral-like acoustics and spectacular staging, the venue has quickly cemented its name as one of Western Sydney’s cultural calling cards.
This summer, the venue’s offering is dialling up – with the Coliseum Theatre rolling out its biggest program ever – the inaugural Coliseum Summer Festival, a two-month celebration of blockbuster entertainment running from December 6 until January 24. Over the peak summer season, the venue will be serving up everything from smash-hit comedy sessions to mind-bending magic shows and big-ticket family theatre productions.
Here are the seasonal highlights you won’t want to miss.
Sooshi Mango: Home Made Encore
One of Australia’s favourite comedy trios are back with their wildly popular show – a lovingly chaotic celebration of family, culture and questionable DIY projects. Expect outrageous accents, impeccable timing and a whole heap of belly-laughs to kick-start your silly season.
Dates: December 6
Cosentino – Tricked
For one night only, master illusionist Cosentino will bring his high-stakes magic to the Coliseum stage. This is sleight-of-hand with serious swagger: escapology, illusions and unbelievable stunts.
Dates: December 13
Cirque Alice
Christmas Eve at the Coliseum is getting curiouser and curiouser. Cirque Alice is a reimagination of Lewis Carroll’s famously wacky world through acrobatics, aerial artistry and truly spectacular visuals. It’s whimsical, weird and wonderfully impressive – and kids attending the Christmas Eve performance get free candy canes.
Dates: December 24 - January 4
Bluey’s Big Play – The Stage Show – From 10 January
If you’ve got small people in your life, this one’s probably already highlighted in your calendar. The Emmy-winning juggernaut makes its way to Western Sydney with puppetry, original music and a brand-new Bluey adventure made just for the stage.
Dates: January 10 - January 11
Shrek the Musical
Headlining the final stretch of the Coliseum's summer line-up, this all-singing, all-dancing, big-green blockbuster brings everyone’s favourite swamp to life. Expect big voices, bigger laughs and enough earworms to last you until Easter.
Dates: January 21 - January 24
The best news is, the magic isn’t confined to the theatre. All summer long, the West HQ precinct will transform into a full-scale festive playground, complete with daily giveaways, complimentary drinks, seasonal cocktails, kid-friendly treats and stay-and-play options at the adjoining Novotel Sydney West HQ.
You can learn more and plan your visit over here.
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