Back by popular demand, Melbourne Theatre Company kicks off its 2026 season with My Brilliant Career, based on the novel by Miles Franklin. Led once more by the formidable Kala Gare, and featuring much of the original cast, this smash-hit musical earned critical acclaim and five Green Room Awards, including Outstanding Production.
Set in the sweeping landscapes of 1890s Australia, this electric reimagining transforms Miles Franklin’s literary heroine into a singer-songwriter for this very moment. Unapologetically ambitious, Sybylla Melvyn is wholly uninterested in the future society expects of her. Instead, she marches to the beat of her own drum, challenging class, gender and family to find her own voice.
The Scoop had the pleasure of chatting with Kala Gare ahead of the Melbourne encore season. Kala talks all things My Brilliant Career, including pursuing the path of an artist and the importance of positive mentors. Read the full interview below.
My Brilliant Career is returning by popular demand after its 2024 season. What excites you most about stepping back into this world?
I was just with another cast member, Raj, and I feel like these people are so the heart and soul of the show. Coming back to (and embarking on a tour with) them, I’m so excited to be around them all the time. But to tell this story with them is such a beautiful thing. I’m so aware of how lucky I am to be acting opposite these giants. It’s such a special show.
But I think also, Sybylla as a character, she’s one of my favourite characters that I’ve ever played. And to have had a hand in the creation of her as well, it was such a beautifully collaborative process. I think for that reason, she just has such freedom to get out there. And that is so beautifully, continuously brought out of me by director Anne-Louise Sarks.
This is such a beautiful show for how free I’ve been able to be in all creative aspects; sing how I want to sing, move, run around the stage in the way that feels authentic to the moment. To be such a channel for this firecracker of a character, I love doing the whole thing.
How has your relationship with the role evolved since the original season?
It so has. I feel like my relationship with the character has deeply evolved, like when you have time away from anything. It’s been a year, a year and a little bit. But the life experience that I have gained, it’s the biggest gift to look at a script again and say, Whoa, this means such different things now because of what I’ve experienced. And things that meant so much to me before now have even deeper meaning. Different things have been popping up that I’m like, Whoa. I didn’t even see the weight of that last time.
Last time was such a beautiful process of creating the show, but it meant there was just so much time put into, like, changing and figuring out what was the right version. Whereas this time, it’s been a real deep dive into what’s now text in there. Even though we’ve gorgeously been able to fine-tune, I’ve had the ability to really, actually go in and be like, What am I saying?
And actually have an even deeper appreciation for her journey, and for what it even means in this time of our current lives to be fighting against pressures saying you have to be a certain way. For her to be this character that’s saying, Why? And actively fighting and continually choosing the scary option of asking questions.
This adaptation has been widely praised for feeling both faithful and fresh. What do you think makes it resonate so strongly with modern audiences?
It’s so Australian, but it’s the Australia of now, because it is such a diverse cast of ages and cultures, and the whole show is deeply rooted in what Australia is like today. And I get to look into the audience and say, every single one of us, we are the community that is fighting against these forces that are saying different things. And we’re saying, No, we’re all here, and this is what we are. And I get to really call on the community.
Sybylla’s journey in My Brilliant Career is so much about claiming artistic independence. Do you think being raised by artists helped you feel permission to pursue that path yourself?
Absolutely, it was never a doubt. I was so fortunate to have the most supportive – and it will make me emotional – parents who really, truly believed in it as a career, as an art form and craft, and never doubted that it was something I could pursue as a full-time thing.
And I think that just gave me complete – without even knowing – courage. I was just naive to the fact that it was something that people were like, No way. And it was actually other people who were the voices saying, Oh, should you have a backup? Whereas my internal world was beautifully just like, Yeah, try. Go, do what you can, try.
As you know, I run a performing arts school, and I’ve got two little performers, so I’m always thinking about the example to set in this industry. You grew up watching your parents perform and teach. What do you think children absorb most from being around working artists?
I have such an appreciation for the role of teachers, of the whole school experience, especially teaching young minds. I can remember the subjects I wasn’t even that interested in, being so passionate about them because my teacher was. Teachers have this huge responsibility to nurture and care for these children’s dreams and aspirations.
Having such gorgeous role models in my parents as beautiful teachers, I think that what young people pick up on the most is that passion. And the gorgeousness of that passion as an adult artist is the thing that gets you through. Because every industry is difficult, but the performing arts industry has really, really high highs and quite low lows. But the through line, through all of it, is the passion. The passion for the craft, the passion for what you are giving to people, and what you get to do with your gifts.
I think when the passion is so strong, it is something other people can see and think, Oh, permission to care about it, and really fuel that fire. That will be the thing that’s going to be the consistent through to where you want to go.
What advice would you give to parents and teachers trying to nurture talent without putting pressure on the outcome?
I think advice to parents, who maybe aren’t in the industry and have a kid who says, I really want to do this thing, and you maybe know nothing about it, I can appreciate that that might be a really scary thing. Because statistically, there are a lot of poorer artists, and that is just fact.
But that is not to say that it isn’t a viable career, and that there are so many skills, like resilience, hard work and self-belief that come from your kid choosing a career in the arts, and actively pursuing something they really believe in. To actually try and get to the place where it is a viable career, you have to fully go in and commit to it.
It actually is a bit of a disservice to say you need to have these things as a backup as well, because then the energy is split. But it’s also hard because a backup is useful. I play the piano, so I am able to teach, and I’m also able to coach.
So I think it’s also being savvy about where you can be doing things that are maybe a stream of income. But in terms of the commitment, if you can, support and nurture your child. This is from a non-parent (laughs), I’m not a parent!
You went to the Victorian College of the Arts. What’s your advice to graduates for bridging uni and entry into the industry?
Ohhhhh, I feel really, like, this makes me go eee, because the balcony of Melbourne Theatre Company is looking right over VCA. And I had – hee hee hee, let me share a story – I had a meltdown when I was in third year. And I viscerally remember walking – and I can see the spot from the balcony, which is so lovely – but walking and looking up and being like, I’m not ready. I can’t do it, and just cry, cry, cry.
And it’s so sweet to now look out from that balcony, and say, You got this! But you are going to go through the lows. It’s just inevitable. Because you’ve been in this beautiful – hey, you might not, but it’s important to – because you go through this beautiful, supported bubble of university, and then that support, especially if you’ve gone straight from high school into uni, that support is not there.
And it’s not in a scary way, but in a way of just naturally, the university support is not there. And you are now your backing in the whole industry. And it takes an adjustment period, and it is a scary thing. But if you keep the faith and keep working through it, you’ll find your feet, I promise you’ll find your feet.
It just takes a second, but then the world is yours. Because then you have the strength from getting through that to know, okay, now I can start to build my career outside of being someone who was a part of a cohort. Now you are a unit who has your own back.
And finally, what kinds of stories or roles are you feeling drawn to next? That is to say, what shows or roles are on your bucket list?
Sybylla is the coolest rock star in the world, but I think I would love to play a dirty 80s rock star. Like Sibylla, if she were 28, not a 15-year-old baby.(Laughs) But I feel like, something period, like, if Joan Jett had a thing. Honestly: messy. I feel quite excited to play characters that maybe aren’t so likeable. A messy rock star.
My Brilliant Career is presented by Melbourne Theatre Company and runs to 28 February at Southbank Theatre, The Sumner. 140 Southbank Boulevard Southbank Vic 3006.
It then embarks on a national tour. See full dates below.
Tickets: https://tickets.mtc.com.au/production/19714
Website: https://www.mtc.com.au/plays-and-tickets/whats-on/season-2026/my-brilliant-career/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/mybrilliantcareer/ and https://www.instagram.com/k.gare_/
Photo by Pia Johnson
2026 Australian Tour Dates:
Canberra 7 – 15 March, Canberra Theatre Centre
Sydney 21 March – 3 May, Roslyn Packer Theatre
Wollongong 8 – 17 May, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre
