Musical Theatre Reviews Brisbane

★★★★½ The arrival of The Book of Mormon brings one of musical theatre’s biggest comedy hits back to Brisbane. The first major touring musical to grace the city’s sparkling new Glasshouse Theatre, it remains as provocative as it is popular…

What do you get when you mix pop hits, ’80s and ’90s fashion, and an insanely talented cast? The Queensland Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre’s production of & Juliet, of course. If you’ve been following along on my reviewing journey,…

★★★★☆ Prepare to laugh out loud, kick your feet and howl with joy at Second Beat’s newest production, Gutenberg! The Musical! Playing for a limited time at Brisbane’s charming PIP Theatre, Gutenberg! The Musical! is a hilariously outlandish celebration of…

★★★★★ Beetlejuice the Musical has officially possessed QPAC’s Lyric Theatre, and Brisbane seems more than happy to hand over the keys to the afterlife. I love an opening night. There is something about the energy in the room that makes…

There is something quite enjoyable about Beenleigh Theatre Group’s production of Tootsie the Musical. We went along knowing absolutely nothing about the show, which actually made it more fun. Taking the plot from the 1982 movie and injecting it with plenty of humour, Tootsie the Musical is a show that doesn’t take itself too seriously.   The…

★★★★☆ The Middle Room is a sweet and whimsical musical that covers all aspects of life, set in the middle room of a country family home. Written and directed by Grace Spinks, this original, acoustic contemporary musical covers issues from…

A celebration of memories and the cameras used to capture them, 35MM: A Musical Exhibition, is a showcase of incredible talent. Brought to life by the third-year students at Griffith University’s Queensland Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre (QAEMT), it’s…

★★★★☆ There’s an immediate sparkle to The Sapphires that’s hard to resist! Directed by Wesley Enoch and presented by Queensland Theatre Company in a co-production with Canberra Theatre Centre, the Brisbane premiere production tells the story of four Yorta Yorta…

In only its second voyage, QPAC’s new Glasshouse Theatre has found its sea legs in Sting’s epic The Last Ship. There are some shows where you walk out talking about the performances, some where you talk about the music, and…

Passion Productions hits the right notes with School of Rock, transforming the classic Paramount film into a dynamic stage production and showcasing a community theatre scene that is alive, well, and rocking in North Brisbane at the Enoggera Performing Arts…

★★★★★ It is Brisbane’s turn to experience the explosive power of MJ the Musical, celebrating the music of one of the greatest artists of all time, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Last night’s Brisbane opening night crowd was electric,…

You most likely know Freaky Friday from the 2003 film starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. You may also be like me and had no clue a musical version even existed. When I heard Shine Performing Arts Academy were…

For a show like MARVELous: A Risqué Parody, the title really does most of the heavy lifting in that you know exactly what you are walking into. In no way is this subtle theatre. And honestly? Thank God for that.…

★★★★½ I’m not exactly a regular at The Empire in Toowoomba, but when & Juliet comes calling, common sense really does go out the window. For a show I’ve already seen in London’s West End, Sydney and Melbourne, there was no chance…

CATS marks the third touring musical to make its final stop in Brisbane, following on from Annie and Jesus Christ Superstar. Brisbane musical theatre lovers are always happy to be lucky last, and once again, the opening night audience welcomed…

Seeing a brand-new pilot musical is always an interesting experience. The audience has never seen the show performed. They don’t know the music. The staging. Will there be dancing? Is there a band? I know I was thinking all of…

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is a classic fairytale with the musical being just as magical. Premiering on Broadway in 1994 with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, it is a show that has…

QPAC has kicked off 2026 with a packed program of must-see shows, including a revival of Little Shop of Horrors, presented in association with Woodward Productions. Other productions filling QPAC’s theatres this season include Annie the Musical, Cluedo and Now…

It’s become something of a tradition for Australian musical tours to finish in Brisbane, and Annie follows suit. With a story that culminates on Christmas morning in the Warbucks mansion, the production arrives at the perfect time. It is playing…

To close out their 2025 Concert Series, Prospero Arts and QPAC present Sweet Charity, a hopelessly romantic musical delivered in a semi-staged concert format for a very limited season. Featuring a tuneful mid-1960s score by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy…

The amazing 2nd year company of the Queensland Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre (QAEMT) are breathing new life into their production, Songs for a New World. This musical showcase brims with raw talent and relentless energy. Songs for a…

Calling all demigods! It’s time to head back to Camp Half-blood with Hanson Creative’s The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, on now at BackDock Arts. This mythical musical is beyond belief and will rise above all expectations. Journey with…

The Australian premiere of Pretty Woman: The Musical arrives with big Hollywood credentials and a devoted fan base ready to relive the 1990 rom-com. Based on the film by Garry Marshall and J.F. Lawton, the stage version promises big hair,…

Ad Astra has made their triumphant return to the Brisbane stage, now in their sparkling new home at Petrie Terrace. And what better way to celebrate than by diving headfirst into a beloved musical theatre classic with Sondheim’s enchanting Into…

There’s a particular thrill when a show strides confidently into the theatre, grabs Shakespeare by the collar, and says: we’re doing this our way. That’s the energy that Laura Murphy’s The Lovers unleashes at QPAC. It’s a reclamation, not just a reimagination, of A…

The talented Class of 2025 from the Queensland Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre are presenting a Showcase of short excerpts from the musical theatre canon, alongside some scene work in what marks the end of three years of vigorous…

In the mid-1800s, French author Henri Murger wrote short stories based loosely on the lives of his fellow bohemians in the Latin Quarter of Paris. Those stories, known collectively as Scenes de la vie de bohème (Scenes of Bohemian Life),…

Shimmy on over to Griffith University’s Queensland Conservatorium in South Bank to see their milestone 50th anniversary performance of A Chorus Line. Starring the incredibly talented students of the Queensland Academy of Excellence in Musical Theatre (QAEMT), it is a…

Bump In Productions has brought the Tony Award-winning musical, Parade, back to Brisbane after two decades. Playing for a three-week season at the Ron Hurley Theatre, this gripping theatrical drama is an unmissable event. Come for the incredible music and…

Jesus Christ Superstar has landed at QPAC in Brisbane, the final stop of its national tour which began last November. More than 50 years since Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera first shook audiences, this striking new production…