The Australian Musical Theatre Festival returns to Launceston, Tasmania this month, featuring a bold program bringing together Australia’s most celebrated performers with outstanding local and emerging talent from 20 – 24 May 2026.
Opening the Festival will be Well Behaved Women, directed by Ylaria Rogers, an acclaimed Australian song cycle that traces the stories of influential women through history. From Eve to Julia Gillard, it weaves a powerful and playful musical tapestry that celebrates courage, leadership, and legacy.
In a major festival coup, international composer and lyricist Carmel Dean will travel from Broadway to Launceston to attend opening night.
The performance will feature an exceptional cast including Nadine Garner (Cabaret), Delia Hannah (Cats), and Lorinda May Merrypor (& Juliet), alongside a strong Tasmanian ensemble. They include: Nicole Farrow, Maria Lurighi, Samantha Hammersley, Alana Lane, Shanice Osita Chuku, and Brooke Target.
Carmel Dean said:
“I am thrilled that the Australian Musical Theatre Festival is presenting Well Behaved Women as their opening performance in 2026. I have watched the festival grow and thrive over the past six years, and I am so excited for this creative team to present this song cycle which honours so many bad-ass women — including several Aussies — throughout history. Book your ticket to Tassie now, support new Australian work, and be thoroughly entertained in the process.”
Tickets to Well Behaved Women are available here.
The centrepiece of the 2026 program is the Tasmania premiere of The Frogs, by Burt Shevelove, Nathan Lane, and Stephen Sondheim.
Featuring an all-star cast led by John O’Hara (Jesus Christ Superstar), Abu Kebe (TINA), Rob Mallett (Elvis), Jack Lark (Working), and local performer Gerard Lane stepping into the role of Dionysos, this riotous musical comedy will be staged as a travelling performance across two venues.
The Frogs combines community players with industry-leading practitioners. Participants will rehearse over four days before presenting a one-night-only performance directed by Tyran Parke (Chess), with Peter Rutherford (Matilda) as Musical Director and Dana Jolly (Curtains) as Choreographer.
Tickets to The Frogs are available here.
Additionally, joining the festival line up is Jarrod Draper who has just wrapped Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour. Jarrod will perform in Broadway Showstoppers with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, alongside Nadine Garner, Lorinda May Merrypor, Rob Mallett, Delia Hannah and Lisa Crosato. He will also lead the Diversity and Inclusion panel and appear at The Diva Den.
Tickets to Broadway Showstoppers are available here.
Well Behaved Women, The Frogs and Broadway Showstoppers anchor a sparkling five-day festival, featuring more than 40 events.
Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events, Jane Howlett, said the festival will place two outstanding major works centre stage:
“These productions highlight the ambition and calibre of this year’s program. Launceston’s Australian Musical Theatre Festival celebrates everything that’s great about musical theatre, attracting visitors from across the state and country. It reinforces Launceston’s reputation as a thriving cultural hub, showcasing some of Australia’s most celebrated performers alongside our extraordinary homegrown talent.”
Since launching in 2019, the Australian Musical Theatre Festival has grown into a national hub for musical theatre and Artistic Director Tyran Parke has expanded the community engagement program for 2026, reinforcing the Festival’s role not only as a showcase for leading artists but as a place where new talent is discovered, nurtured and celebrated.
The range of opportunities are designed to welcome performers of all ages and experience levels — from first-time singers to professionals — creating pathways to learn, perform and collaborate with some of the industry’s most respected creatives.
Tyran Parke said:
“At its heart, this festival is about access. Here in Launceston, anyone can walk into the room, learn from the best and potentially find themselves sharing the stage with extraordinary artists.”
Participants will be taking part in masterclasses, industry panels, community singing events and performance opportunities.
Highlights include The Diva Den with internationally acclaimed composer and musical director Carmel Dean, a gospel choir experience and workshops exploring the craft of musical theatre writing and performance.
The festival has already proven to be a talent pipeline. Many young performers have been discovered through the festival and are now furthering their training at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and other national institutions of prestige.
Amongst the success stories, Chelsea Dean, was discovered through the Festival’s community programming and later cast as Nessarose in Wicked after being spotted by a casting director during a Festival performance.
The full program can be accessed at the website.
The Australian Musical Theatre Festival runs in Launceston, Tasmania from 20 – 24 May 2026.
Tickets: https://www.amtf.org.au/festival/performances
Website: https://www.amtf.org.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/australianmusicaltheatrefest/
Images supplied.
The Australian Musical Theatre Festival is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania, City of Launceston, Theatre North, and numerous local businesses. This unmissable week puts Launceston in the spotlight as a national hub for musical theatre talent and fans alike.
