In a picturesque corner of Tasmania this May, something remarkable is happening.
As mainland venues continue their steady diet of international blockbusters, Launceston is quietly pioneering a celebration of Australian musical theatre that’s drawing the industry’s biggest names and nurturing its future stars.
The Australian Musical Theatre Festival is transforming Launceston into the unlikely epicentre of the nation’s musical theatre scene from 21-25 May. Now in its fifth year, the festival has evolved from a regional curiosity into an essential calendar fixture that’s redefining how Australians engage with this artform.
The Australian Musical Theatre Festival
- When: 21-25 May 2025
- Tickets on sale now here
Festival Venues
- Princess Theatre – Historic theatre in Launceston CBD.
- Earl Arts Centre – Intimate venue in city centre.
- Hotel Grand Chancellor – Contemporary hotel near city attractions.
- Launceston College – School with professional production facilities.
- Royal Oak Hotel – Classic pub beside City Park.
- Entally Estate – Historic gardens and homestead.
- Old Brisbane Arcade – Historic arcade with hidden secrets.
- The Gorge Restaurant – Cliffside dining at Cataract Gorge.
- Dicky Whites Lane – Charming lane in city heart.
- Harvest Market – Iconic local farmers’ market.
- Du Cane Brewing – Launceston’s first community brewpub.
Explore Melbourne’s latest arts and stage news, features, festivals, interviews and reviews here.
Celebrating Australian talent
While most Australians associate musical theatre with glitzy productions of overseas hits in Sydney and Melbourne, the Australian Musical Theatre Festival is championing homegrown talent and traditions. This bold approach has attracted a lineup that reads like a who’s who of Australian musical theatre, with Caroline O’Connor, Alinta Chidzey, Mark Vincent and Nancye Hayes headlining the 2025 program.
The festival’s distinctive formula blends performances, masterclasses, and community events in ways that break down the traditional barriers between performers and audiences. Where else can musical theatre enthusiasts share a Sunday brunch with stars in the gardens of historic Entally Estate, participate in a sing-along at a local pub, or witness an intimate in-conversation session with Nancye Hayes, widely considered Australian musical theatre royalty.
Festival performances
Wednesday 21 May
- Working: A Musical – 7:30pm-9:10pm
- The Diva Den (Festival Bar) – 9:30pm-12:00am
Thursday 22 May
- In Conversation with Caroline O’Connor – 1:00pm-2:00pm
- Ghostlight – 4:00pm-5:00pm
- Choir in the Pub – 6:00pm-7:00pm
- From West End to Broadway with Mark Vincent – 8:00pm-9:30pm
- Working: A Musical – 7:30pm-9:10pm
- The Diva Den (Festival Bar) – 9:30pm-12:00am
Friday 23 May
- Foyer Door Concert – 11:00am-12:00pm
- In Conversation with Alinta Chidzey – 1:00pm-2:00pm
- When I Get My Name In Lights (emerging artists showcase) – 7:30pm-9:30pm
- Chasing Oscar with Mark Dickinson – 8:00pm-9:00pm
- Come To The Cabaret – 9:30pm-12:00am
Saturday 24 May
- Food, Glorious Food – 9:30am-10:30am
- Busker’s Alley – 11:00am-12:15pm
- Made in Tasmania with Cassie Ogle – 1:00pm-2:00pm
- Masterclass with Caroline O’Connor – 2:00pm-3:00pm
- Australian Buskers Alley – 3:00pm-3:45pm
- Masterclass with Mark Vincent – 3:00pm-4:00pm
- Masterclass with Alinta Chidzey – 4:00pm-5:00pm
- In Conversation with Nancye Hayes – 4:00pm-5:00pm
- Some Enchanted Evening with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra – 7:30pm-9:30pm
- The Diva Den (Festival Bar) – 9:30pm-12:00am
Sunday 25 May
- Sunday in the Park (brunch at Entally Estate) – 10:00am-11:30am
- The Songs That Got Away – The Music of Harold Arlen with Johanna Allen – 1:00pm-2:15pm
A spotlight on Australian musical theatre history
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Unique to the festival is its commitment to spotlighting Australian musical theatre history and supporting emerging local talent. Busker’s Alley – Australian Style! traces the evolution of Australian musical theatre from J.C. Williamson’s golden age through to contemporary writers like Tim Minchin and Eddie Perfect, while Made in Tasmania celebrates local performer Cassie Ogle.
The festival’s growing prominence raises questions about why smaller regional centres are increasingly becoming incubators for Australian performing arts. While major cities focus on commercial blockbusters, places like Launceston are providing vital spaces for innovation, education and celebration of Australian theatrical traditions.
Affordability at the forefront
The Australian Musical Theatre Festival’s focus on accessibility represents a deliberate departure from the often prohibitively expensive and formal nature of musical theatre in major cities. Several performances, including the In Conversation with Nancye Hayes event at Earl Arts Centre, Made in Tasmania featuring Cassie Ogle at Hotel Grand Chancellor, and Busker’s Alley tracing the evolution of Australian musical theatre, will be offered free of charge as part of the festival’s commitment to breaking down barriers.
The program’s ambition and scope defies Launceston’s size. The festival centrepiece, Some Enchanted Evening, features leading performers backed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, while more intimate offerings include Johanna Allen’s exploration of Harold Arlen’s musical legacy in The Songs That Got Away, and Mark Dickinson’s Chasing Oscar celebrating songs written for film musicals.
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This year’s program also emphasises the educational component that has become integral to the festival’s identity. Masterclasses with O’Connor, Chidzey and Vincent offer emerging performers rare access to industry leaders, while daily workshops in singing, acting and dance provide practical skills development for participants at all levels.
For Launceston itself, the festival represents both economic opportunity and cultural identity. Local businesses embrace the influx of visitors, with venues across the city transforming into performance spaces. The Earl Arts Centre becomes The Diva Den – the festival’s official bar – each night after performances, creating a social hub where audiences and performers mingle.
Innovative programming
Perhaps most surprisingly, the festival has developed a reputation for presenting musical theatre in unexpected formats that challenge audience expectations. Working: A Musical, premiering on the festival’s opening night, offers an innovative presentation described in the program as “Before Wicked, there was Working!” – highlighting the festival’s approach to recontextualising lesser-known works for contemporary audiences.
The Australian Musical Theatre Festival’s rise suggests an appetite for musical theatre experiences beyond the conventional, commercial productions dominating major cities. By embracing accessibility, education, and celebration of Australia’s unique musical theatre heritage, Launceston has positioned itself as a vital laboratory for the artform’s future.
As the autumn sunshine spotlights Tasmania’s heritage architecture this May, the state’s historic theatres will resonate with songs that tell distinctly Australian stories alongside international classics. For five days, this regional city will demonstrate how musical theatre can transcend its often exclusive reputation to become a genuinely communal celebration of storytelling, music and performance.
The festival’s growing prominence raises an intriguing question: could the future of Australian musical theatre be taking shape not in the nation’s cultural capitals, but in the intimate theatres and historic venues of regional Tasmania?
For the full Australian Musical Theatre Festival, head here.
