Tony History-Maker Leads Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2027 Season

Stereophonic Australian Premiere Leads 2027 Season

Set inside the recording studio of a fictional British-American rock band on the brink of a breakthrough or breakdown, Stereophonic features original songs by former Arcade Fire member Will Butler. Melbourne Theatre Company artistic director Anne-Louise Sarks stated that she committed to the show in 2023 before its Broadway and West End success. According to Sarks, the production aims to make audiences feel like they are in the room with the artists during the creative process. The show has drawn frequent comparisons to the recording of Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album Rumours, leading to a 2024 lawsuit by former sound engineer Ken Caillat that was later settled, as reported by the sources. Daniel Evans, artistic director of Queensland Theatre, will direct the Australian staging, which features a cast led by Geraldine Hakewill and Alex Malone following seasons at Sydney’s Belvoir and Queensland Theatre.

John Proctor is the Villain Joins International Lineup

Alongside Stereophonic, Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2027 program includes Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor is the Villain, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks. The Broadway production starred Sadie Sink and concluded with a dance break to Lorde’s song “Green Light,” while its West End run sold out months prior to opening, with a movie adaptation currently in development with producer Tina Fey.

International Gems and Australian Classics

The 2027 international slate also features Winsome Pinnock’s comic drama The Authenticator, focusing on two Black academics examining 18th-century slave owner diaries, directed by Zindzi Okenyo. Classic revivals include Edward Albee’s A Delicate Balance starring Sigrid Thornton, Nadine Garner, and Erik Thomson, alongside Kate Mulvany in a one-woman reimagining of Richard III. Australian stories remain a core focus, including Rachel Griffiths starring as artist Clarice Beckett, a play about a 1985 meeting between Bob Hawke, Kerry Packer, and West Indies cricket captain George Floyd, and a First Nations adaptation of H.G. Coleman.