Imagine a great new show
| Geelong’s Potato Shed venue isn’t due to launch its 2026 season until February 6 pending a big new announcement. So we’re sworn to secrecy about our Drop Of A Hat Morning Showtime Season at the venue. Except for our first show which will open 10.30am Tuesday March 10. It’s a brand new show written by this site’s editor, Colin Mockett, and featuring the songs, writing and thoughts of Beatle John Lennon. Titled Imagine, The Journey, the show begins with Lennon in his teens writing a pop hit which began ‘Imagine I’m in love with you, it’s easy ‘cos I know…’ and ends with the same man writing Imagine, the song voted the most significant in the 20th Century in a worldwide BBC poll. Imagine, The Journey traces that experience through the life and songs of John Lennon. It’s presented in usual Drop Of A Hat format narration from Colin Mockett backed by images on the big screen and highlighted with live songs from master musician – and Beatle specialist – Adam Parsons. Tickets for Imagine, The Journey include interval refreshments from Bakers Delight, they’re all one concession-rate price of $22 and they’re on sale now. They make a great Christmas gift for Boomers. Book (fee-free) through tickets.geelongaustralia.com.au |
Footlight’s Going Legally Blonde
| Geelong’s Footlight Productions will stage the musical Legally Blonde, in Geelong during the New Year’s holiday period. Based on the hit film, and packed with high-energy songs, the show is promoted as… ‘this show is so much fun it should be illegal!’ Legally Blonde will be at the Arts Centre’s Playhouse January 16 – Feb 1. Tickets $59.90, $54.90 $49.90 from Geelong Arts Centre |
Lizzie’s murder on stage
| In another first for Geelong, Theatre Of The Damned will open its all-female production of Lizzie – the punk rock opera – also in the holiday period, opening January 16. Lizzie tells the story of American axe-murderess Lizzie Borden with an all-female cast and even all-female band.. The big musical will be directed by Cody Riker assisted by Bethany Griffiths while Ryan Baker is musical director and choreographer Ashlee Burn. Lizzie The Rock Musical will play January 16 – 24 in the company’s home theatre at Belmont High School Performing Arts Centre. All tickets $38.50 from trybooking.com |
& Juliet’s coming, too
| Centrestage Geelong is preparing to present the hit pop musical & Juliet for the first time in our city. The musical begins with the premise ‘what if Juliet got a second chance at life after Romeo? What if her story didn’t end on a balcony? What if she had a second chance… and the soundtrack was packed with the biggest pop hits of the last 25 years? & Juliet flips the script on Shakespeare’s most famous romance and rewrites it with a fearless, feel-good twist. This laugh-out-loud, high-energy musical dares to ask: what if Juliet chose her own ending? Set to a playlist of certified pop anthems made famous by artists like Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, and more – & Juliet is powered by the music of Max Martin, the hitmaker behind more #1 songs than any other artist this century. Featuring songs; “…Baby One More Time” , “Roar” ,“Since U Been Gone” ,“It’s My Life”, “I Want It That Way”, “Can’t Stop the Feeling” and many more. & JULIET, presented by CentreStage Geelong will open at Geelong Art Centre’s Play House Friday 13 March 2026, and will run until March 28. |
Then Bonnie & Clyde!
| Geelong’s Theatre Of The Damned will present another first for our region, with the musical Bonnie & Clyde – based on the hit film – directed by Cody Riker assisted by Bethany Griffiths with Musical Director Olivia Sagor and Choreographer Monique Power This is the new stage version of the successful film about an outlaw couple of bankrobbers in America’s great depression. The Damned Geelong version is 7.30pm April 10 – 18, 2026 in the company’s home theatre at Belmont High School PAC, with all tickets their bargain- rate $38.50 from trybooking.com |
..and then there’s Sister Act!
| Footlight Productions has announced that it will present the hit musical Sister Act with a top Geelong cast to be presented in the Geelong Art Centre’s Storyhouse opening May 1. More details as they are released. |
And Beauty & The Beast!
| Following its October sold-out smash hit musical Mama Mia! Geelong Lyric Theatre Society announced that it would present another hit show Beauty And The Beast – The Broadway Musical directed by the same Mama Mia! director James Lee, opening in May 2026. Beauty And The Beast – The Broadway Musical is effectively a live-on-stage version of Disney’s animated film with all its memorable songs. Lyric’s Beauty And The Beast will run May 22 to June 7 in The Play House at Geelong Arts Centre. |
Want to join our Awkwardstra?
Geelong’s newest musical entity is designed for those who love to play instruments together in a group – but without the rigours and discipline of a formal band or orchestra. You don’t need to audition to join, and the Geelong Awkwardstra meets weekly to play together in whatever configuration the group’s individual instruments make up. That puts a little pressure on the Awkwardstra conductor/arranger Ian Crowther, but it’s a challenge he relishes. The Geelong Awkwardstra’s repertoire is suitably eclectic, ranging from pop to classics -so if your interest is piqued, simply roll up with your instrument 7.15pm on a Monday evening at the Vines Rd Community Centre in Hamlyn Heights.
Read the Awkwardstra’s latest concert review HERE
Full Morning Showtime Season
Geelong’s Drop Of A Hat Productions 2026 season of Morning Showtimes at the Potato Shed will again consists of FIVE very different productions spread throughout the year. The shows are still under wraps until officially announced by the venue, but expect a show built around the song voted the best of the 20th Century – another is a biography of the world’s greatest songwriting satirist; then a show about women’s lives told by three gorgeous women; old 1920s films of Geelong with live musical accompliment from the ragtime tunes of the day – and a final show from a Rock hero whose music is truly out of this world.
Once announced, tickets for all shows will be at concession rate $22 – and that includes interval refreshments. Details from 5221 1998 or book the whole season online at ticketsgeelongaustralia.com.au
entertainmentgeelong.oam
This website’s editor, principal critic and webmaster, Colin Mockett, was awarded the Order Of Australia Medal in 2023 for services to the Arts and Local History in Geelong.
Central to the award committee’s thinking would have been this website, which was set up specifically to support local arts, theatre and music communities by publishing news and details of upcoming plays, concerts and events free of charge – and then reviewing local productions. Colin says he sees the site – and the award – as a tribute to the quantity and high quality of the arts scene in Geelong.
We can all count ourselves winners!
entertainmentgeelong.com 