MAYDAY! It’s Sister Act Opening!
| Footlight Productions opens its Geelong version of the hit musical Sister Act at the Arts Centre on May 1st. Based on the hit 1992 film, this Sister Act has a top-class Geelong cast and is already selling well. Presented in the StoryHouse Theatre, at 7.30pm with 1.30pm matinees, tickets cost $45 – $59.90 (adults) $54.90 (conc) $49.90 (child) from Geelong Arts Centre |
Reyna tells Geelong’s HerStory
| Geelong theatre evergreen, Reyna Hudgell, is aware that most history books are written from a male perspective. So in a quietly feminine response, she is hosting walking tours of central Geelong where she explains how our city’s women contributed to its progress. The one-hour tours were developed in collaboration with historian Colin Mockett. They begin at the old Town Hall in Gheringhap St, take in Johnstone Park and end on the Waterfront – explaining the many female points of interest passed on the way. Reyna’s Sparking Herstory Tours of Geelong begin 11am Saturday May 2. They cost $20, numbers are limited so booking essential through trybooking.com |
Longing for a Globe Celebration
Longing is a brand new concert performed as part of the first Winchelsea Music Festival and celebrating the Centenary of the town’s Globe Theatre. The concert features two sopranos, in Helen Ling and Festival director Zinaida Campion singing a choice selection of musical gems accompanied by David Stewart on piano.
5.00pm in the Globe Theatre, Winchelsea, tickets $50, $40 (conc) school students free available at the door or through trybooking.com
Geelong On Show – in Ragtime
Following a full-house and well-received March opening show Imagine – The Journey, Geelong’s Drop Of A Hat Productions 2026 season of Morning Showtimes at the Bellarine Arts Centre continues with another unique and innovative show in May. Titled Geelong’s (Ragtime Boogie-Woogie) History On Film. The show consists of 1920s and 30s historic black and white silent film clips of Geelong introduced by historian Colin Mockett with the benefit of hindsight and some dry, wry humour – all accompanied by virtuoso pianist Sonoka Miyake on the venue’s baby grand. Sonoka will be playing the period Scott-Joplin ragtime and jazz-age hits that would have originally accompanied the clips.
Geelong’s (Ragtime Boogie-Woogie) History On Film in in The Bellarine Arts Centre’s Potato Shed Theatre 10.30am Tuesday May 12. As always, all tickets are at the concession rate $22 – and that includes interval refreshments. They tend to sell fast so it’s advisable to book early online at ticketsgeelongaustralia.com.au or through the box office (business Hours) at 5221 1998.
Then- 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. |
War Of The Worlds in Torquay!
The 1938b Radio play that stopped a nation will be reenacted in Torquay in June. The War of the Worlds was a originally broadcast live in primetime across America at 8 pm on October 30, 1938 directed and narrated by Orson Welles as an adaptation of H G Wells’ novel. It’s authentic ‘new-breaking treatment caused widespread panic by convincing some listeners that the nation was under attack by Martians. The Torquay staging will use the original script.
Geelong Folk Festival Returns
Geelong Folk Festival is being revived by the Geelong Folk Music Club and presented in a single day at the Geelong West Town Hall. The big day will be headlined by Nick Charles, Fiona Ross, Seal Prince and the Roof Rats and featuring a host of artists including Mickey & Michelle, Milk, Photojenix, Shona Williams, Velvet Sledgehammer, Apolline, Bellarine Banshees, Carl Dickens, The Chooks, The Drongo and The Crow, Jacob Boots & Jill Meehan and family. More artists are being added and the occasion will be Mvd by Possums On The Porch. Tickets $73 (adult), $68 (Club members), $180 (family), $107 (single parent family), $40 (teenager), Children free from trybooking.com
Ride The Cyclone in Belmont
Theatre Of The Damned will present the 2009 Comedy Musical Ride The Cyclone at its Belmont Theatre in September. The storyline follows six teenagers from a Canadian choir whose in a rollercoaster accident – but are offered the chance to audition for a return to life. The show’s witty songs and unique, uplifting storyline has earned it cult status. The Damned cast includes Andrew Lorenzo, Paris Walsh, Jacob Carr, Colby McCallum, Tahlia Walker, Storm Randall, Casey Reid, Leah Bested, Lola Fry, Mia Davis, Matilda Heinrich,
Watch this site for more info when available.
Frozen, plain, relaxed or swing
CentreStage Geelong will present the Broadway version of Disney’s musical Frozen next March, which the tickets on sale now, 11 months in advance. The company plans a three-week run, from March 5 – 20, with some performances designated ‘Relaxed’ while others are ‘Swing’. Relaxed performances are designed to appeal to people with sensory difficulties. They will have reduced intensity of lighting and sound effects, the house lights will stay on at a low level and the theatre doors remain open allowing freedom to move in and out as well as a designated quiet space for breaks. The ‘swing’ performances will allow main parts to be played by understudies. Performance times will be at 7.30pm, 1.30pm matinees and 5.00pm early evenings. Tickets cost $59.90, $55.90 (concession) $49.90 (child) 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
entertainmentgeelong.oam
This website’s editor, webmaster and principal critic, 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 