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Month: February 2026

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade 2024 - photo by Ann-Marie Calilhanna
Festivals & Events

Top Picks for the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival

17 February 2026

Over 20 days, Sydney will pulse with queer energy through a dynamic program of theatre, […]

Amélia Rojas, Calista Nelmes, Abigail Sharp, Conor Beaumont and Emma Caporaso to star in Heathers the Musical - photo by Cameron Grant
Arts & Culture

Heathers The Musical announces Cast for Australian Tour

17 February 2026

The global phenomenon Heathers The Musical has unveiled the cast for its highly anticipated Australian […]

TOOTSIE
Arts & Culture

Australian premiere of Tootsie announced for Teatro at the Italian Forum

17 February 2026

Co-Founders Nathan M Wright and Andrew Bevis (The Addams Family, The Prom) have announced that […]

Lady Ms in Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Original Australian Cast) – photo by Daniel Boud
Arts & Culture

Moulin Rouge! The Musical to return to Sydney in 2027

17 February 2026

Global Creatures has announced that the worldwide blockbuster production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical will open at […]

City of Sydney 2026 Mardi Gras Flag Raising photo by Phoebe Pratt
Festivals & Events

Spirits fly high as Mardi Gras season begins

14 February 2026

The 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festivities have kicked off with the raising […]

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News In Pictures

  • After a critically acclaimed Sydney season, BIG Live brings The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey to Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre for a strictly limited 18-performance season from 18 March 2026. Reimagining F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel through ballet, tap and jazz, the production transforms one of literature’s most enduring love stories into a large-scale theatrical event. It is not a nostalgic period piece, but a contemporary retelling driven by movement, music and psychological intensity. The Sydney response confirmed there is a strong appetite for narrative-led ballet at scale. The Melbourne season builds on that momentum, positioning the work as one of the most ambitious independent dance productions currently touring in Australia. Directed and choreographed by Joel Burke, the production reframes Jay Gatsby not as satire, but as a man gripped by belief. “For me, Gatsby isn’t irony,” says Burke. “He is a romantic who genuinely believes the past can be remade. I wanted to remove the wink and let the longing sit front and centre.” Burke’s choreography uses physical contrast to drive the narrative. The excess of Gatsby’s parties unfolds in expansive, rhythm-charged ensemble sequences, while moments of deliberate awkwardness and unexpected stillness expose the character’s vulnerability. Movement is frequently interrupted or restrained, allowing hesitation, imbalance and silence to carry dramatic weight. “I’m interested in what happens when the body resists,” adds Burke. “Sometimes the stillness tells the story more truthfully than virtuosity.” An original score by Emmy Award-winning composer Jason Fernandez, alongside Dominic Cabusi, gives the production cinematic propulsion. Classical ballet technique is interwoven with tap and jazz phrasing, creating a physical language that mirrors the glamour of the Jazz Age while revealing its instability. The cast features alumni of the Mariinsky Theatre, English National Ballet, Queensland Ballet, The Australian Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet. From the wildly thrilling scale of Gatsby’s infamous parties to the stripped-back, exposed intimacy of his longing, the production's pacing is designed to be relentless. Visually, musically, and emotionally, the momentum builds continuously toward the final image of the green light. “Even though it’s a full theatrical experience, I want that sensation of, ‘I can’t believe it’s already over,’” says Burke. “Because theatre should feel transporting. It should sweep you up completely... and when the curtain falls, there should be that slight disbelief - that rare feeling that you’ve just experienced something larger than you expected.” The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey Her Majesty's Theatre, 240 Exhibition Street, Melbourne Season: 18 March - 5 April 2026 Bookings: www.ticketek.com.au Following the Melbourne season, The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey will play Canberra Theatre Centre (8 - 12 April), Cairns Performing Arts Centre (16 - 19 April), Crown Theatre Perth (25 - 26 July), Newcastle Civic Theatre (22 - 23 August) and Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide (2 - 6 September). For more information, visit: www.bigliveco.com for details. Image: The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey - courtesy of BIG Live
  • MARVELous: A Risqué Parody
  • APN ACON Australian Pride in Sport Awards
  • Dolly Diamond
  • The Cast of Trophy Boys - photo by Ben Andrews
  • The Motley WhereHaus
  • Old-Friends-Sing-Sundays-Mark-Mark-Trevorrow-Bev-Kennedy-and-Rupert-Noffs
  • SGLMG Mardi Gala Ball Taste the Love photo by Ash Penin
  • Tracey Yarad stars in All These Pretty Things - photo by Perez Images

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The Australian Pride Network exists to promote Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Pride on a national level, encouraging diverse communities in Australia to hold and attend pride events, whilst increasing promotional and networking opportunities among Australian pride organisations.

News in Pictures
  • After a critically acclaimed Sydney season, BIG Live brings The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey to Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre for a strictly limited 18-performance season from 18 March 2026. Reimagining F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic novel through ballet, tap and jazz, the production transforms one of literature’s most enduring love stories into a large-scale theatrical event. It is not a nostalgic period piece, but a contemporary retelling driven by movement, music and psychological intensity. The Sydney response confirmed there is a strong appetite for narrative-led ballet at scale. The Melbourne season builds on that momentum, positioning the work as one of the most ambitious independent dance productions currently touring in Australia. Directed and choreographed by Joel Burke, the production reframes Jay Gatsby not as satire, but as a man gripped by belief. “For me, Gatsby isn’t irony,” says Burke. “He is a romantic who genuinely believes the past can be remade. I wanted to remove the wink and let the longing sit front and centre.” Burke’s choreography uses physical contrast to drive the narrative. The excess of Gatsby’s parties unfolds in expansive, rhythm-charged ensemble sequences, while moments of deliberate awkwardness and unexpected stillness expose the character’s vulnerability. Movement is frequently interrupted or restrained, allowing hesitation, imbalance and silence to carry dramatic weight. “I’m interested in what happens when the body resists,” adds Burke. “Sometimes the stillness tells the story more truthfully than virtuosity.” An original score by Emmy Award-winning composer Jason Fernandez, alongside Dominic Cabusi, gives the production cinematic propulsion. Classical ballet technique is interwoven with tap and jazz phrasing, creating a physical language that mirrors the glamour of the Jazz Age while revealing its instability. The cast features alumni of the Mariinsky Theatre, English National Ballet, Queensland Ballet, The Australian Ballet and Stuttgart Ballet. From the wildly thrilling scale of Gatsby’s infamous parties to the stripped-back, exposed intimacy of his longing, the production's pacing is designed to be relentless. Visually, musically, and emotionally, the momentum builds continuously toward the final image of the green light. “Even though it’s a full theatrical experience, I want that sensation of, ‘I can’t believe it’s already over,’” says Burke. “Because theatre should feel transporting. It should sweep you up completely... and when the curtain falls, there should be that slight disbelief - that rare feeling that you’ve just experienced something larger than you expected.” The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey Her Majesty's Theatre, 240 Exhibition Street, Melbourne Season: 18 March - 5 April 2026 Bookings: www.ticketek.com.au Following the Melbourne season, The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey will play Canberra Theatre Centre (8 - 12 April), Cairns Performing Arts Centre (16 - 19 April), Crown Theatre Perth (25 - 26 July), Newcastle Civic Theatre (22 - 23 August) and Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide (2 - 6 September). For more information, visit: www.bigliveco.com for details. Image: The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey - courtesy of BIG Live
  • MARVELous: A Risqué Parody
  • APN ACON Australian Pride in Sport Awards
  • Dolly Diamond
  • The Cast of Trophy Boys - photo by Ben Andrews
  • The Motley WhereHaus
  • Old-Friends-Sing-Sundays-Mark-Mark-Trevorrow-Bev-Kennedy-and-Rupert-Noffs
  • SGLMG Mardi Gala Ball Taste the Love photo by Ash Penin
  • Tracey Yarad stars in All These Pretty Things - photo by Perez Images
Latest Posts
  • The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey
  • MARVELous: A Risqué Parody
  • Finalists Announced for the 2026 Australian Pride in Sport Awards
  • Dolly Diamond: Tits & Teeth (review)
  • Stage sensation Trophy Boys to open State Theatre Company South Australia’s 2026 season
  • Introducing Melbourne’s largest independent Artist-Run festival venue – The Motley WhereHaus
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