Qtopia Sydney has launched its 2026 Theatre Season – the organisation’s boldest program to date – unveiling a landmark line-up of new Australian works, international hits, award-winning productions and reimagined Queer classics across both The Loading Dock Theatre and, for the first time ever, a dedicated full season at The Substation.
Entering its third theatre season, Qtopia Sydney stands apart from other cultural institutions: a theatre housed inside a centre of Queer history and culture, built on community, conversation and the deep belief that storytelling can shift understanding and inspire change.
“One of the main goals of Qtopia Sydney is to incite conversation because, we believe, it is conversation that can lead to change – change in minds, in attitudes, in vocabulary and more, “said Carly Fisher, Qtopia Sydney’s Artistic, Festival and Programs Director.
“Each of the artists that takes to our stage is part of this goal. Whether through hilarious comedy or heartbreaking drama or toe tapping musicals and cabarets or anything in between, the artists that share their stories at Qtopia Sydney are part of the legacy of this place, and part of the mission too – to incite conversation.”
Since opening its first season in 2024, Qtopia Sydney has presented work from nearly 800 artists to more than 16,000 audience members, cementing its role as Australia’s home for Queer performance.
2026 marks the debut of The Substation’s first full season: ACT ONE – transforming the intimate underground venue into a dynamic hub for emerging voices, experimental works and personal Queer storytelling.
From raw new monologues to multi-award-winning international works, ACT ONE carries the same heartbeat as The Loading Dock Theatre – championing creativity, honesty, disruption and connection – while giving early-career makers space to take risks and ignite conversations, and experienced theatre makers a unique underground space to work in.
2026 Mainstage Highlights Include:
Split Ends – A five-star, darkly comic exploration of coercive control and obsession
Train of Thought – A musical-cabaret dive into the neurodivergent mind, winner of the Sydney Fringe LGBTQIA+ Storytelling Award
Heavy Is the Crown – Acclaimed Kenyan musician Willis Chimano’s (Sauti Sol) intimate autobiographical performance
Niusia – A multi-award-winning, Edinburgh fringe sell out, solo work examining memory, misremembering and ancestral silence
Never the Sinner – Sydney Premiere of John Logan’s (Gladiator, Skyfall) gripping courtroom drama
Edges – An intimate coming of age song cycle by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman)
Galatea – A fresh and bold adaption of a classic text that inspired Shakespeare’s gender bending comedies directed by Jules Billington.
And more brilliant shows with – The Red Shoes, The Mad Ones, The Waves, Thirty-Six, Casey and Diana and The Boys Are Kissing, Plus: Mardi Gras + Season, Pride Fest, and Sydney Fringe Festival’s Queer Hub
These works span comedy, music, cabaret, drama, physical theatre and mythic retellings – all united by Qtopia Sydney’s core ethos: these are our stories, told our way.
The Substation – ACT ONE Highlights:
SELENE – A radical, myth-infused new work by the globally acclaimed Wright & Granger
FAG/STAG – A sharp, hilarious look at friendship, masculinity and messy adulthood
BABYFLEAREINDEERBAG – A wildly inventive interrogation of the pressure to turn life into content
EDEN – A lyrical, world-premiere coming-of-age collaboration with Siren Theatre Co
Toxic – A gripping Manchester-set story exploring HIV stigma, survival and resilience
MEDEA – A Queer reworking of the classic myth using mask theatre and contemporary language
The Interchange – A tender, funny story of first love between a queer, mixed artist and a private school boy
ACT ONE runs January through to Pride Fest in June, with ACT TWO to be announced in 2026.
Community, Conversation and Celebration:
Beyond its artists and its stages, Qtopia Sydney pays tribute to the partners and supporters who make the season possible.
Qtopia Sydney proudly welcomes The West by Curio Collection, a Hilton Property, as the 2026 Exclusive Sydney Accommodation Partner, ensuring visiting artists are supported throughout the season and during Pride Fest.
The organisation also acknowledges essential support from Create NSW and the City of Sydney, whose strong support has been instrumental in creating and ensuring the future of LGBTQIA+ and Ally storytelling at Qtopia Sydney.
“Storytelling doesn’t happen in isolation,” said CEO, Greg Fisher. “It happens because a whole community believes in its value. That support – from artists, audiences, allies, funders and friends – is the reason Qtopia Sydney can dream bigger every year.”
For more information about Qtopia Sydney’s Mainstage and Substation programs, visit: www.qtopiasydney.com.au for details.
Image: Qtopia Sydney 2026 (supplied)