Almost forty years after its Australian premiere at Sydney Theatre Company (STC) in 1989, Larry Kramer’s groundbreaking, semi-autobiographical and Tony and Olivier Award-winning masterpiece, The Normal Heart, returns in 2026, playing at the Drama Theatre – Sydney Opera House from 9 February, as part of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Set in 1980s New York at the height of the emerging AIDS crisis, the play remains one of the most powerful and urgent works of contemporary theatre, tracing the early years of the epidemic and the activists who fought to be heard.
Witty, confronting and romantic, it is a monumental and moving tribute to the resilience and courage of a community in crisis and a poignant reminder of the power of people coming together and falling in love, even when the world seems to be falling apart.
Premiering off-Broadway in 1985 and running for almost 300 performances, The Normal Heart was the longest-running play in the history of The Public Theater. It made its Broadway debut in 2011, winning the TONY Award for Best Revival of a Play.
Directed by award-winning writer and director, Dean Bryant (Hubris & Humiliation, Dear Evan Hansen), STC’s 2026 production of The Normal Heart stars STC Artistic Director Mitchell Butel, Nicholas Brown (Circle Mirror Transformation, Belvoir’s Counting and Cracking), Tim Draxl (Opera Australia’s Sunset Boulevard, SBS Erotic Stories), Keiynan Lonsdale (Love, Simon, ABC’s Dance Academy), Fraser Morrison (Belvoir’s Grief is a Thing with Feathers, KXT on Broadway’s Cruise).
They will be joined by STCSA original cast members, Michael Griffiths (best known for solo cabaret performances including Sydney Festival 2024’s It’s a Sin and Helpmann Award-winning cabaret, COLE); Mark Saturno (Edward Albee’s The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?; Girl from the North Country) and making their Sydney Theatre Company debuts, Evan Lever (Hayes Theatre’s Merrily We Roll Along) and Emma Jones (Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar; Joe vs Carole). They will be joined onstage by cellist Rowena Macneish.
At the centre of the story is Ned Weeks, a New York writer battling to uncover the truth about the mystery illness affecting his community, played by four-time Helpmann Award-winner and STC Artistic Director and co-CEO Mitchell Butel, who says it is an ”honour” to perform this play in Sydney for a new generation:
“The Normal Heart is a landmark play from the past that speaks very much to our present and future. It shines a light on the power and value of community and advocacy, but it is also a deep meditation on authenticity, family, purpose and what it is to love, what it is to fail and what it is to begin again,” said Butel.
“It is a play that makes me laugh and makes me cry and it’s an honour for me to once more be part of this production that has moved audiences so profoundly.”
After a critically acclaimed season at State Theatre Company South Australia, director Dean Bryant says he is thrilled to bring this production to Sydney, “one of the epicentres of activism during the early AIDs outbreak.”
“The Normal Heart celebrates the power and challenges of fighting for the right to survive, honouring the past as well as speaking to the ongoing struggles of the marginalised right now. Anchored by Mitchell Butel’s spectacular performance, I’ve rarely seen a play land on an audience with such an emotional punch,” said Bryant.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO, Jesse Matheson says The Normal Heart is a story that represents the festival’s new era and 2026 theme, which celebrates its roots in protest, visibility and community moving forward together.
“The Normal Heart resonates deeply with this year’s festival theme ECSTATICA and its exploration of queer emotion and transformation, reminding us how shared struggle can ignite courage and collective joy. The play tells a story that sits at the core of Mardi Gras’ history – of LGBTQIA+ communities coming together in the face of fear, stigma and loss,” says Matheson.
“Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras’ partnership with the Sydney Theatre Company for the 2026 Season unites two cultural institutions to honour those who lived through the AIDS crisis, celebrate the resilience they forged, and remind us all how far we have come and how far we still must go. We invite our community to experience The Normal Heart, together.”
A signature arts event of the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, the Tuesday 17 February performance of The Normal Heart will be a special Queer Night with a post-show panel discussing the themes of this Queer classic and celebrating Sydney Theatre Company’s LGBTQI+ community members and allies.
This production of The Normal Heart was originally produced by State Theatre Company South Australia. The 2026 production is presented by Sydney Theatre Company, in association with Wagnan Productions Sarah Rohrsheim and, community partners Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and ACON.
Director: Dean Bryant | Featuring: Nicholas Brown, Mitchell Butel, Tim Draxl, Michael Griffiths, Emma Jones, Evan Lever, Keiynan Lonsdale, Fraser Morrison, Mark Saturno, Rowena Macneish (cellist) | Designer: Jeremy Allen | Lighting Designer: Nigel Levings | Composer: Hilary Kleinig | Sound Designer: Andrew Howard
The Normal Heart
Drama Theatre – Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, Sydney
Season: 9 February – 14 March 2026
Information and Bookings: www.sydneytheatre.com.au
Image: Keiynan Lonsdale, Mitchell Butel and Tim Draxl to star in The Normal Heart – photo by Holly Ward