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# Australian Pride Network

A network of Australian Pride Organisations

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Afterglow (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/afterglow-review-2/) - There is so much going on in Griffin Theatre Company’s new play Afterglow that it should not work, but it does, and that can only be a good thing. From the pens of two trans creators, Sheanna Parker Russon and Lillian M. Hearne, Afterglow follows the lives of four barbershop quartet singers and their musical accompanist over a
- [Inner West Pride Walk brings LGBTIQA+ history to life](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/inner-west-pride-walk-brings-lgbtiqa-history-to-life/) - The people, places and moments that have shaped LGBTIQA+ history across Sydney’s Inner West are being celebrated through the new Inner West Pride Walk. Developed by Inner West Council in collaboration with rainbow community elders, queer historians and LGBTIQA+ organisations and groups, the self-guided history tour explores 17 significant sites spanning early activism and social
- [Little Squirt comes to Bondi Festival this July](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/little-squirt-comes-to-bondi-festival-this-july/) - Following an acclaimed international tour, the multi-award-winning musical cabaret Little Squirt comes to Bondi Festival at Bondi Pavilion for three nights this July. Written and performed by musical comedian Darby James, the heartfelt and hilarious one-man show explores sperm donation, queer parenthood and the unconventional pathways to starting a family. When Darby responds to a
- [The Aesop Queer Library returns](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-aesop-queer-library-returns/) - With a belief in the enduring power of literature to inspire understanding and foster connection, the Aesop Queer Library returns to Melbourne from 15 to 19 July for its fifth edition. The annual initiative once again transforms Aesop's Flinders Lane store into a temporary library celebrating LGBTQIA+ voices, where visitors are invited to select a
- [Honour 2026: Nominations Open For Rainbow Community Service Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/honour-2026-nominations-open-for-rainbow-community-service-awards/) - Nominations are now open for the 2026 Honour Awards, NSW’s premier LGBTQ+ community awards celebration. Community members are invited shine a light on those who have made remarkable contributions to the wellbeing and advancement of LGBTQ+ communities. Organised by ACON, NSW’s leading LGBTQ health organisation, Honour recognises exceptional leadership, achievements and contributions to rainbow communities
- [Thirty-Six to play Qtopia Sydney this July](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/thirty-six-to-play-qtopia-sydney-this-july/) - After a critically acclaimed season in Melbourne, Thirty-Six is making its Sydney debut at QTopia in the heart of the city’s queer history this July. Thirty-Six is a fiercely intimate, cross-continental collaboration between two transgender writer-performers - UK theatre icon Jo Clifford (The Gospel According to Jesus Queen of Heaven) and Australia’s own Bayley Turner,
- [NAIDOC NYLON - A Fierce Celebration of First Nations Blackcellence](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/naidoc-nylon-a-fierce-celebration-of-first-nations-blackcellence/) - Looking for a NAIDOC Week event on the Central Coast with a difference? This Saturday 11 July, Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services and FunHaus Factory present NAIDOC NYLON - a fierce and fun evening celebrating the creativity, diversity and talent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. A sell-out event that has shaken the haus down
- [Pride Events and Festivals Fund to support LGBTIQA + Events across Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pride-events-and-festivals-fund-to-support-lgbtiqa-events-across-victoria/) - The Victorian Government is backing more events and festivals that celebrate Victoria's LGBTIQA+ communities, announcing the opening of the next round for the Pride Events and Festivals Fund (PEFF). PEFF supports community groups and organisations to deliver events that showcase LGBTIQA+ pride and connection. "The Pride Events and Festivals Fund is about more than fun
- [Afterglow](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/afterglow/) - Griffin Theatre Company will premiere the 2026 Griffin Lookout season with Afterglow - a tender musical rom-com from Purple Tape Productions, penned by Sheanna Parker Russon and Lillian M. Hearne at Downstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, from 9 – 25 July 2026. From the musical minds of Russon (No Love Songs for Lady Basses) and
- [Qtopia Sydney concludes PRIDE FEST 2026 with record-breaking turnout](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydney-concludes-pride-fest-2026-with-record-breaking-turnout/) - With the conclusion of International Pride Month, Qtopia Sydney has officially wrapped up Pride Fest 2026 with a bang, bringing to a close their biggest festival yet! Firmly cementing its place as a mainstay in the Australian LGBTQIA+ cultural calendar, this year’s festival delivered a beautiful celebration of community, culture and conversation. Now in it’s
- [Cast announced for We Are The Tigers at Hayes Theatre Co](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cast-announced-for-we-are-the-tigers-at-hayes-theatre-co/) - Cheers Productions is thrilled to announce the powerhouse cast that will bring the cult-hit musical We Are The Tigers to life, unleashing an exhilarating blend of pop anthems, fierce choreography and deadly secrets to Hayes Theatre from 9 October 2026. Set at the annual sleepover of the Giles Corey High School cheerleading squad, We Are The Tigers follows the team
- [Eddie Izzard performs Shakespeare’s Hamlet (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/eddie-izzard-performs-shakespeares-hamlet-review/) - Before Hamlet begins, Suzy Eddie Izzard walks out onto the stage for a short preamble. She notes a parallel between William Shakespeare’s journey from comedies to tragedies to her own as a comedian currently performing his most famous tragedy, before gifting the audience with some of the most beautiful storytelling you might ever see. I had written
- [David Sedaris returns to Australia in 2027](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/david-sedaris-returns-to-australia-in-2027/) - David Sedaris, critically acclaimed author, humourist and master of satire returns to Australia in January 2027. A savant of razor-sharp and sardonic wit, an evening with David Sedaris is better than therapy, a life affirming joyful experience that leaves a person feeling as if their cup has been filled right to the brim by one
- [Thousands celebrate Gold Coast Pride Fair Day in successful debut at HOTA](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/thousands-celebrate-gold-coast-pride-fair-day-in-successful-debut-at-hota/) - The 2026 Gold Coast Pride Fair Day has been hailed a resounding success, with thousands of people gathering at HOTA, Home of the Arts on Saturday 27 June for the largest celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride on the Gold Coast. Held at HOTA for the very first time, the event welcomed community members, families, allies and
- [Rabbit & Watson - a celestial love story](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rabbit-watson-a-celestial-love-story/) - Award-winning playwright Shane Woon (A Guide To Being Immortal) continues his exploration of Chinese mythology and Australian culture with an epic love story that transcends space and time with Rabbit & Watson at Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre from 15 - 26 July 2026. Mixing Chinese fantasy cinema, Boy Love drama and the AFL, his
- [Copland Dance Episodes (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/copland-dance-episodes-review/) - An element of surprise immediately arises as you take your seat for American choreographer Justin Peck’s Copland Dance Episodes. Designed by Jeffrey Gibson, a deliciously multicoloured show curtain reflecting the artist’s Native American heritage is a dazzling sight. Locked into the visual field is the subliminal inscription: “The only way out is through.” It perfectly captures the
- [Finucane & Smith return to Melbourne’s Luna Park for a celebration three decades in the making](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/finucane-smith-return-to-melbournes-luna-park-for-a-celebration-three-decades-in-the-making/) - Few Australian arts companies have carved out a legacy quite like Finucane & Smith. For thirty years, the Melbourne-based collective has occupied a singular place in the nation’s cultural landscape, creating work that defies categorisation while captivating audiences with its fearless embrace of spectacle, beauty, provocation and joy. This August, the company marks its milestone
- [Darwin Festival appoints Ben Graetz as Artistic Director](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/darwin-festival-appoints-ben-graetz-as-artistic-director/) - Darwin Festival has announced the appointment of acclaimed arts leader Ben Graetz as its next Artistic Director. Born and raised on Larrakia Country, Ben will return to Darwin to lead the 2027 Festival and guide the organisation into its landmark 50th anniversary in 2029. With more than 28 years’ experience across the Australian and international performing
- [Sunburn: Gerwyn Davies reimagines the glitter and mythology of the Sunrise Strip](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sunburn-gerwyn-davies-reimagines-the-glitter-and-mythology-of-the-sunrise-strip/) - This July Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre will present a major new body of work by Gadigal/Sydney-based artist Gerwyn Davies. Sunburn: Gerwyn Davies brings together vibrant textile pieces and large-scale photographic works celebrating the ephemera, icons and visual culture of the area affectionately known as the nation’s glittering “Sunrise Strip.” Gallery Director Ingrid
- [Sweet Charity (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sweet-charity-review/) - Sixty years after its Broadway debut, Sweet Charity remains one of musical theatre’s most endearing celebrations of optimism in the face of disappointment. Adapted from Federico Fellini’s 1957 film Nights of Cabiria, the musical united the talents of playwright Neil Simon, composer Cy Coleman and lyricist Dorothy Fields, with legendary director-choreographer Bob Fosse shaping its distinctive style. In
- [HOUSE OF ROT (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/house-of-rot-review/) - Some productions entertain. Others challenge. HOUSE OF ROT does both while simultaneously carving out its own fiercely intoxicating theatrical experience. Inspired by the mythology surrounding Big and Little Edie of Grey Gardens fame, but never beholden to it, this extraordinary work from director Dino Dimitriadis and musical director Victoria Falconer transforms decay into something strangely beautiful, finding humour, heartbreak
- [MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mr-big-aka-tatay-a-transwoman-and-that-tiring-tune/) - A ghost that will not stop singing. A bride with a funeral to plan. A 90s love song that refuses to die. From award-winning playwright Dax Carnay-Hanrahan, MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! is a darkly comedic and musically haunted new theatre work at fortyfivedownstairs. Set between 1990s Manila and contemporary
- [Regional Pride Events set to shine in Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regional-pride-events-set-to-shine-in-victoria/) - The Victorian Government is backing pride events in regional and rural Victoria that celebrate local LGBTIQA+ communities. Event organisers in regional Victoria can now apply for grants of up to $10,000 as part of Midsumma's Regional Activation Program for inclusive events or activations that bring people together in their local communities. "From Portland to the Goulburn Valley,
- [Paul Capsis and Adam Noviello unite for Grey Gardens-inspired HOUSE OF ROT](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/paul-capsis-and-adam-noviello-unite-for-grey-gardens-inspired-house-of-rot/) - Australian stage luminaries Paul Capsis and Adam Noviello are set to join forces in HOUSE OF ROT - a brand new theatrical song cycle from Green Door Theatre Company, when it plays at Malthouse's Merlyn Theatre and Sydney's Hayes Theatre this June. HOUSE OF ROT is loosely inspired by Grey Gardens, the cult documentary that introduced the world to Big and Little
- [Gold Coast Pride unveils a Fabulous Pride Month Calendar](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gold-coast-pride-unveils-a-fabulous-pride-month-calendar/) - The Gold Coast Pride Collective has officially unveiled its 2026 Pride Month Calendar, featuring more than 20 events across the city throughout June and culminating in a huge day of LGBTQIA+ celebration with the Gold Coast Pride Fair Day at HOTA, Home of the Arts. The month-long program brings together community organisations, businesses, venues, artists
- [Ash Brazill, Leigh Ryswyck and Sam Stanton line up for Play with Pride 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ash-brazill-leigh-ryswyck-and-sam-stanton-line-up-for-play-with-pride-2026/) - Presented by Adelaide University Sport & Fitness, Play With Pride 2026 is dedicated to supporting diversity and inclusion in Sport, Recreation and Fitness, and is set to be a powerful afternoon of thoughtful discussion, while bringing together the LGBTQIA+ community over great food and wine. Bringing together athletes, advocates, and allies to promote a welcoming
- [Adelaide Cabaret Festival Opens as Ursula Yovich Awarded the 2026 Icon Award](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festival-opens-as-ursula-yovich-awarded-the-2026-icon-award/) - Ursula Yovich was presented with the 2026 Adelaide Cabaret Festival Icon Award at last night’s sold out Variety Gala, ahead of her highly anticipated solo performance honouring Nina Simone. Opening weekend audiences can look forward to a musical theatre spectacular at Festival Theatre, with What’s the Buzz? – in concert and conversation with the cast of Jesus Christ
- [Gogglebox star Tim Lai bands together with TV pals for Euphoria Social Gala & People’s Choice Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gogglebox-star-tim-lai-bands-together-with-tv-pals-for-euphoria-social-gala-peoples-choice-awards/) - This year's Euphoria Social Gala & People's Choice Awards will be officially hosted by beloved Gogglebox personality Tim Lai, who will be joined on stage by an incredible line-up of special guests and familiar television faces. The Euphoria Social Gala & People's Choice Awards is a vital, community-led celebration recognising LGBTQIAPN+ individuals across Victoria who
- [Entertainment announced for Brisbane Pride's 65th Annual Queens Ball Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/entertainment-announced-for-brisbane-prides-65th-annual-queens-ball-awards/) - Brisbane Pride has revealed the entertainment for the 65th annual Queens Ball, with acclaimed performers Emily Williams and Greg Gould set to headline the legendary LGBTQIA+ event. Joining the entertainment line-up will be crowd favourite DJ Richie LeStrange, who will bring their signature energy to the dancefloor as Brisbane City Hall transforms into a spectacular
- [National Workplace Awards Demonstrate Australian Business’ Commitment to LGBTQ+ Inclusion](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/national-workplace-awards-demonstrate-australian-business-commitment-to-lgbtq-inclusion/) - Organisations from across the Australian economy have been recognised at the Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards for their ongoing work to advance LGBTQ+ inclusion, equity, and belonging in the workplace. Held in Sydney, the awards saw Bendigo Bank named Employer of the Year, while Russell Kennedy Lawyers received the title of Small Employer of the Year.
- [Crown Jewels DRAGstravaganza returns to Funhaus Factory](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/crown-jewels-dragstravaganza-returns-to-funhaus-factory/) - Drag lovers, consider this your official invitation: Crown Jewels DRAGstravaganza is back - and she did not come to play. Taking over the King’s Birthday long weekend on Saturday 6 June, this iconic event returns as the Central Coast’s biggest and only drag ball, a cornerstone of the region’s Pride Month celebrations. A riot of
- [GAG REFLEX (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gag-reflex/) - Currently playing at the La Mama Courthouse, Gag Reflex explores the confusing terrain of adolescent desire, friendship and online culture with sharp humour and surprising emotional intelligence. Written by Flick and directed by Tansy Gorman, the production balances broad comedy with a more serious reflection on the way young people are exposed to fragmented and often misleading
- [XANADU rolls into Brisbane this May](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/xanadu-rolls-into-brisbane-this-may/) - Roller skates, Greek gods and 80s dreams are set to take over Brisbane as Mira Ball Productions presents Xanadu at the Ron Hurley Theatre for a limited season from 21 - 24 May 2026. Leading the production are Nykita O’Keeffe as Clio/Kira and Croft Phillips as Sonny Malone. O’Keeffe recently made her QPAC debut in
- [Sweet Charity comes to Chapel Off Chapel this June](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sweet-charity-comes-to-chapel-off-chapel-this-june/) - Following their sold-out inaugural season of Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, Heirlume Productions in association with Forest Collective presents the iconic Fosse musical Sweet Charity at Chapel Off Chapel this June. Directed by Madison Lee, with musical direction by Evan J Lawson and Max Kielly and choreography by Jesse Matthews, Sweet Charity will
- [Dolly Diamond - Belle of the Ballroom](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dolly-diamond-belle-of-the-ballroom/) - Dolly Diamond returns to the Brunswick Ballroom for one very special night of fabulous cabaret with Belle of the Ballroom on Sunday 17 May 2026. Backed by a sensational seven-piece band guided by Musical Director Andy Pobjoy, Dolly delivers two glorious hours of camp-soaked entertainment featuring razor-sharp comedy, powerhouse vocals and sparkling storytelling. Bold, brilliant and bursting
- [Glimmerverse Awakens: Wild Cabaret Spectacle Hits Gosford This Weekend](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/glimmerverse-awakens-wild-cabaret-spectacle-hits-gosford-this-weekend/) - This Saturday (16 May), audiences are invited to step beyond the ordinary and into the Glimmerverse as Funhaus Factory presents a dazzling new cabaret experience set to light up Gosford. Blending circus, cabaret, pole, aerial, drag, live music and comedy, this bold, high-energy production promises one unforgettable night. Criptonite unfolds within a shimmering, otherworldly galaxy
- [Grants to support LGBTIQA+ Victorians](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/grants-supporting-lgbtiqa-victorians/) - The Victorian Government has awarded a record fourteen organisations supporting LGBTIQA+ Victorians with a $1.6 million investment to strengthen and expand services across Victoria. Minister for Equality Vicki Ward said the organisations would receive between $100,000 and $150,000 as part of the LGBTIQA+ Sector Strengthening (LSS) grants program to strengthen or expand their services in
- [Voting Opens for 65th Annual Queens Ball Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/voting-opens-for-65th-annual-queens-ball-awards/) - The countdown to the biggest night on Brisbane’s LGBTQIA+ calendar continues, with Brisbane Pride announcing that 214 nominations have been revealed for the 65th annual Queens Ball Awards, and community voting is now officially open. Community members are encouraged to cast their votes via www.brisbanepride.org.au recognising the individuals and organisations who have made outstanding contributions
- [The Australian premiere of Tootsie opens at the Teatro at the Italian Forum later this month](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-australian-premiere-of-tootsie-opens-at-the-teatro-at-the-italian-forum-later-this-month/) - Rehearsals are well underway as the supremely talented cast of Tootsie, the smash-hit Broadway musical, prepare for the Australian Premiere at Teatro at the Italian Forum later this month. Wigs and sequins have been donned in preparation to bring this nostalgic classic to the stage at Sydney’s newest exciting venue. Based on the beloved Oscar-winning hit
- [The Glass Menagerie (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-glass-menagerie-review/) - Few plays in the theatrical canon possess the enduring emotional resonance of Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie. More than 80 years after its premiere, the play’s exploration of memory, familial obligation and deferred longing remains as piercing as ever. Melbourne Theatre Company’s latest staging at Southbank Theatre approaches this classic with a level of confidence and
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Celebrates Community Excellence at 2026 Community Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-celebrates-community-excellence-at-2026-community-awards/) - Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has announced the winners of its 2026 Community Awards, inducting two new community members into the Mardi Gras Hall of Fame, honouring the best Parade floats, the most fabulous Fair Day stalls and its volunteers of the year. "The Community Awards is our chance to celebrate everyone who made the 2026 season so extraordinary. ECSTATICA lit
- [Cast announced for Sydney season of HAIR The Musical](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cast-announced-for-sydney-season-of-hair-the-musical/) - The cast has been announced for the Sydney season of the new Australian production of HAIR, the revolutionary tribal love-rock musical phenomenon that changed the face of theatre forever. First performed in Sydney in 1969, the Grammy and Tony Award-winning production of HAIR will open at Theatre Royal Sydney from 6 June 2026 for a strictly limited season,
- [Geelong Pride Film Festival 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/geelong-pride-film-festival-2026/) - Running until Sunday 10 May, the 2026 Geelong Pride Film Festival features a bold program of curated collections, shorts and feature film selections. Highlights of the 2026 program this year include the premiere of US lesbian film Drip Like Coffee where an intimate connection between two Brooklyn baristas leads to a life-changing transformation, and the
- [Holden Sheppard: Yeah the Boys](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/holden-sheppard-yeah-the-boys/) - Yeah the Boys is a bold, propulsive novel about male friendship and masculinity, set in the world of Holden Sheppard's bestselling debut Invisible Boys. Seven years after escaping their rural hometown, the boys - Charlie, Zeke and Hammer - are back, though not as we left them. Charlie's fighting spirit has faded as he's struggled
- [New Australian Queens take the throne in SIX The Musical](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-australian-queens-take-the-throne-in-six-the-musical/) - While continuing to triumphantly reign on global stages, the international smash-hit phenomenon SIX the Musical makes its royal return to Australia this year, with seasons confirmed at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from 24 July, Theatre Royal Sydney from 9 October and QPAC’s Playhouse Theatre in Brisbane from 2 January 2027. From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the six
- [Feast Festival announces New Leadership Team ahead of 30th Anniversary](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feast-festival-announces-new-leadership-team-ahead-of-30th-anniversary/) - Adelaide's Feast Festival has announced the appointment of Skye Bee (they/them) as Executive Director and Katherine Sortini (she/they) as Creative Director, marking a significant new chapter for the organisation as it moves toward its 30th anniversary in 2027. This is a first for Feast. While we've had similar leadership roles in the past, this is
- [The Glass Menagerie](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-glass-menagerie/) - For the first time in two decades, Melbourne Theatre Company will present Tennessee Williams’s long-enduring masterpiece, The Glass Menagerie, at the Southbank Theatre, The Sumner. A poetic and heartbreaking portrait of a languishing family and the fragile illusions we cling to in order to survive, The Glass Menagerie centres on Amanda Wingfield, a hopeful yet overbearing
- [Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bernie-dieters-club-kabarett-review/) - There are shows that entertain, and then there are shows that grab you by the throat, pull you into their world, and dare you to let go of your inhibitions. Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett is firmly the latter - an electrifying, deliciously subversive night that transforms the Cobblestone Pavilion at the Meat Market into a
- [Gold Coast Pride Collective announces return of Fair Day at new HOTA location](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gold-coast-pride-collective-announces-return-of-fair-day-at-new-hota-location/) - The Gold Coast Pride Collective has today announced the return of its flagship Fair Day event for 2026, unveiling a brand new home at HOTA - Home of the Arts. Following a transitional year in 2025, where the previous organising body ceased operations and no official Fair Day or Pride March took place, the Gold
- [Australian Cast announced for ‘COME ALIVE!’ The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australian-cast-announced-for-come-alive-the-greatest-showman-circus-spectacular/) - The Australian cast of ‘COME ALIVE!’ The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular has been announced for the first tour outside of its ongoing sell-out run in London. ‘COME ALIVE!’ The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular kicks off a national tour on Tuesday 19 May in Sydney under a purpose-built Hippodrome at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park. The production will
- [Qtopia Sydney gets ready to paint the Oxford Street precinct purple with pride in PRIDE FEST](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydney-gets-ready-to-paint-the-oxford-street-precinct-purple-with-pride-in-pride-fest/) - Qtopia Sydney is thrilled to announce the line-up of Pride Fest 2026, Sydney’s Queer Arts and Culture Festival. 2026 will showcase the festival’s biggest program yet, featuring over 300 events to celebrate International Pride Month from 1- 30 June, in a big, bold and beautiful celebration of community, culture and conversation. With something for absolutely everyone, the 2026
- [Spiegel Haus Melbourne cements itself as the city’s most popular new entertainment destination](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/spiegel-haus-melbourne-cements-itself-as-the-citys-most-popular-new-entertainment-destination/) - Lord Mayor Nick Reese and Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks lauded the enormous achievements of Spiegel Haus Melbourne, the CBD’s exciting new destination for the performing arts and nightlife as the venue announced a third extension of Blanc de Blanc Encore, taking its run to a record 40 weeks as part of the 40th birthday edition
- [Winners announced at the 2026 Australian Pride in Sport Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/winners-announced-at-the-2026-australian-pride-in-sport-awards/) - UWA Sport, Macquarie University Sport, Netball Victoria, Touch Football Australia and Hockey ACT are among a diverse mix of sporting bodies and individuals who have been recognised at the 2026 Australian Pride in Sport Awards held in Melbourne this week. The Pride in Sport program was launched in 2016 and marks its 10th anniversary this
- [Reuben Kaye: Hard to Swallow (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/reuben-kaye-hard-to-swallow-review/) - From the moment he strides into the spotlight, Reuben Kaye commands the Athenaeum Theatre stage with a magnetic blend of glamour and razor-edged intelligence. This is cabaret at its best: biting, provocative, and unapologetically political. Kaye is one of the most vital and fearless voices on the Australian stage right now. Kaye’s new show, Hard to Swallow, doesn’t
- [Heathers the Musical (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/heathers-the-musical-review/) - From the moment the house lights dimmed, Heathers The Musical detonated onto the stage with the kind of electric confidence that makes you feel you’re seeing something a little dangerous, a little rebellious, and utterly irresistible. Based on the cult late-80s film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty, and following record-breaking seasons in
- [Circus Oz: Here, There and Everywhere! (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/circus-oz-here-there-and-everywhere-review/) - Here, There and Everywhere! is exactly the kind of delightful chaos you hope for when the circus rolls into town and Circus Oz delivers it with a wink, a grin, and a whole lot of airborne brilliance. Here, There and Everywhere! is a gloriously unhinged ride: part circus, part sketch comedy, part rock concert, and
- [Dolly Diamond & Skank Sinatra: The Performers (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dolly-diamond-skank-sinatra-the-performers-review/) - One of the most joyful offerings at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Performers at Grouse is a sparkling, tongue-in-cheek delight from cabaret royalty Dolly Diamond and Skank Sinatra. Billed as a “cabaret catastrophe of epic proportions” – the show follows Dolly and Skank as desperate producers attempting to engineer a spectacular flop to dodge their unpaid Edinburgh Fringe tax bills. Naturally, their
- [EDEN](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/eden/) - Following a critically acclaimed season at the recent Adelaide Fringe, Siren Theatre Co presents EDEN, Kate Gaul's new play at The Substation - Qtopia Sydney this April. A lyrical coming-of-age story about identity, desire, and the cost of becoming, EDEN follows Kit and Dan as their lives hover between past and possibility. Desire, guilt, and
- [Joshua Hauville: Joshy in Paris (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/joshua-hauville-joshy-in-paris-review/) - Joshy In Paris is an absolute knockout – an unfiltered, high-octane explosion of camp, charisma, and comic precision that cements Joshua Hauville as one of the most exciting voices in this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival. From the moment he hits the stage, Hauville radiates a kind of chaotic confidence that’s impossible to resist; you’re not
- [The Music of Elton – 40 years of MSO x Elton John](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-music-of-elton-40-years-of-mso-x-elton-john/) - Forty years after one of the most iconic collaborations in Australian music history, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) celebrates its landmark performances with Sir Elton John in a spectacular new concert event, The Music of Elton. In 1986, Elton John invited the MSO to join him on a national orchestral tour, creating an unforgettable fusion of
- [Tom Rob Smith: Twenty Years Together](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tom-rob-smith-twenty-years-together/) - Danny and Luis have been a couple for twenty years. Piece by piece, they’ve built a life together. They’ve created a home. They’ve comforted and held each other up through challenges and tragedies. They’ve shared happiness and they’ve shared joy. The one thing they didn’t have was the one thing that, when they first met,
- [By popular demand THE PROM season extended](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/by-popular-demand-the-prom-season-extended/) - Due to phenomenal demand, an additional and final week of performances has been added to the Australian premiere season of the Broadway smash hit THE PROM, now playing at Teatro at the Italian Forum in Leichhardt, Sydney. The season will now have its final performance on the 26 April 2026. Audiences and critics alike have embraced
- [Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett returns to Melbourne this April](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bernie-dieters-club-kabarett-returns-to-melbourne-this-april/) - This April, North Melbourne’s historic Meat Market will again be taken over by the critically acclaimed global sensation that is Club Kabarett! Led by the undisputed Weimar kabarett punk provocateur, Bernie Dieter, this show promises unfiltered, debaucherous chaos, featuring Bernie’s immense vocal talent showcased through her powerful original songs, and much loved show stopping anthems,
- [Brisbane Pride Festival announces 2026 Queens Ball date and theme](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/brisbane-pride-festival-announces-2026-queens-ball-date-and-theme/) - The biggest night on Brisbane’s LGBTQIA+ calendar is set to return on Saturday 20 June, with Brisbane Pride announcing the 65th Queens Ball at Brisbane City Hall. This year marks the first Queens Ball since the recent passing of the event’s founder and long-time organiser, Dame Sybil Von Thorndyke. Celebrating more than six decades of
- [Origami 2026: Two Nights of Light, Music and Immersive Art in Gosford](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/origami-2026-two-nights-of-light-music-and-immersive-art-in-gosford/) - This April, Gosford’s most enchanting night out is returning with more glow, more music and more magic than ever before, as Origami: Folding Art & Sound unveils its 2026 artist line-up and expands into a two-day celebration of art, light and connection. After three consecutive sold-out years and a 2024 Business NSW Award, the beloved
- [SISTREN](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sistren/) - Following a sell-out, critically acclaimed, award-winning run as part of Griffin Theatre Company’s 2025 Lookout season, one of Australia’s most exciting rising stars, the blazingly talented Iolanthe brings her cult-hit SISTREN to the Griffin mainstage from 9 April to 3 May 2026 at Belvoir’s Downstairs Theatre. Isla and Violet are a ‘lethal combination’. Their self-righteous
- [Adelaide Cabaret Festival reveals Reuben Kaye's delicious revolution](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festival-reveals-reuben-kayes-delicious-revolution/) - The world’s largest cabaret festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, has unveiled its 2026 program, featuring a star-studded line-up of comedy, theatre and music. Unveiling his debut program as Artistic Director, multi-award-winning Australian comedian, singer, and writer Reuben Kaye presents the 2026 Adelaide Cabaret Festival showcasing 79 performances over 12 nights, featuring local, national and international artists
- [A Transgender Woman on the Internet, Crying (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-transgender-woman-on-the-internet-crying/) - A Transgender Woman on the Internet, Crying is the hyper pop fever dream that just might save the Australian musical scene from the dreary homogenized Americana it has become. Avis O’Hara is the right kind of trans – polite, palatable and above all, passing. Leaning into the hetro-femme fantasy and giving her followers, The Doll Makers,
- [The Prom (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-prom-review/) - The Australian premiere of The Prom at the Teatro at the Italian Forum in Leichhardt bursts onto the stage with irresistible charm, vibrant energy, and a whole lot of heart. This production is a dazzling, feel-good triumph – one that balances Broadway razzle-dazzle with a deeply resonant message about acceptance, courage, and the right to celebrate love
- [Joshua Hauville: Joshy in Paris](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/joshua-hauville-joshy-in-paris/) - After lighting up stages on tour in Paris, London, Melbourne and Sydney, and recent knock-out runs at Perth Fringe and Adelaide Fringe, gay Australian comedian Joshua Hauville brings his outrageously camp, high-energy solo comedy show to Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2026. Cabaret meets stand-up in an energetic, heartfelt, and unapologetically queer tale of life as
- [Cast Announced for Australian Premiere of Tootsie at Sydney's Teatro at the Italian Forum](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cast-announced-for-australian-premiere-of-tootsie-at-sydneys-teatro-at-the-italian-forum/) - A stellar cast has been announced for the hit Broadway musical Tootsie which will make its highly anticipated Australian premiere at Teatro at the Italian Forum in Sydney this May. In the role of Michael Dorsey and alter ego Dorothy Michaels (the dual role made famous on screen by two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman, is
- [John Cameron Mitchell announces return to Australia](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/john-cameron-mitchell-announces-return-to-australia/) - Two-time Tony Award-winning star John Cameron Mitchell is returning to Australia this September with a thrilling new theatrical concert celebrating the music, poetry and enduring spirit of David Bowie in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as an appearance at Sydney’s Festival of Dangerous Ideas in August with a further special event appearance to be announced in the coming weeks. I’M AFRAID
- [Briefs Factory: The Works (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/briefs-factory-the-works-review/) - Briefs Factory: The Works isn’t just a show – it’s a full-throttle sensory takeover. From the moment the lights drop, the Spiegeltent at Spiegel Haus Melbourne crackles with mischief and anticipation, and at the centre of the spectacle stands the magnetic Shivannah (Fez Faanana). Commanding the room with razor-sharp wit and irresistible charisma, Shivannah doesn’t just host – Shivannah
- [Little Miss Typecast](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/little-miss-typecast-2/) - Fresh from a critically acclaimed season at the Adelaide Fringe, Chloe Halley returns to Melbourne with her smash hit show Little Miss Typecast, playing The Motley Wherehaus (The Candy Room), as part of the 2026 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, from 23 - 29 March. Stuck playing the kid while her peers get to grow up, Chloe
- [Little Miss Typecast](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/little-miss-typecast/) - From child star to… adult child star? Cabaret newcomer Chloe Halley is bringing smash hit show Little Miss Typecast to the Adelaide Fringe, playing The Den at The Dom Polski Centre on 28 February and 1 March 2026. Stuck playing the kid while her peers get to grow up, Chloe Halley is pint-sized, pigeonholed and politely losing it. Little Miss Typecast is a cheeky, sharp as
- [The Great Gatsby: A Jazz Ballet Odyssey](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-great-gatsby-a-jazz-ballet-odyssey/) - 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
- [MARVELous: A Risqué Parody](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/marvelous-a-risque-parody/) - Fresh from rapturously received seasons in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and a Perth run where it played to the largest audiences of FringeWorld 2026 - MARVELous: A Risqué Parody soars into Brisbane for a strictly limited season from 18 March at Twelfth Night Theatre. With a rock-infused soundtrack and a cast of exceptional acrobats, vocalists, dancers
- [Finalists Announced for the 2026 Australian Pride in Sport Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/finalists-announced-for-the-2026-australian-pride-in-sport-awards/) - Tennis Australia, Surf Life Saving Australia, Melbourne United Basketball, Cricket Australia and the Australian Football League are among the organisations represented in the finalists announced for the 2026 Australian Pride in Sport Awards. The awards recognise individuals, clubs and organisations helping to make sport more inclusive for LGBTQ+ communities across Australia, celebrating leadership and innovation
- [Dolly Diamond: Tits & Teeth (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dolly-diamond-tits-teeth-review/) - Climb the stairs to the Mezzanine at Plant 4 Bowden and camp classics greet you - Gloria Gaynor, Sister Sledge, the sonic vocabulary of collective survival. On stage, an armchair and a stool flank a high table bearing a setlist, the whole arrangement promising the celebrity interview format the marketing sold. What follows is something
- [Stage sensation Trophy Boys to open State Theatre Company South Australia's 2026 season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stage-sensation-trophy-boys-to-open-state-theatre-company-south-australias-2026-season/) - This month, State Theatre Company South Australia will opens its 2026 season with Emmanuelle Mattana’s hit black comedy about power, privilege and high school debating - Trophy Boys. The first show of Artistic Director Petra Kalive’s inaugural season, Trophy Boys is set on the biggest night of Melbourne’s academic calendar - the Grand Finale of
- [Introducing Melbourne’s largest independent Artist-Run festival venue – The Motley WhereHaus](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/introducing-melbournes-largest-independent-artist-run-festival-venue-the-motley-wherehaus/) - The Motley WhereHaus will open this Melbourne International Comedy Festival at 432 Queen Street, Melbourne – adjacent to Queen Victoria Market – on Monday 23 March as the largest independent artist-run venue in Melbourne. Spanning three levels and housing 13 performance spaces, including the adjacent Motley Spielhaus, the new hub will host around 15% of all
- [Old Friends! New Show at Ginger's](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/old-friends-new-show-at-gingers/) - Old Friends! are Back! Mark Trevorrow, Rupert Noffs and Musical Director Bev Kennedy are Singing Sundays again in March at Ginger's - an intimate, purpose built cabaret room upstairs at the Oxford Hotel, Darlinghurst. It's a Brand New Show featuring the trio's unique blend of Broadway show tunes, pop classics and jazz standards, with a lot
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras raises $440k to power year-round community impact](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-raises-440k-to-power-year-round-community-impact/) - Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has announced it has raised approximately $440,000 through new fundraising and giving initiatives for the 2026 Festival - a powerful show of community belief in the future of the organisation. As a registered charity, Mardi Gras relies on a mix of event revenue, partnerships, grants and community support to
- [All These Pretty Things (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/all-these-pretty-things-review/) - From reading the All These Pretty Things flyer synopsis, I was expecting something quite loud, angry and vitriolic, set to music. But Tracey Yarad is a far more experienced and nuanced storyteller than that, and it’s her skill at stopping at every station along her journey, which allows plenty of opportunities for the audience get
- [Tomas Clifford Got Stood Up](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tomas-clifford-got-stood-up/) - After award-winning seasons at FRINGE WORLD and Melbourne Fringe, the critically acclaimed cabaret Tomas Clifford Got Stood Up is finally coming to Adelaide Fringe to be the hottest date in town! Join Tomas and his live 8-piece band in the midst of their national tour for a coming-of-age that couldn’t come quick enough, and if
- [Sydney Pride Festival 2026: Connected in Colour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-pride-festival-2026-connected-in-colour/) - This June, Sydney will come alive with a vibrant celebration of community, resilience, and unity as Sydney Pride Festival 2026 takes centre stage. Running from 1 - 30 June, this year’s festival embraces the theme Connected in Colour, honouring the strength and beauty that comes from standing together as one diverse community. This year also marks
- [Drew Downing’s country rock musical REBEL returns to Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/drew-downings-country-rock-musical-rebel-returns-to-melbourne/) - After acclaimed productions in 2014 and 2019 and international workshops, Drew Downing’s REBEL returns to Melbourne and The MC Showroom this March. From fireside guitars to big city nightlife, David chases rock and roll to outrun his past. Along the way, he discovers love, loss, and the harsh realities of being queer in a world
- [Emma O’Halloran’s explosive Grammy-nominated double-bill Mary Motorhead & Trade to premiere at the Malthouse this March](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/emma-ohallorans-explosive-grammy-nominated-double-bill-mary-motorhead-trade-to-premiere-at-the-malthouse-this-march/) - Australian Contemporary Opera Co. (ACOCO) will present the Australian premiere of Emma O’Halloran’s acclaimed chamber operas Mary Motorhead and Trade in the Beckett Theatre at the Malthouse Theatre in March 2026. Opening tonight (Friday 6 March), this major double-bill unites two arresting human dramas, helmed by leading Australian artists Emily Edmonds (Mary Motorhead) and Christopher
- [Cabaret provocateurs Briefs Factory bring The Works to Spiegel Haus Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cabaret-provocateurs-briefs-factory-bring-the-works-to-spiegel-haus-melbourne/) - International cabaret provocateurs Briefs Factory are coming to Spiegel Haus Melbourne with The Works - a no-holds-barred raid into their glittering archives, serving up fan favourites with the lights turned down and the heat cranked all the way up. This is the after-hours edition - louder, raunchier and with a whole lot less left to
- [Velvet Inferno to premiere at Sydney Opera House in 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/velvet-inferno-to-premiere-at-sydney-opera-house-in-2026/) - A hedonistic escape is set to heat up the Sydney Opera House Studio this winter when Velvet Inferno makes its premiere from 24 July - 13 September 2026. An electric evening of entertainment, this high-energy fusion of cabaret and circus comes together as an intoxicating love letter to the world of disco. Reuniting fan favourites from the original
- [All These Pretty Things](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/all-these-pretty-things/) - New York-based Australian Singer-Songwriter, Tracey Yarad, returns to Adelaide Fringe with All These Pretty Things – an inspiring and evocative portrayal of one woman’s capacity to come back stronger than ever. What do you do when your husband leaves you for your teenage goddaughter? You dye your wedding dress black, write some killer songs and make
- [Circus Oz brings acrobatics, antics and absolute chaos to MICF 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/circus-oz-brings-acrobatics-antics-and-absolute-chaos-to-micf-2026/) - Fresh from their holiday season on 42nd Street in New York City, Circus Oz returns to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with a brand-new show, Here, There and Everywhere! Playing at the historic Melbourne Town Hall, this strictly limited season is running from 8 – 18 April and is perfect for all ages. Created and performed by
- [Sydney erupts in ECSTATICA at the 48th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-erupts-in-ecstatica-at-the-48th-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-parade/) - Last night, Saturday 28 February 2026, Sydney burst into collective euphoria as the 48th anniversary of the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade lit up Oxford Street, Flinders Street and Moore Park Road. Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras CEO Jesse Matheson said, "The Parade was loud, physical, and unapologetic. From some of
- [ECSTATICA GALACTICA: six planets to align above Mardi Gras Parade](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ecstatica-galactica-six-planets-to-align-above-mardi-gras-parade/) - Sydney's biggest night of pride will unfold beneath a rare cosmic spectacle this year, with six planets appearing to align in the evening sky on the night of the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade. Shortly after sunset on Saturday, 28 February, Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter will appear in a
- [La Ronde (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/la-ronde/) - Currently playing in The Spiegeltent at The Garden of Unearthly Delights, the reimagined spectacle, La Ronde, is a sparkling diamond – intimate, daring and deliciously playful. Created by the boundary-pushing producers behind Blanc de Blanc and LIMBO, La Ronde has assembled a glittering troupe of international circus artists and sets them loose in a carousel of seduction, strength and sublime
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade Route added to National Heritage List](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-parade-route-added-to-national-heritage-list/) - The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade Route has been added to the National Heritage List, recognising its rich history and outstanding value to Australia. Running through the heart of Sydney, the two kilometre route captures both the history of the original 1978 parade and its role as an enduring cultural event in Australia.
- [AFTERGLOW premieres in Sydney tonight!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/afterglow-premieres-in-sydney-tonight/) - S. Asher Gelman’s international hit play AFTERGLOW will have its highly anticipated Sydney premiere tonight at the Eternity Playhouse, Darlinghurst, playing to 22 March 2026. The stellar cast of three comprises Julian Curtis (Gaslight, Cock, Dance Academy), gold medal winning Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham (Strangers in Between, Jock Night, The Pool) in his Australian acting
- [HAIR - The Tribal Love-Rock Musical to play Theatre Royal Sydney from June](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hair-the-tribal-love-rock-musical-to-play-theatre-royal-sydney-from-june/) - Following its recent Melbourne season, the new production of HAIR will open at Theatre Royal Sydney from 6 June 2026 for a strictly limited season. The Grammy and Tony Award-winning American tribal love-rock musical, which first played in Sydney in 1969, returns to the city with its story of peace, freedom and rebellion for a new generation
- [Occasional Combustible Disaster – a love letter to the community](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/occasional-combustible-disaster-a-love-letter-to-the-community/) - A hilarious and heart-breaking new play, Occasional Combustible Disaster will lead an explosive UpStage Season at Newcastle’s Civic Theatre Playhouse as a red hot team of creatives come together to examine the fallout inevitable in all nuclear families. Developed with assistance from Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta and having an initial presentation as part of QTOPIA’s inaugural
- [Queer Delights at the 2026 Adelaide Fringe](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-delights-at-the-2026-adelaide-fringe/) - With more than 1500 shows spanning comedy, cabaret, circus, theatre, music, visual art, interactive works and large-scale immersive experiences, Australia’s biggest arts festival has once again transformed Adelaide into one of the world’s most bustling cultural destinations. With so much on offer, the Australian Pride Network takes a look at 15 shows worth checking out:
- [The Pink List (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-pink-list-review/) - Walk into Ruby’s at Holden Street Theatres and Michael Trauffer is already there, seated to your right, dressed in blue and grey striped pyjamas. He doesn’t acknowledge you. He doesn’t need to. The show has already begun. If you don’t know what the pink triangle means and why it matters, you need to see this
- [Qtopia Sydney announces the departure of CEO Greg Fisher](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydney-announces-the-departure-of-ceo-greg-fisher/) - The Chair of Qtopia Sydney, Elaine Czulkowski, has announced that founding CEO Greg Fisher has decided to step down from his role, marking the end of a remarkable chapter in the organisation’s journey. Czulkowski has said that Greg had been instrumental in transforming the vision of a world-class centre dedicated to Queer history and culture
- [Helloooo Poppets - MRS. DOUBTFIRE to premiere in Australia at Melbourne's Princess Theatre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/helloooo-poppets-mrs-doubtfire-to-premiere-in-australia-at-melbournes-princess-theatre/) - MRS. DOUBTFIRE, the feel-good comedy musical based on the beloved film will premiere in Australia at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre from November 2026. Featuring all the iconic moments you know and love, plus fabulous new songs and show-stopping dance numbers, MRS. DOUBTFIRE is directed by four-time Tony Award winning Jerry Zaks. “Producing MRS. DOUBTFIRE has been an incredible and joyful
- [ChillOut Festival invites audiences to Planet Love - a place where everyone belongs ](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chillout-festival-invites-audiences-to-planet-love-a-place-where-everyone-belongs/) - This Labour Day weekend, ChillOut Festival invites audiences to step into Planet Love - a joyful world built on connection, colour, and queer country pride. Running from 5–9 March, the festival returns to regional Victoria with a vibrant program of live performance, community events and celebrations across Daylesford and the surrounding Hepburn Shire. With more than
- [Mardi Gras Pop Art Cabaret comes to Gosford this Saturday](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mardi-gras-pop-art-cabaret-comes-to-gosford-this-saturday/) - This Saturday, FunHaus Factory invites Central Coast audiences into a vibrant world of colour, music and celebration presenting a one-of-a-kind Pop Art Cabaret starring Sydney drag icon Wonder Mama alongside acclaimed pianist Lindsay Partridge. Blending live music, drag performance and interactive visual art, the evening promises a joyful and unexpected cabaret experience where audiences are
- [The Normal Heart (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-normal-heart-review/) - Almost four decades after its Australian premiere with the Sydney Theatre Company (STC) in 1989, Larry Kramer’s searing, semi-autobiographical drama The Normal Heart returns with blistering force to the Drama Theatre at the Sydney Opera House. And it feels as urgent as ever. This STC production, directed by Dean Bryant, was first presented in 2022 by State Theatre Company South Australia, where
- [The Pink List](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-pink-list/) - The haunting new one-person musical inspired by untold stories of gay men in post-war Germany comes to Australia for a limited run at Adelaide Fringe, following its acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe 2025 season with Gilded Balloon and three performances at Fringe World Perth. 1957 West Germany. The battle against the Nazis ended twelve years ago -
- [Top Picks for the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-picks-for-the-2026-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-festival/) - Over 20 days, Sydney will pulse with queer energy through a dynamic program of theatre, music, parties, talks, and community events, culminating in the 48th Annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday 28 February, when Oxford Street once again transforms into the beating heart of LGBTQIA+ pride and visibility. With so much on
- [Heathers The Musical announces Cast for Australian Tour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/heathers-the-musical-announces-cast-for-australian-tour/) - The global phenomenon Heathers The Musical has unveiled the cast for its highly anticipated Australian tour. Based on the cult 1988 film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, the high-octane black comedy rock musical arrives in Australia following record-breaking seasons in London and New York. Featuring an exciting mix of seasoned stage performers and rising
- [Australian premiere of Tootsie announced for Teatro at the Italian Forum](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australian-premiere-of-tootsie-announced-for-teatro-at-the-italian-forum/) - Co-Founders Nathan M Wright and Andrew Bevis (The Addams Family, The Prom) have announced that the hit Broadway musical Tootsie will make its highly anticipated Australian premiere this May at Teatro at the Italian Forum in Sydney. Award-winning director and choreographer Cameron Mitchell (Putting It Together, Sweet Charity) will helm the production, as rehearsals begin
- [Moulin Rouge! The Musical to return to Sydney in 2027](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/moulin-rouge-the-musical-to-return-to-sydney-in-2027/) - Global Creatures has announced that the worldwide blockbuster production of Moulin Rouge! The Musical will open at the Sydney Lyric in March 2027, with an all new Australian cast, delivering the same internationally acclaimed spectacle fans know and love. In 2025, seven productions of the hit show lit up stages across the globe, painting new cities red,
- [Spirits fly high as Mardi Gras season begins](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/spirits-fly-high-as-mardi-gras-season-begins/) - The 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festivities have kicked off with the raising of the Progress Pride flag above Sydney Town Hall. During the Mardi Gras celebrations until Sunday 1 March, the globally recognised emblem of LGBTIQA+ pride will remain in place on top of the landmark. The City of Sydney is a
- [Perfect Arrangement (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/perfect-arrangement-review/) - It doesn't get more CAMP nor eerily timely than Topher Payne's Perfect Arrangement. McCarthyism is sweeping across America, leaving its Red Scare scar in its wake as the moral panic makes neighbour turn on neighbour. Bob and Norma work tirelessly to rat out questionable members of society, all the while maintaining their wholesome status quo
- [Rebel Heart: Love letters and other declarations](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rebel-heart-love-letters-and-other-declarations/) - State Library Victoria’s magnetic new exhibition Rebel Heart: Love letters and other declarations reveals the unsung rebels of romance throughout Australian history. Rebel Heart charts romantic love’s passion and pain through the Library’s archive of soul-baring letters, intimate diaries and rare manuscripts, amplified by powerful new music commissions by Australian artists Angie McMahon, Mindy Meng
- [Top Picks for 33rd Mardi Gras Film Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-picks-for-33rd-mardi-gras-film-festival/) - Running from 12 – 26 February 2026, the 33rd Mardi Gras Film Festival presents 139 outstanding films from 38 countries, showcasing bold new works, celebrated international titles and standout queer storytelling across features, documentaries, and shorts. The Australian Pride Network takes a look at 12 films worth checking out: JIMPA Award-winning actors Olivia Colman (The
- [Lead Cast announced for Australian Premiere of WAITRESS](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lead-cast-announced-for-australian-premiere-of-waitress/) - Producer John Frost for Crossroads Live has announced the stellar cast for the Australian Premiere of Broadway’s smash-hit musical WAITRESS, which will light up Her Majesty’s Theatre Melbourne from 1 May, and the Sydney Lyric Theatre from 1 August 2026. Leading the cast as Jenna will be Natalie Bassingthwaighte (Chicago, Shirley Valentine), while Gabriyel Thomas (Cats,
- [The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-elocution-of-benjamin-franklin/) - Griffin Theatre Company opens its stellar 2026 season with a 50th anniversary production of steve j. spears’ classic, The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin, at Belvoir’s Downstairs Theatre from 21 February 2026. A landmark of Australian theatre, steve j. spears’s tragicomedy scandalised and mesmerised in equal measure when it premiered in 1976 - touring the world
- [Absolute Pleasure: Queer Perspectives on Rocky Horror](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/absolute-pleasure-queer-perspectives-on-rocky-horror/) - Since its earliest midnight showings at the Waverly Theater in New York City, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been an underground sensation. For five decades, people around the world have dressed up and gathered in dark theatres to dance, yell, mime obscene acts, and forge connections with other queer people and weirdos. The film
- [Only Labor will fund and deliver Victoria's Pride Street Party](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/only-labor-will-fund-and-deliver-pride-street-party/) - Smith Street's iconic Pride Street Party is here to stay under the Allan Labor Government – and only the Labor Government will continue to fund and deliver it if re-elected. Minister for Equality Vicki Ward and Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt visited Smith Street today (Sunday 8 February) to celebrate the fifth annual Pride
- [LOVING: Photographs of Men in Love, 1850s–1950s](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/loving-photographs-of-men-in-love-1850s-1950s/) - Qtopia Sydney, in association with the European Union (EU) Delegation to Australia, presents LOVING, a photographic collection capturing intimate moments of male love between the 1850s and 1950s by American collectors and married couple, Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell. Hosted at the largest centre for Queer history and culture in the world, Qtopia Sydney, the
- [Bell Shakespeare announces cast for upcoming world premiere of Yve Blake's Mackenzie](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bell-shakespeare-announces-cast-for-upcoming-world-premiere-of-yve-blakes-mackenzie/) - Bell Shakespeare has announced the cast for the upcoming world premiere of Mackenzie - a new play by visionary creator Yve Blake, including five original songs. The production will open in Sydney at The Neilson Nutshell from 6 June - 18 July, before touring to Arts Centre Melbourne from 23 July - 9 August 2026. A
- [New Theatre presents Topher Payne's Perfect Arrangement](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-theatre-presents-topher-paynes-perfect-arrangement/) - Inspired by the early stirrings of the American gay rights movement, New Theatre presents Topher Payne's Perfect Arrangement, as part of the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival, until 7 March. It’s 1950s America, and a new colour has been added to the Red Scare: lavender. The Lavender Scare saw LGBTQ+ people interrogated,
- [Event program unveiled for 2026 Orange Rainbow Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/event-program-unveiled-for-2026-orange-rainbow-festival/) - A spectacular program of events has been announced for the 2026 Rainbow Festival, inviting the community to come together for a vibrant celebration of diversity, creativity and inclusion across Orange. Running from 4 - 8 March, the Rainbow Festival will feature a dynamic mix of events spanning arts and culture, dance, live performances, community events,
- [TRANSGENRE launches free all-trans concert series - Euphoria Month](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/transgenre-launches-free-all-trans-concert-series-euphoria-month/) - TRANSGENRE – the largest grassroots initiative celebrating trans and non-binary voices in Australian music – has teamed up with Metro A.i.R to launch the first-ever Euphoria Month, a free concert series in Gadigal/Sydney being held throughout February. Every Wednesday night throughout February, the Metro Social (formerly the Metro Lair, the sister venue of the Metro Theatre) will
- [David Carlin & Peta Murray: How to Dress for Old Age](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/david-carlin-peta-murray-how-to-dress-for-old-age/) - Weaving memory, anecdote and reflection, David Carlin & Peta Murray's How to Dress for Old Age is a work of love and reckoning showcasing two of Australia's finest writers at the peak of their powers. When adult children take up caring for absent fathers and stoic mothers, things can get complicated. Room 306. Level Three. In
- [Cast announced for Australian premiere of The Prom](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cast-announced-for-australian-premiere-of-the-prom/) - The cast of the upcoming Tony-nominated Broadway smash-hit production, The Prom has been announced. This Drama Desk Award™ Winner for Best Musical is arriving in Sydney for its Australian Premiere at the newly revitalised Teatro at the Italian Forum from March 2026. Broadway and West End star Caroline O’Connor leads this stellar cast as Tony Award Winner
- [AFTERGLOW (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/afterglow-review/) - Some plays entertain. Some provoke. Afterglow does something rarer, it disarms you, draws you close, and then quietly rearranges your understanding of love. S. Asher Gelman’s internationally celebrated play arrives in Melbourne with the confidence of a global hit and the vulnerability of a late-night confession. What unfolds isn’t just a story about an open
- [Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/elegies-for-angels-punks-and-raging-queens-review/) - First performed in 1989, Elegies for Angels, Punks, and Raging Queens is collection of songs and rhyming monologues told by anonymous characters who have died from AIDS. The writing certainly wears its vintage on its sleeve, something Director and Choreographer, Jesse Matthews, doesn’t try to avoid in the staging. The combination of the material being delivered for
- [Mama Alto: Transcendent (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mama-alto-transcendent-review/) - Mama Alto: Transcendent is not merely a cabaret set – it is a slow, smouldering invocation. Within the intimate embrace of the Melbourne Recital Centre’s Primrose Potter Salon, time loosens its grip, and what remains is voice, story, and the exquisite persona of being human. Carrying an aura that feels both celestial and deeply grounded, the room
- [Much to do with Law, but More to do with Love](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/much-to-do-with-law-but-more-to-do-with-love/) - What do you do when the law breaks your heart? Or worse - when it shatters the dreams you spent a decade fighting for as a human rights lawyer? If you're Danish Sheikh, you turn to the world’s most celebrated philosopher of heartbreak: Ms Taylor Alison Swift. In Much to do with Law, but More
- [Dead Mum](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dead-mum/) - Jack’s mum is dead. A very funny, very sad cabaret by Jack Francis West. This show is about her… It’s also about you. Death is the most universal experience of the human condition. So why don’t we talk about it? Hey, why don’t we sing about it?! Dead Mum is a cabaret about death and grief,
- [The Normal Heart](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-normal-heart-2/) - 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 for STC’s 2026 season. Set in 1980s New York at the height of the emerging AIDS crisis, the play remains one of the most powerful and urgent works
- [SKIN: THE EXHIBITION & PERFORMANCE](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/skin-the-exhibition-performance/) - Internationally acclaimed artist, writer and community archivist Jessi Ryan returns to the Midsumma Presents program in 2026 with yet another epic double bill, their second major solo exhibition and performance project in as many years. QRAVE in 2025 set the fire burning, now, in 2026, amid the smoke, strobe and lasers – SKIN does emerge. SKIN: THE EXHIBITION (6 – 8 February)
- [Mama Alto: Transcendent](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mama-alto-transcendent/) - One of Australia’s finest cabaret artistes, the velvet-voiced Mama Alto makes her return to Midsumma Festival and Melbourne Recital Centre with Mama Alto: Transcendent, this January. Mama Alto is a jazz singer, cabaret artiste and gender transcendent diva. Her liquid velvet voice comes to the fore in stunning and beguiling interpretations that turn already rich
- [Finding Glitter in the Storm (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/finding-glitter-in-the-storm-review/) - In the intimate confines of Club Voltaire, Finding Glitter in the Storm lands exactly where it should: right in the chest. Written and performed by Josh Moyes, with dramaturgy by Lachlan Plain and musical support from Tim Wild, this is storytelling that feels both deeply personal and generously communal. Moyes has a magnetic presence. Armed with incisive wit
- [Australian Open (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australian-open-review/) - Angus Cameron’s Australian Open, currently serving aces at Theatre Works, as part of the 2026 Midsumma Festival, is a thrilling, intelligent and unexpectedly tender piece of theatre. Under Riley Spadaro’s assured and confident direction, the play unfolds with a striking sense of rhythm and control. Spadaro knows exactly when to let the dialogue rally and
- [Opera Up Late is back with Reuben Kaye turning up the heat at Sydney Opera House](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/opera-up-late-is-back-with-reuben-kaye-turning-up-the-heat-at-sydney-opera-house/) - Following a sold-out performance last year, Opera Up Late makes its return to the Sydney Opera House on Saturday 21 February with even more drama and flair. This unapologetically fabulous night reunites audiences with irreverent host Reuben Kaye, joined by a stellar line-up who are guaranteed to deliver jaw-dropping performances. This year’s line-up is a
- [Backing Pride across Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/backing-pride-across-victoria/) - The Victorian Government is backing dozens of events and activities celebrating Victoria's diverse LGBTIQA+ communities held around the state. Minister for Equality Vicki Ward has announced the 31 recipients of the Pride Events and Festivals Fund (PEFF) which will deliver $400,000 to bring communities of all ages together to celebrate diversity, build resilience and promote
- [On the Couch with Josh Moyes](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/on-the-couch-with-josh-moyes/) - Who is Josh Moyes? I’m a writer, performer, and deviser. I value queer perspectives. I was born in Geelong and moved to Byron Bay as a kid. I have a joke that follows me from that, “I guess you could call me a flamboyant bogan.” What would you do differently from what you do now?
- [Skank Sinatra: The Name on Everybody's Lips](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/skank-sinatra-the-name-on-everybodys-lips/) - Broadway’s greatest hits explode in a glittering high-camp spectacular bursting with jazz, wit, and lashings of showgirl charm, as award-winning cabaret superstar, Skank Sinatra, brings the acclaimed new production Skank Sinatra: The Name on Everybody’s Lips to venues across Australia this Summer. Created and performed by Jens Radda, Skank Sinatra: The Name on Everybody’s Lips is
- [Circa’s Duck Pond](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/circas-duck-pond/) - Gliding mischievously onto the stage of Melbourne’s Princess Theatre, Circa’s Duck Pond is a triumph of wit, virtuosity and sheer theatrical pleasure. Directed by Circa’s Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz, this highly inventive work takes the sacred cow of Swan Lake, splices it with Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling, and gleefully sends the whole thing tumbling headlong into Circa’s world
- [Queer Screen unveils full program for 33rd Mardi Gras Film Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-screen-unveils-full-program-for-33rd-mardi-gras-film-festival/) - Running from 12 - 26 February 2026, Queer Screen has announced the full program for the 33rd Mardi Gras Film Festival. Presented in venues across Sydney including Event Cinemas George Street and Dendy Newtown, the festival will deliver two weeks of LGBTIQ+ cinema at the heart of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras celebrations. The
- [Top Picks for the 2026 Midsumma Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-picks-for-the-2026-midsumma-festival/) - Guided by the theme, Time & Place, the 2026 Midsumma Festival explores how moments and locations shape our identities through over 200 events spanning art, performance, music and celebration. With so much on offer, the Australian Pride Network takes a look at fifteen events worth checking out: Midsumma Carnival Alexandra Gardens, Melbourne: Sunday 18 January Anchoring the
- [Time & Place Begins Here: Midsumma Carnival launches 22 days of Queer Joy](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/time-place-begins-here-midsumma-carnival-launches-22-days-of-queer-joy/) - The annual Midsumma Carnival will take over Melbourne's Alexandra Gardens on Sunday 18 January, for an iconic full-day free outdoor extravaganza dedicated to kicking off the 22-day long festival. Presented by Midsumma Festival and supported by City of Melbourne, this popular day event attracts over 120,000 people and features over 200 stalls including pop-up bars, The annual Midsumma Carnival will take over Melbourne's Alexandra Gardens on Sunday 18 January, for an iconic full-day free outdoor extravaganza dedicated to kicking off the 22-day long festival.
- [Gravity & Other Myths: Ten Thousand Hours](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gravity-other-myths-ten-thousand-hours/) - Ten Thousand Hours by Gravity & Other Myths (GOM) is a reminder that greatness is never accidental and that the most exhilarating artistry often comes from showing the work, not hiding it. The Adelaide-based, multi-award-winning company presents an exceptional production that is as generous as it is jaw-dropping. Built around the concept of the 10,000-hour rule, a theory
- [Help Bring Pride to Life: Rainbow on the Reef turns five and invites Gladstone to get involved](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/help-bring-pride-to-life-rainbow-on-the-reef-turns-five-and-invites-gladstone-to-get-involved/) - Rainbow on the Reef has announced the dates for its 2026 Pride Festival, marking a major milestone as the much-loved community event celebrates five years of Pride on the Reef. The 2026 Rainbow on the Reef Festival will take place on 29 - May continuing the organisation’s commitment to creating safe, inclusive and joyful spaces
- [NGV Friday Nights celebrates the radical spirit of fashion icons Westwood and Kawakubo](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ngv-friday-nights-celebrates-the-radical-spirit-of-fashion-icons-westwood-and-kawakubo/) - This summer, NGV Friday Nights transforms the gallery after dark in a celebration of self-expression inspired by two of fashion’s most influential designers - Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons. NGV will open its doors late every Friday night where visitors can explore Westwood | Kawakubo after hours, an exhibition tracing five decades of groundbreaking designs that have
- [Supporting young LGBTIQA+ Victorians to thrive](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/supporting-young-lgbtiqa-victorians-to-thrive/) - The Victorian Government is continuing to support Victoria’s young LGBTIQA+ communities through the latest round of the Healthy Equal Youth (HEY) grants. Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt has announced that 15 community-led projects will share $100,000 in funding through the 2025 HEY grants round. “We’re building a Victoria where everyone is welcome and celebrated
- [God's Cowboy](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gods-cowboy/) - This summer and just in time for Sydney Mardi Gras, a bold new Australian play bucks convention and rides straight into the spotlight. God's Cowboy, a powerful, provocative and outrageously funny work by legendary Sydney theatre figure Les Solomon, makes its full season world premiere at Flight Path Theatre from 21 January to 21 February
- [Australian Open](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australian-open-2/) - Slicing across the Theatre Works stage in the heat of Melbourne tennis-mania, this Midsumma Festival don’t miss the chance to catch Australian Open, Angus Cameron’s wickedly funny play about elite tennis, family, and open relationships. It’s Felix’s 31st Birthday, but all his parents want to talk about over dinner is his boyfriend Lucas’ loss to
- [Mo'Ju to headline Victoria's Pride Street Party](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/moju-to-headline-victorias-pride-street-party/) - The Victorian Government is bringing back Victoria's Pride Street Party for another year – taking over Fitzroy and Collingwood this February with a line-up headlined by neo-soul artist Mo'Ju. Minister for Equality Vicki Ward has announced Mo'Ju will lead the annual celebration of Victoria's LGBTIQA+ communities – a free, one-day event featuring music, comedy, circus,
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras announces its newly elected Board](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-announces-its-newly-elected-board/) - Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has announced that Kathy Pavlich and Mits Delisle will continue as Co-Chairs of the organisation, and that Wendy Maloney has been appointed to the Board as Treasurer, strengthening leadership continuity as Mardi Gras enters a significant period of planning and community engagement ahead of its 50th anniversary. The organisation
- [Finding Glitter in the Storm](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/finding-glitter-in-the-storm/) - Finding Glitter in the Storm is a darkly comic coming-of-age tale that crackles with heart, humour, and queer defiance. Writer-performer Josh Moyes brings this unforgettable new work to Club Voltaire as part of the 2026 Midsumma Festival, running 22–25 January. What happens when your family moves to Byron Bay (Bundjalung Nation), buys a pirate ship,
- [How Much Do Removalists Cost in Australia?](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/how-much-do-removalists-cost-in-australia/) - Average Removalist Costs in Australia Removalist pricing in Australia depends on time, distance, and the size of your move. You will usually see charges quoted by the hour, as a fixed price, or as a regional average based on local demand and travel time. Hourly Rates for Removalists Most removalists charge by the hour, with
- [In a spectacular celebration of performing arts icons – DIVA has opened at the Australian Museum of Performing Arts](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/in-a-spectacular-celebration-of-performing-arts-icons-diva-has-opened-at-the-australian-museum-of-performing-arts/) - The Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA) has launched its first major exhibition, DIVA, a dazzling celebration of the bold, genre-shaping performers who have long fuelled the world’s cultural imagination. Featuring everything from breathtaking gowns and pioneering design to rare archival treasures, the exhibition reveals how divas across eras have shaped fashion, identity and the very
- [Stellar cast announced for Saturday Night Fever at the Athenaeum Theatre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stellar-cast-announced-for-saturday-night-fever-at-the-athenaeum-theatre/) - An exceptional Australian cast led by talented triple threat, Ethan Churchill, will bring the 1970s cult classic characters from Saturday Night Fever to life in this reimagined production at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre in January 2026. With just under a month until opening night, the cast is well underway with their preparations to bring this iconic disco phenomenon
- [Theatre Works announces 2026 season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/theatre-works-announces-2026-season/) - In a bold, expansive and artist-driven program featuring more than 50 productions, Theatre Works reveals its 2026 season. At the same time the organisation has announced the departure of Executive Director Dianne Toulson, who will step down in July 2026 after eight years in the role. Under Dianne’s leadership, Theatre Works has transformed from an organisation
- [Tropical Fruits SPACE CADETS New Year’s Eve Festival 2025-2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tropical-fruits-space-cadets-new-years-eve-festival-2025-2026/) - Established in 1988, the Tropical Fruits Inc are the premier LGBTIQ+ community social group in the New South Wales Northern Rivers town of Lismore – an area appropriately known as the Rainbow Region. Taking place on Widjabul Wia-bal jugun, Tropical Fruits Inc are known for their community-led events and this year’s celebration will be no
- [Dennis Altman: Righting My World](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dennis-altman-righting-my-world/) - Righting My World is a collection of writings over the past half-century from the acclaimed professor of politics and gay rights activist, Dennis Altman. From the inauguration of Richard Nixon to Trump’s America, from Gay Liberation to the AIDS crisis and beyond, Dennis Altman has been both a participant in the changing times and an acute
- [Genesis: Drag King Megashow](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/genesis-drag-king-megashow/) - Ignored, misunderstood, and barred from participating in RuPaul’s Drag Race, Drag Kings are taking their turn in the spotlight in the biggest all-King showcase Melbourne has seen in almost ten years, since the Kong’s Kings showcases of 2016. Starting in August of 2024, Genesis is a monthly community event for Drag Kings and Things (gender
- [Larry Kramer’s landmark play The Normal Heart returns to STC in 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/larry-kramers-landmark-play-the-normal-heart-returns-to-stc-in-2026/) - 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
- [A call for Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women to participate in a new study on alcohol and hope](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-call-for-lesbian-bisexual-and-queer-women-to-participate-in-a-new-study-on-alcohol-and-hope/) - The Research Centre for Public Health, Equity and Human Flourishing at Torrens University is exploring ways to reduce heavy alcohol consumption among midlife women (aged 45-64). They are seeking participants to contribute to the research. Australian midlife women consume more alcohol than previous generations of midlife women and more than younger women now. Alcohol poses
- [SIX the Musical will reign live on stage in Australia in 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/six-the-musical-will-reign-live-on-stage-in-australia-in-2026/) - After triumphantly taking the West End, Broadway, and stages across the globe by storm, the international smash-hit phenomenon SIX the Musical will make its royal return to Australia in 2026, with seasons confirmed at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from July 2026, Theatre Royal Sydney from October 2026 and QPAC’s Playhouse Theatre in Brisbane from January 2027.
- [Qtopia Sydney announces 2026 Mainstage and Substation programs](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydney-announces-2026-mainstage-and-substation-programs/) - 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
- [Spiegel Haus Melbourne to host Midsumma shows and a Latin NYE party](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/spiegel-haus-melbourne-to-host-midsumma-shows-and-a-latin-nye-party/) - Spiegel Haus Melbourne - the new summer destination for shows, food and drinks, and nightlife - will be the official artist bar for Midsumma 2026, as well as hosting shows including Freak Out! The Afterparty, Rooftop Piano Bar: Hosted by Tina Del Twist and Late Night Vice. These new shows join already announced shows Blanc
- [Queer creativity takes centre stage as Midsumma 2026 explores Time & Place](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-creativity-takes-centre-stage-as-midsumma-2026-explores-time-place/) - Guided by the theme, Time & Place, the 2026 Midsumma Festival explores how moments and locations shape our identities - through over 200 events spanning art, performance, music and celebration. This summer, Midsumma Festival invites audiences to look closer at the moments and places that shape us. Through a kaleidoscope of performances, exhibitions and celebrations,
- [New Theatre reveals 2026 season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-theatre-reveals-2026-season/) - With world premieres, cult classics, and fan favourites, all combining for our most exciting season yet! New Theatre’s 2026 Season has arrived, and every show is a winner. “Our 2026 season is one of our most exciting yet. It’s a season about identity, imagination, and rebellion, about challenging the status quo, and finding hope," says Artistic
- [PrideFEST Live x ICF: WAREHOUSE featuring Miami Horror](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pridefest-live-x-icf-warehouse-featuring-miami-horror/) - Get ready to dance the night away with Miami Horror - on Thursday 27 November, immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of PrideFEST Live at The Ice Cream Factory - where music, community, and inclusivity come together in perfect harmony. Led by Australian-born, Los Angeles based Benjamin Plant, Miami Horror return with the We Always
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras appoints Jesse Matheson as Chief Executive Officer](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-appoints-jesse-matheson-as-chief-executive-officer/) - The Board of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is pleased to announce the appointment of Jesse Matheson as Chief Executive Officer. Jesse has been part of Mardi Gras' leadership for several years having served as a Board Member from 2017-2022, Co-Chair through the COVID-19 pandemic, a Director of Sydney WorldPride, Company Secretary, and most
- [Bigger, bolder and more outrageous than ever - Reuben Kaye unleashes enGORGEd](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bigger-bolder-and-more-outrageous-than-ever-reuben-kaye-unleashes-engorged/) - The irrepressible and multi-award-winning comedian and cabaret superstar, Reuben Kaye, is set to electrify the Melbourne Recital Centre with his acclaimed show enGORGEd on 28 & 29 November 2025. With Musical Direction and Arrangements by Shanon D Whitelock and backed by an 18-piece orchestra, enGORGEd is Kaye’s boldest and most spectacular production yet - a
- [Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/revolt-she-said-revolt-again/) - Wit Incorporated Theatre Company ignites the stage with Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again. – Alice Birch’s ferocious dissection of language, power and identity, this November at the Bluestone Church Arts Space and The Bowery Theatre in December. Through sharp, surreal and darkly funny vignettes, it twists words into weapons and turns everyday rituals inside out. What begins
- [Adelaide Fringe pays tribute to outgoing director Heather Croall AM](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-fringe-pays-tribute-to-outgoing-director-heather-croall-am/) - The Board of Adelaide Fringe has paid tribute to outgoing director, Heather Croall AM, for positioning the festival as the biggest arts festival in Australia. Heather has been the driving force behind the Adelaide Fringe for 11 years – the longest serving Director and CEO in the festival’s 65 year history. “Heather has brought the
- [Cowbois](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cowbois/) - Seymour Centre and Siren Theatre Co will present the Australian premiere of Charlie Josephine’s Cowbois, a rollicking queer Western like nothing you’ve seen before at the Seymour Centre’s Reginald Theatre from 20 November 2025. Directed by Kate Gaul (CAMP, Opera Australia’s The Magic Flute), Cowbois features an incredible cast of 16, including a live band
- [Cirque du Soleil returns to Australia in 2026 with KOOZA](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cirque-du-soleil-returns-to-australia-in-2026-with-kooza/) - The thrilling, internationally acclaimed Cirque du Soleil production KOOZA is coming exclusively to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in 2026 under the much-loved iconic Big Top. Following the phenomenal success of LUZIA in 2024 which broke Australian sales records and captivated audiences across five cities and the triumphant national tour of CORTEO this year, Cirque du Soleil returns in 2026 with KOOZA
- [The world's biggest musical theatre dance party hits Sydney's The Domain this weekend](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-worlds-biggest-musical-theatre-dance-party-hits-sydneys-the-domain-this-weekend/) - Do you hear the people sing? You will, when Club Broadway transforms The Domain into the world's biggest musical-theatre dance party this Sunday 16 November. From Chicago to Wicked, Les Mis to Mamma Mia, get ready to defy gravity and dance the day (and night) away with 10,000 kindred spirits at the most fabulous, feel-good, celebration the city has ever
- [Hit international play AFTERGLOW to make Australian premiere in 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hit-international-play-afterglow-to-make-australian-premiere-in-2026/) - The climax is just the beginning. S. Asher Gelman’s international hit play AFTERGLOW is heading down under for its highly anticipated Australian premiere, playing at Melbourne’s Chapel off Chapel from 30 January and at the Eternity Playhouse, Sydney from 26 February 2026. When Josh and Alex, a married couple in an open relationship, invite Darius
- [GRAVITY](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gravity/) - This November, critically-acclaimed independent theatre company Rogue Projects will present Gravity, Bradford Elmore’s playwriting debut, at The Loading Dock Theatre - Qtopia Sydney. This romantic (un)comedy about finding yourself falling in love, falling apart, and falling back together again is a heartfelt new exploration of polyamorous awakening, featuring The Bachelor star Wesley Senna Cortes as
- [Back by popular demand: Brisbane's most diverse duo return for one night only at Toucan Club Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/back-by-popular-demand-brisbanes-most-diverse-duo-return-for-one-night-only-at-toucan-club-festival/) - After a sold-out debut at MELT Festival, local comedians Lily Mitchell and Zoe Oh Gee are back by popular demand with an encore performance of their hit show Oh, Am I? - this time as part of the Toucan Club Festival at Pip Theatre on Friday 14 November 2025. Blending stand-up, storytelling and unfiltered honesty, Oh,
- [New Co-Chairs to champion Queer Stories on Screen](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-co-chairs-to-champion-queer-stories-on-screen/) - The Board of Queer Screen has announced the appointment of Jessica Liley (she/her) and Mike Whalley (he/him) as Co-Chairs, working with CEO Benson Wu and the team to deliver outstanding queer film festivals and strengthen the organisation’s foundations for long-term sustainability. “I am passionate about storytelling, people and purpose-driven organisations. I bring both creative and
- [Blanc de Blanc Encore (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/blanc-de-blanc-encore-review/) - Pop the cork and raise your glass - Blanc de Blanc Encore has taken up residency at Spiegel Haus Melbourne for the summer and it’s fizzing over with intoxicating glamour, jaw-dropping acrobatics, and just the right splash of naughtiness. This champagne-infused spectacle is equal parts cabaret, circus, and cheeky celebration of excess, delivering a night of
- [Present Laughter](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/present-laughter/) - In their final production for 2025, New Theatre presents Noël Coward's fast and furious funny farce, Present Laughter for a limited season from 11 November to 13 December. Actor Garry Essendine is possibly the most desired man in the world. He is handsome, charming, self-deprecating, self-obsessed, and in the midst of a mid-life crisis. Over
- [Outrageous hit cabaret show SUGAR triumphantly returns to Melbourne for Midsumma Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/outrageous-hit-cabaret-show-sugar-triumphantly-returns-to-melbourne-for-midsumma-festival/) - Theatrical, outrageous, silly and sexy cabaret SUGAR will return to Melbourne for the Midsumma Festival from 13 – 25 January 2026 at Arts Centre Melbourne's The Show Room. In a one-person powerhouse performance, multidisciplinary artist Tomáš Kantor stars as Sugar, a radiantly beautiful gender-fluid twink who makes the transformative discovery that there's money to be made from 'transactional relationships'. Although this revelation
- [Go RED this World AIDS Day and support ACON’s Red Ribbon Appeal](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/go-red-this-world-aids-day-and-support-acons-red-ribbon-appeal/) - ACON is calling on people across NSW to go red this World AIDS Day and get involved in the 2025 Red Ribbon Appeal. By hosting or supporting a Red Ribbon fundraiser, you can help end HIV transmissions, challenge stigma, and support people living with HIV. The Red Ribbon Appeal is ACON’s annual fundraising campaign that
- [Perth named Presumptive Host City of Gay Games XIII in 2030](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/perth-named-presumptive-host-city-of-gay-games-xiii-in-2030/) - Perth has been announced as the presumptive host city for Gay Games XIII in 2030, positioning Western Australia as the second city in Oceania to welcome the world’s largest inclusive sporting and cultural event. Following a competitive 20-month global bid process, Perth emerged as the preferred host city in a final vote held recently in
- [If Queers Weren't Meant to Have Kids...](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/if-queers-werent-meant-to-have-kids/) - If Queers Weren’t Meant to Have Kids … is both a satirical picture book for adults and a love letter to rainbow families. In this age of growing censorship and manufactured moral panics, this book cheekily pokes fun at the conservative cultural warriors by asking questions such as: if queers weren’t meant to have kids, why
- [The Talented Mr. Ripley (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-talented-mr-ripley-review/) - With the kind of elegance and menace that feels both timeless and startlingly new, Sydney Theatre Company’s The Talented Mr. Ripley is a shimmering, seductive plunge into moral ambiguity that grips from the first moment and never loosens its hold. Joanna Murray-Smith’s adaptation is a masterstroke of psychological precision and theatrical flair. She distils Patricia Highsmith’s iconic thriller
- [The Australian Ballet and Queer Town unite to champion inclusion across the arts](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-australian-ballet-and-queer-town-unite-to-champion-inclusion-across-the-arts/) - The Australian Ballet has appointed award-winning queer-led education organisation Queer Town as its first official Impact Partner, launching a two-year collaboration to further embed LGBTIQA+ inclusion across the national ballet company. The Australian Ballet and Queer Town have partnered to strengthen inclusion across the arts, creating workplaces and cultural spaces where LGBTIQA+ people are safe,
- [Feast Festival launches 23 days of creativity and culture](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feast-festival-launches-23-days-of-creativity-and-culture/) - Now in its 28th year, Adelaide’s premier LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural festival, Feast Festival returns in 2025 with the biggest program in over a decade packed with 117 events across 67 venues and four weekends from 1 - 23 November 2025. From the very best in queer cinema and comedy, to drag, cabaret, art, dance,
- [From Pride Parades to Picnics - Melt Festival kicks off week 2](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/from-pride-parades-to-picnics-melt-festival-kicks-off-week-2/) - Melt Festival 2025 heated up faster than a Queen in full drag in the Brisbane sun! Week One saw the fabulous and fierce Kitty Obsidian slay her way to the Miss First Nation 2025 crown, Bernadette Peters belt her iconic heart out and a blaze of theatre, music, visual arts and mayhem ignite stages across Brisbane/Magandjin. And guess what? There's so much more
- [Welcome to ECSTATICA! Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras unveils its 2026 Festival program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/welcome-to-ecstatica-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-unveils-its-2026-festival-program/) - The 48th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival will electrify Sydney from 13 February to 1 March 2026, inviting all to step into ECSTATICA. A world where joy becomes movement, and celebration becomes power. Over 20 days, the city will pulse with queer energy through a dynamic program of theatre, music, parties, talks, and community events,
- [Opera Up Late to premiere in Melbourne this weekend](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/opera-up-late-to-premiere-in-melbourne-this-weekend/) - Following sold-out runs at the Sydney Opera House, Reuben Kaye’s wildly outrageous queer inspired spectacle Opera Up Late will make its keenly anticipated Melbourne debut for one fabulous nightly only on Sunday 2 November at the Regent Theatre. The brainchild of Reuben Kaye, Melbourne born, international comedy and cabaret icon, and award winning director, Shaun
- [The Last Sunday in June](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-last-sunday-in-june/) - Jonathan Tolins’ controversial comedy drama has never seen the light of day in Australia - until now. Firerock Productions presents the Australian premiere of The Last Sunday in June at Chapel Off Chapel from 29 October - 8 November 2025. It’s Pride month in New York City - but upstairs, in a cosy apartment with
- [OUTintheOPEN Festival returns to Greater Shepparton with a vibrant celebration of Regional Pride](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/outintheopen-festival-returns-to-greater-shepparton-with-a-vibrant-celebration-of-regional-pride/) - Greater Shepparton is set to sparkle with pride as the OUTintheOPEN Festival returns from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 November 2025, promising three days of queer joy, community connection, and cultural celebration. Hosted by GV Pride, OUTintheOPEN is Victoria's premier regional LGBTIQA+ festival, drawing thousands to Shepparton for a dynamic program of events that highlight
- [SUGAR](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sugar-3/) - Theatrically outrageous, silly and sexy, the award-winning production SUGAR will make its Queensland premiere as part of the 2025 Melt Festival in the Underground Theatre - Brisbane Powerhouse, for 2 nights only on 31 October and 1 November. Tomáš Kantor’s award-winning debut is about Sugar – a radiantly-beautiful gender-fluid twink who discovers that there’s money to
- [Casey Donovan announces 2026 National Australian Tour – THIS IS ME](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/casey-donovan-announces-2026-national-australian-tour-this-is-me/) - Beloved for her powerhouse vocals and undeniable stage presence, Casey Donovan is set to embark on an expansive national tour across Australia in 2026. Known as the Queen of New Year’s Eve, Casey has fast become one of Australia’s leading ladies of musical theatre and a treasured household name. “I’m so excited to be hitting the road for
- [Zan Rowe to host A (Very) Musical Christmas](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/zan-rowe-to-host-a-very-musical-christmas/) - Michael Cassel Group and the Australian Broadcasting Company have announced that Australian media icon Zan Rowe will be hosting A (Very) Musical Christmas in 2025. The festive celebration will be filmed on the set of MJ the Musical in Melbourne. Rowe is one of Australia’s most respected music journalists, best known for her work across triple j, Double J,
- [Stephen Sondheim’s Putting It Together to play Sydney’s Foundry Theatre in 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stephen-sondheims-putting-it-together-to-play-sydneys-foundry-theatre-in-2026/) - A dazzling celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s greatest work, Putting It Together, is coming to Sydney’s Foundry Theatre in January. Set at a glamorous cocktail party, the show blends wit, charm and razor-sharp insight as the cast navigate the complexities of love, ambition and desire. Featuring a seamless revue of Sondheim’s most iconic songs, audiences are taken
- [Brisbane’s Melt Festival kicks off for 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/brisbanes-melt-festival-kicks-off-for-2025/) - Brisbane’s city-wide festival of queer arts and culture, Melt Festival, has kicked off for 2025, transforming the city into a rainbow wonderland of vibrant visual art, thrilling performances, side-splitting comedy, thought-provoking talks and so much more! With hundreds of events taking place across 60 venues, there are countless ways to see, hear, dance, laugh and be
- [Recipients of 2025 Honour Awards announced at ACON 40 Ruby Gala](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/recipients-of-2025-honour-awards-announced-at-acon-40-ruby-gala/) - The recipients of the 2025 Honour Awards are inspiring individuals whose vision, service and leadership have made a lasting impact on LGBTQ communities across New South Wales. Announced on Saturday 18 October at the Ruby Gala at the Hyatt Regency Sydney, the 2025 Honour Awards recognised outstanding achievements in three categories: Community Hero, Young Achiever
- [Australia takes PRIDE on the Global Stage at IGLTA Convention in Palm Springs](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australia-takes-pride-on-the-global-stage-at-iglta-convention-in-palm-springs/) - Australia's LGBTQ+ Travel Association, GALTA, will lead a national delegation to the annual IGLTA Global Convention 2025 in Palm Springs this week (21 - 25 October), marking the country's first-ever coordinated presence at the world's leading LGBTQ+ tourism event. "This marks a milestone moment for LGBTQ+ tourism in Australia," said Andrew Bartholomew, Director of Corporate
- [Calamity Jane (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/calamity-jane-review/) - Even before they take the stage, the cast of Calamity Jane break the fourth wall as they mingle with the Sydney Opera House staff to seat the audience in the Golden Garter, Deadwood’s not so dead centre. Here, the saloon’s proprietor Henry Miller (Phillip Lowe) introduces us to the world on the fringes of the old west,
- [GO/NO GO (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/go-no-go-review/) - There are shows that lift your spirits, and then there are shows that lift off. GO/NO GO, the electrifying new circus-theatre work written by Natalie Frijia and directed with visionary flair by Felicia Lannan and Tess Walsh, soars beyond expectation. A dazzling fusion of physical artistry, feminist fire, and cosmic ambition, GO/NO GO is a performance that doesn’t just recount
- [The Lucky Country (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-lucky-country-review/) - The Lucky Country is a brave, brilliant and beautifully Australian triumph! With music and lyrics by the astonishingly talented Vidya Makan, and co-created and directed with precision and heart by Sonya Suares, The Lucky Country is a love letter to who we are now, and who we might yet become. This “mix-tape of Aussie stories” feels like a
- [Member (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/member-review/) - We can belong to various types of groups, say, of colleagues or friends, or a family, but membership might require adherence to certain rules. We explore the possible costs of loyalty or divergence in Member, written and performed by Ben Noble with “additional words” by some writers well-known to theatre audiences: Ro Bright, Meg Courtney,
- [Pokémon GO City Safari is coming to Sydney this December](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pokemon-go-city-safari-is-coming-to-sydney-this-december/) - Pokémon GO City Safari is coming to Sydney this December. Set off on a citywide adventure as you discover Sydney’s harbour, landmarks, and hidden gems, while meeting new friends and encountering Pokémon along the way. This will be Australia’s very first City Safari! Whether you’re a Sydney local or a first-time visitor, your Pokémon GO
- [The Laramie Project (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-laramie-project-review/) - The New Theatre’s The Laramie Project is a triumphant production that captures the utter tragedy of the death of Matthew Shepard, the worldwide shock and fallout and provides a timely reminder of how important it is to speak up for the voiceless. It is at times hard to fathom that it has been 25 years since The Laramie Project first
- [Sydney Fringe Festival 2025 makes history with record ticket sales and artist participation](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-fringe-festival-2025-makes-history-with-record-ticket-sales-and-artist-participation/) - Sydney Fringe Festival 2025 has officially entered the record books, celebrating its most successful year ever with the highest ticket sales and largest number of participating artists in the Festival’s history. In September, the Festival’s now-iconic $15 Flash Sale achieved a landmark milestone, with more than 6,000 tickets sold in a single day - the
- [Brisbane's biggest Halloween spectacle returns with brand new Villains](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/brisbanes-biggest-halloween-spectacle-returns-with-brand-new-villains/) - Fresh from its Matilda Award nomination, A Night With The Villains is back in 2025 - bolder, darker and with more parody than ever before at the Ron Hurley Theatre - Seven Hills Hub from 30 October - 2 November. Brisbane audiences will once again descend into the underworld for the city’s ultimate Halloween parody
- [Performance Space presents the 2025 Liveworks Festival at Carriageworks](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/performance-space-presents-the-2025-liveworks-festival-at-carriageworks/) - A jam-packed, five-day celebration of new, experimental and genre-defying art and performance from across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, Performance Space will present the 2025 Liveworks Festival at Carriageworks from 22 - 26 October. Featuring a massive line-up of never-before-seen works, including seven Australian premieres, and artists from Australia, Aotearoa, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong and
- [Paula Gerber - Sex, Gender & Identity: Trans Rights In Australia](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/paula-gerber-sex-gender-identity-trans-rights-in-australia/) - In Sex, Gender & Identity, Professor Paula Gerber calls upon all Australians to stand against hatred fuelled by harmful national and international narratives towards the trans community, and foster respect, equality and safety for all. These days, barely a week goes by without pointed media stories about the trans community, usually targeting trans women. They are
- [Brisbane Family Lawyers Offering Personalised Service: Handling Complex Family, Business & Estate Matters](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/brisbane-family-lawyers-offering-personalised-service-handling-complex-family-business-estate-matters/) - Family issues seldom stay simple - especially when relationships overlap with business interests, inheritance disputes, or sophisticated estate planning. If you find yourself at the crossroads of emotional ties and legal obligations, seeking expert support is essential. When you work with Brisbane family lawyers offering personalised service, you don’t just get legal advice — you
- [Shadow Boxing (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/shadow-boxing-review/) - Samuel Addison delivers a one, two punch and wins a knockout with this new production of Shadow Boxing at Marrickville’s Flight Path Theatre. Addison plays Flynn, an up and coming boxer who is trying to emulate this father's career, and ultimately, to exceed it. Constantly on the move, shadow boxing, running, skipping and feigning blows,
- [The Laramie Project](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-laramie-project-2/) - A landmark piece of verbatim theatre that confronts the aftermath of a shocking gay hate crime, New Theatre presents, this October, The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and members of Tectonic Theater Project. In 1998, in the tight-knit town of Laramie, Wyoming, a young gay man named Matthew Shepard was the victim of a homophobic
- [The Little Book of Miriam](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-little-book-of-miriam/) - What do arseholes, apostrophes and aging all have in common? They're all entries for the informal and idiosyncratic dictionary of Miriam Margolyes. The Little Book of Miriam is an A-Z collection of wit and wisdom, insights, jokes, stories and aphorisms guaranteed to touch your heart, kickstart your brain, and leave you in stitches. From Arnie
- [Stephanie Dogfoot stars in Gold Star Bisexual](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stephanie-dogfoot-stars-in-gold-star-bisexual/) - What makes someone a Gold Star Bisexual? Singaporean comedian Stephanie Dogfoot isn’t quite sure either, but join them as they try to figure it out in an hour in their Melbourne Fringe debut, Gold Star Bisexual, at The Motley Bauhaus, from 13 - 18 October 2025. Gold Star Bisexual is a show about coming out,
- [The Importance of Being Earnest as Performed by 3 F*cking Queens and a Duck](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-importance-of-being-earnest-as-performed-by-3-fcking-queens-and-a-duck/) - The Filthiest Farce at the Fringe! Out Cast Theatre and Theatre Works presents The Importance of Being Earnest as Performed by Three F*cking Queens and a Duck by Steven Dawson (with little bits of Oscar Wilde). The three-time Edinburgh Fringe season sell-out finally returns to Melbourne in all its disrespectful glory for the 2025 Melbourne
- [Get out of the City this Long Weekend: Coastie Carnie Fair Day at Umina Beach](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/get-out-of-the-city-this-long-weekend-coastie-carnie-fair-day-at-umina-beach/) - Looking for the perfect October long weekend escape? Just one hour north of Sydney and one hour south of Newcastle, the Central Coast is calling with sun, surf, and one of the country’s most unique cultural festivals. On Sunday 5 October, Umina Beach will come alive as Coastal Twist Festival’s Coastie Carnie Fair Day transforms
- [Shadow Boxing](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/shadow-boxing-2/) - Following acclaimed seasons in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, Shadow Boxing, the award-winning solo work by James Gaddas, returns to Sydney for a strictly limited season at Flight Path Theatre, Marrickville, from 7 – 11 October 2025. Directed by Teresa Izzard and performed with powerful precision by Samuel Addison, Shadow Boxing is a gripping exploration of masculinity, sexuality, and survival.
- [International Cabaret Superstar Meow Meow to premiere brand new work The Red Shoes](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/international-cabaret-superstar-meow-meow-to-premiere-brand-new-work-the-red-shoes/) - Following on from her critically acclaimed subversive, cabaret-inspired adaptations of Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Match Girl and Little Mermaid, Australian post-post-modern diva and West End sell out sensation Meow Meow will premiere a brand new work inspired by the classic fairytale, The Red Shoes, at the Belvoir St Theatre from 4 October, before heading to Melbourne’s Malthouse Theatre from 19 November 2025. The Red Shoes
- [Sydney Theatre Company hosts Queer Community Night](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-theatre-company-hosts-queer-community-night/) - Sydney Theatre Company will host a Queer Community Night on Friday 3 October during the season of Whitefella Yella Tree. Once in a blue moon, in the middle of nowhere, two teenage boys meet under a lemon tree. When they look at each other, it’s tense, exciting, and strange. Ty and Neddy fall madly in
- [Melbourne Rovers to Host Pride Football Australia 2025 Match Day](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-rovers-to-host-pride-football-australia-2025-match-day/) - Melbourne Rovers, in partnership with Pride Football Australia (PFA), will host a full day of LGBTQIA+ soccer on Saturday 11 October 2025 at the Home of the Matildas, Bundoora. The day will feature three 90-minute matches, bringing together clubs from across Australia to compete, celebrate, and connect in a supportive and inclusive environment including: Josh
- [Melbourne Rainbow Band:  Into Darkness](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-rainbow-band-into-darkness/) - Following their sold out June concert, Into the Light, which explored the brilliance, energy, and radiance of light, the Melbourne Rainbow Band now turns its focus to its counterpart: darkness, as it presents Into Darkness at the Collingwood Town Hall on Saturday 4 October 2025. What does darkness mean to us? Is it something to fear,
- [Experience ECSTATICA at the 2026 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/experience-ecstatica-at-the-2026-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras/) - Promising another unforgettable season of pride, protest, and celebration, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival returns from 13 February to 1 March 2026. At the heart of the Festival is the new theme, ECSTATICA - a rallying call to gather, connect, and transform individual joy into a powerful collective movement. Now in its
- [Dynamic Cast announced for HAIR The Musical](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dynamic-cast-announced-for-hair-the-musical/) - Producers have announced the cast for the new Australian production of HAIR – the revolutionary tribal love-rock musical phenomenon that changed the face of theatre forever. Opening at the Athenaeum Theatre from 25 October 2025, this new production of HAIR will bring together a dynamic new ensemble to revive the show’s message of freedom, rebellion and hope for a whole
- [Coastal Twist Festival returns to the Central Coast – A Cultural Getaway](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/coastal-twist-festival-returns-to-the-central-coast-a-cultural-getaway/) - This October long weekend, the Central Coast comes alive with the dazzling energy of the Coastal Twist Festival - a six-day celebration of LGBTIQA+ arts, culture, and community. From Tuesday 30 September to Sunday 5 October, visitors from across Australia are invited to explore contemporary and original performances, interactive workshops, 18+ and family-friendly events, all
- [Smash hit musical RENT opens in Sydney this week](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/smash-hit-musical-rent-opens-in-sydney-this-week/) - The musical that rocked Broadway is back, and making its debut this week at the Joan Sutherland Theatre - Sydney Opera House, RENT plays for five weeks only from 27 September 2025. Jonathan Larson’s exhilarating, multi-Tony® Award-winning RENT takes audiences to the vibrant streets of New York City’s East Village in the early 90’s, where
- [Pop your cork with Blanc de Blanc Encore](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pop-your-cork-with-blanc-de-blanc-encore/) - For the first time ever, the smash-hit sensation Blanc de Blanc Encore is popping its Melbourne cork, with the show set to premiere at the city’s spectacular new two-level entertainment precinct, Spiegel Haus Melbourne on 29 October for a three-month season. This is no ordinary night out. Blanc de Blanc Encore is a five-star, champagne-soaked
- [Feast Festival marks 50 years of LGBTQIA+ liberation with biggest program in over a decade](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feast-festival-marks-50-years-of-lgbtqia-liberation-with-biggest-program-in-over-a-decade/) - Adelaide’s premier LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural festival will feature 117 events across 67 venues as Feast Festival celebrates 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in South Australia. Running from 1–23 November 2025, the 28th Feast Festival spans four weekends and will bring together over 1,500 artists, producers, volunteers and community members. With nearly 60%
- [I Met An Angel Named Jacques](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/i-met-an-angel-named-jacques/) - The latest work by renowned multidisciplinary artist Gideon D. Wilonja, I Met An Angel Named Jacques, will be presented at Foostcray Community Arts for four performances only this October. Shining a light on the queer sentimentalities and experiences felt in the African diaspora, this electric debut season is one of only three recipients of the
- [Whitefella Yella Tree](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/whitefella-yella-tree/) - After a runaway premiere season at Griffin Theatre Company in 2022, Whitefella Yella Tree is back to wow audiences in 2025, presented by Sydney Theatre Company, La Boite Theatre and University of Melbourne Arts and Culture (UMAC). Once in a blue moon, in the middle of nowhere, two teenage boys meet under a lemon tree. When they look
- [Brisbane Pride Festival unveils stellar line-up for Pride Fair Day 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/brisbane-pride-festival-unveils-stellar-line-up-for-pride-fair-day-2025/) - Brisbane Pride Festival is set to dazzle once again with its highly anticipated Pride Fair Day, taking place on Saturday 20 September 2025 at Musgrave Park, Brisbane. A day full of entertainment, diversity, and community spirit, the Pride Fair Day will run from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, following the iconic Pride Rally and March,
- [TROY (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/troy-review/) - In Malthouse Theatre’s production of TROY, Tom Wright’s lyrical and unflinching excavation of the Trojan myths, directed by Ian Michael, is an epic work that is deeply human. This is not a retelling of ancient glories but a devastatingly intimate portrait of loss, endurance, and the cycles of violence that shape human history. Paula Arundell’s
- [Queer Delights at the 2025 Sydney Fringe](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-delights-at-the-2025-sydney-fringe/) - Featuring over 460 events spanning theatre, music, comedy, dance, visual art, circus and cabaret, this September, the 2025 Sydney Fringe Festival will showcase over 2,900 performers across four precincts and 12 festival hubs. With so much on offer, the Australian Pride Network takes a look at 9 events worth checking out. B-Cup: the Bressed Story
- [Make a Scene: Fashioning Queer Identity and Club Culture in the 90s opens at Queensland Museum](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/make-a-scene-fashioning-queer-identity-and-club-culture-in-the-90s-opens-at-queensland-museum/) - A vibrant collision of fashion, popular culture and LGBTQIA+ lived experiences that defined the early 1990s in Brisbane, Queensland Museum Kurilpa presents Make a Scene: Fashioning Queer Identity and Club Culture in the 90s. Make a Scene is the first social history exhibition of its kind at the museum offering a colourful journey through a pivotal time
- [This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius - HAIR returns to Melbourne in October](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/this-is-the-dawning-of-the-age-of-aquarius-hair-returns-to-melbourne-in-october/) - More than two decades since Melbourne last experienced the tribal love-rock musical phenomenon HAIR - a brand-new production of the Grammy and Tony Award-winning hit comes to the Athenaeum Theatre from 25 October 2025 for a strictly limited season. When HAIR first exploded onto the Australian stage in the early 1970s, it not only shocked
- [Son of Byblos (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/son-of-byblos-review/) - James Elazzi has carved out a reputation as one of Australia’s most compelling contemporary playwrights, known for bringing marginalised voices to the stage with depth, dignity and bruising honesty. With Son of Byblos, now playing at the Meat Market Stables, he turns his gaze inward, presenting what feels like his most personal work to date.
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras invites submissions for Mardi Gras+ 2026 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-invites-submissions-for-mardi-gras-2026-program/) - Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has opened submissions for Mardi Gras+, the open-access program that brings community-led parties, performances, exhibitions, sporting events and family activities into the official 2026 Festival. In 2026, Mardi Gras+ will also feature a brand-new Mardi Gras+ app, providing audiences with an easy way to discover the Festival program and
- [Cabaret comes to TEATRO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cabaret-comes-to-teatro/) - The cabaret event of the year, the inaugural season of Cabaret at TEATRO, Sydney’s newest theatre, is set to take over the Italian Forum theatre this November in one of the biggest star-studded line-ups across a limited three-week season. Presented by Gale Edwards and Max Lambert in association with On Your Feet Pty Ltd and TEATRO,
- [Celebrate RENT and the iconic Seasons of Love anthem with the release of 500 $25 tickets](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrate-rent-and-the-iconic-seasons-of-love-anthem-with-the-release-of-500-25-tickets/) - To mark the upcoming Opera House season of Jonathan Larson’s exhilarating, multi-Tony® Award winning musical RENT - Opera Australia is offering fans the chance to see the show that rocked Broadway for just $25 a ticket. Inspired by RENT’s life-affirming anthem, Seasons of Love celebrating the 525,600 minutes in a year, five hundred $25 tickets will be on sale for
- [Qtopia Sydney returns as the Queer Hub for Sydney Fringe Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydney-returns-as-the-queer-hub-for-sydney-fringe-festival/) - Qtopia Sydney will once again be part of the beating heart of Sydney Fringe Festival, hosting the official Queer Hub throughout September 2025. For a full month, Qtopia Sydney’s performance spaces, the Loading Dock Theatre and The Substation, will transform into a dedicated home for LGBTQIA+ voices, showcasing more than 30 performances of theatre, cabaret,
- [A Night With TINA – A Tina Turner Drag Cabaret](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-night-with-tina-a-tina-turner-drag-cabaret/) - Expect glitz, glamour and electric energy! A Night With TINA - A Tina Turner Drag Cabaret is a fun, action-packed and loving celebration of R&B, rock and pop icon Tina Turner. Backed with six dancers, Fabio performs to Tina's greatest hits including Proud Mary, Private Dancer and Nutbush City Limits, this homage to his idol
- [Heathers the Musical to tour Australia in 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/heathers-the-musical-to-tour-australia-in-2026/) - In celebration of Heathers Day, it is announced that the global phenomenon Heathers the Musical is coming to Australia. Following record-breaking seasons in London and New York, the award-winning production will open here in April 2026. The high-octane, black comedy rock musical - based on the cult 1989 film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater
- [Victoria's Pride Regional Line-up Announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorias-pride-regional-line-up-announced/) - The Victorian Government is backing inclusive events across regional Victoria as part of Victoria’s Pride - a summer-long celebration of LGBTIQA+ communities culminating in an iconic, all-ages Street Party in Melbourne next year on Sunday 8 February 2026. Minister for Equality Vicki Ward has unveiled the events funded under the Regional Activation Program, delivered by
- [Spectacular new two-level entertainment precinct Spiegel Haus Melbourne to open in the heart of the city](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/spectacular-new-two-level-entertainment-precinct-spiegel-haus-melbourne-to-open-in-the-heart-of-the-city/) - A spectacular new two-level entertainment precinct in the heart of the city with multiple performance venues and a rooftop bar and lounge, Spiegel Haus Melbourne, will premiere in October with the five-star, champagne-soaked spectacle Blanc de Blanc Encore. Golden Square car park on Lonsdale Street and Chinatown’s iconic Celestial Avenue will be transformed into a landmark cultural destination this
- [Son of Byblos](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/son-of-byblos/) - Following a sold-out debut season at Sydney's Belvoir St Theatre, Son of Byblos by award-winning playwright James Elazzi will play at North Melbourne's Meat Market Stables for a limited season from 4 September 2025. Set in the heart of a Lebanese Australian household, the play follows Adam, a young gay man caught between loyalty and liberation,
- [Standing against hate with LGBTIQA+ Victorians](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/standing-against-hate-with-lgbtiqa-victorians/) - The Victorian Government is backing a new helpline to support LGBTIQA+ Victorians targeted by homophobic violence. Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Equality Vicki Ward has announced the new service will be delivered by Switchboard Victoria through its Rainbow Door helpline, providing free and confidential support from trained LGBTIQA+ professionals. “Everyone in Victoria is free
- [Melbourne Fringe Festival reveals 2025 Program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-fringe-festival-reveals-2025-program/) - Shows in cars and on beaches, shows performed by the audience, shows from around the world – Melbourne Fringe Festival’s open program is brimming with the city’s most fearless independent art. From intimate one-on-one encounters to large-scale outdoor spectacles, the 2025 Melbourne Fringe Festival delivers unforgettable experiences that can only happen at Fringe. Bursting with 500+ events
- [Ordinary Days (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ordinary-days-review/) - On paper, Adam Gwon’s Ordinary Days (2008) is a deceptively simple contemporary chamber musical: four characters and 21 songs, set against the bustling backdrop of New York City. Yet under Tyran Parke’s inspired direction, the work becomes something far richer – how small moments can alter lives, and how, amid the noise of the everyday, something extraordinary
- [My Brilliant Career returns to Melbourne in 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/my-brilliant-career-returns-to-melbourne-in-2026/) - Following its sold-out 2024 premiere, Melbourne Theatre Company is thrilled to announce the return of the smash-hit musical, My Brilliant Career, in 2026. The 2024 run of My Brilliant Career was showered with five-star reviews, winning over audiences and critics alike. It garnered five Green Room Awards, including Outstanding Production, competing alongside some of the year’s biggest commercial musicals.
- [Queer Stories on the Big Screen: A Night of Global Short Films](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-stories-on-the-big-screen-a-night-of-global-short-films/) - This Friday night (22 August), film lovers on the Central Coast are in for a treat: an inspiring evening of queer short films that celebrate powerful, diverse stories from around the globe. Flying in from Melbourne, multi-award-winning filmmaker Louise Lever will present her acclaimed short film Joey’s Heart and has curated a stunning program of
- [Brisbane's Melt Festival reveals full program for 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/brisbanes-melt-festival-reveals-full-program-for-2025/) - Queer your calendar, assemble your crew, and start planning your fiercest festival looks, Brisbane/Magandjin's boldest celebration of LGBTQIA+ art, identity and pride, Melt Festival, returns to venues across the city from 22 October to 9 November 2025. Featuring hundreds of performances and events at over 60 venues across 18 days, Melt will once again see Australia's LGBTQIA+
- [ORLANDO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/orlando-3/) - Belvoir is turning up the heat with Carissa Licciardello and Elsie Yager’s joyous and cheeky new adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s queer classic Orlando from 30 August to 21 September 2025. Woolf’s pioneering work is a fanciful exploration of gender, identity, and societal constructs, inspired by the novelist’s friend and lover, Vita Sackville-West. Orlando is young, rich and
- [Nominations Open for 2025 Honour Awards at ACON 40 Ruby Gala](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/nominations-open-for-2025-honour-awards-at-acon-40-ruby-gala/) - Nominations for the 2025 Honour Awards are now open - calling on community members to recognise those who have made a significant impact on the lives of LGBTQ+ people in NSW. This year, the Honour Awards will be part of ACON 40, ACON’s 40th anniversary community program. Awards will be presented at the ACON 40
- [Trophy Boys (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/trophy-boys-review/) - Few productions manage to be as bitingly funny, emotionally urgent, and theatrically inventive as Trophy Boys, written by Emmanuelle Mattana (she/they) and directed with razor-sharp precision by Marni Mount (she/they). Already the winner of Best New Work at the 2024 Sydney Theatre Awards and multiple Greenroom Award nomination, this return season in Melbourne more than justifies
- [The Frogs: In Hell They Sing Show Tunes](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-frogs-in-hell-they-sing-show-tunes/) - Guaranteed to be very silly and extremely gay, New Theatre presents the world premiere of The Frogs: In Hell They Sing Show Tunes by Alex Kendall Robson (after Aristophanes). The world is on fire, people are dying. There's war and plague. And cuts to arts funding. It'll take a bloody miracle to save humanity! Dionysus,
- [Queer Screen Film Fest returns for its 12th Edition](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-screen-film-fest-returns-for-its-12th-edition/) - Presenting a bold and dynamic program that highlights emerging voices, international excellence and community celebration, the 12th Queer Screen Film Fest (QSFF) will take place at Event Cinemas George Street from 27 to 31 August 2025. The festival opens with the hotly anticipated Plainclothes - a tense romantic thriller about a closeted undercover cop torn
- [Victorian Opera presents Abduction](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorian-opera-presents-abduction/) - A bold adaptation of Mozart’s early masterpiece, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Victorian Opera will present Abduction at St Kilda’s Palais Theatre from 12 – 16 August 2025. The story follows Blonde and Konstanze, two young women who slip away from their well-meaning but bumbling fiancés, Pedrillo and Belmonte, in search of excitement at the mysterious and hedonistic
- [Play With Pride 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/play-with-pride-2025/) - Presented by Adelaide University Sport & Fitness in collaboration with The University of Adelaide, Play With Pride is a powerful afternoon celebrating LGBTIQA+ inclusion in sport and beyond. Bringing together athletes, advocates, and allies to promote a welcoming and supportive sporting community for all, Play With Pride will feature headline speaker, Isaac Humphries, professional basketballer for
- [Cast announced for Calamity Jane](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cast-announced-for-calamity-jane/) - The Sydney Opera House has announced an all-star posse of performers for Calamity Jane, set to transform the Studio into a Wild West saloon for a strictly limited season: 14 October – 16 November 2025. In cahoots with Virginia Gay in the title role are Kaya Byrne (Come From Away) as Lieutenant Danny Gilmartin, Andrew Cutcliffe (The Dismissal) as Wild Bill
- [We Aren’t Kids Anymore to premiere at The Loading Dock Theatre this August](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/we-arent-kids-anymore-to-premiere-at-the-loading-dock-theatre-this-august/) - Told through a collection of joyous, captivating and heartfelt songs, The Little Big Theatre Co presents the Australian premiere of Drew Gasparini’s We Aren’t Kids Anymore at The Loading Dock Theatre (Qtopia Sydney) from 14 August 2025. Born from an autobiographical spark, this theatrical song cycle has grown into a heartfelt reflection on the deeply
- [Kimberly Akimbo: A Musical (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/kimberly-akimbo-a-musical-review/) - From its first note to its final, bittersweet moments, Kimberly Akimbo is nothing short of extraordinary. Under the assured direction of four-time Helpmann Award-winner Mitchell Butel, this production strikes a near-perfect balance between heartfelt poignancy and laugh-out-loud comedy. Marina Prior delivers a career-defining performance as Kimberly Levaco, embodying both the vulnerability and fierce intelligence of a teenager
- [Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2026 opens Expressions of Interest for Artists and Emerging Talent](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festival-2026-opens-expressions-of-interest-for-artists-and-emerging-talent/) - Adelaide Cabaret Festival is thrilled to welcome submissions for its 2026 program, with expressions of interest now open for New or In Development Works, Established Works, and Roving Performers & Solo Acts - including high school students encouraged to apply through the Class of Cabaret. Adelaide Cabaret Festival and centrED are seeking submissions from talented
- [More funding to support LGBTIQA+ Events across Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/more-funding-to-support-lgbtiqa-events-across-victoria/) - The Victorian Government is supporting the State’s LGBTIQA+ community by backing events and festivals that celebrate their achievements, culture and ongoing fight for equality. Minister for Equality Vicki Ward has opened applications for the 2025-26 Pride Events and Festivals Fund - a grant program that helps community groups and organisations deliver events that showcase LGBTIQA+ pride
- [FOAM to premiere at Qtopia Sydney this August](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/foam-to-premiere-at-qtopia-sydney-this-august/) - A provocative examination of identity, extremism and desire, Foam by Harry McDonald will make its Australian premiere at Qtopia Sydney - The Substation, from 6 - 23 August 2025. What happens when ideology collides with identity? 1974. A public lavatory. Nicky shaves his head, watched by an older man. Publicly, Nicky is a skinhead, a
- [Moonlite (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/moonlite-review/) - Many amongst us can relate to the words, “I walk where I can’t say if I belong, if I should run the journey of a heart through restlessness I lost and won.” Deeply poetic with a powerful core that reverberates with a soul’s truth and coupled with a dynamic, mercurial and absorbing soundscape, these sentiments are
- [Mark Trevorrow sings with Old Friends this August](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mark-trevorrow-sings-with-old-friends-this-august/) - After a sold-out national tour of Old Friends Sing Sondheim, and fresh off Choose Bob! 40 Ridiculous Years of Bob Downe - which wowed crowds at the Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth Comedy Festivals and sold out the Enmore Theatre - Australian comedy legend Mark Trevorrow (creator of Bob Downe), Rupert Noffs, and ARIA Award-winning music director Bev
- [Feast's Picnic in the Park returns for 2025 with exciting new details](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feasts-picnic-in-the-park-returns-for-2025-with-exciting-new-details/) - South Australia’s fabulous Picnic in the Park is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever – with a new location, extended hours and FREE entry on Saturday 22 November 2025. Thanks to additional support from the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA) and the City of Adelaide, Feast Festival has dropped ticketed entry to
- [GATSBY at The Green Light returns to Sydney Opera House this Summer](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gatsby-at-the-green-light-returns-to-sydney-opera-house-this-summer/) - The hottest ticket in town returns as Jay Gatsby invites audiences to enjoy a summer simmering with revelry, abandon and decadence at the Sydney Opera House. Back by popular demand, GATSBY at The Green Light will transform the Studio into a 1920s inspired club once again, pulsating with cabaret, variety and music. Inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald’s
- [Here You Come Again (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/here-you-come-again-review/) - There’s no denying it: Here You Come Again, now playing at Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre, has a script as thin as a Southern biscuit and about as predictable as a key change in a country ballad. But when the music is this good, the sequins this sparkly, and the lead performances magnetic, it’s hard to care too
- [Homophonic! presents the Australian premiere of Moonlite](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/homophonic-presents-the-australian-premiere-of-moonlite/) - A true-crime queer love story for voices, percussion and viola, Homophonic! and The Consort of Melbourne presents the Australian premiere of Wally Gunn and Maria Zajkowski’s epic oratorio, Moonlite, at the Fitzroy Town Hall on Saturday 26 July 2025. Winner of the Albert H. Maggs Composition Prize, one of Australia’s most prestigious awards for composition, Moonlite is a
- [Clearly Queerly Coded](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/clearly-queerly-coded/) - Exploring the concept of hidden Queer symbolism, Sydney artist Guy James Whitworth presents Clearly Queerly Coded, a solo exhibition, at M2 Gallery from 30 July - 5 August 2025. It is fair to say that artist Guy James Whitworth is a bold, leading force on Sydney’s Queer Art scene, this latest will be his tenth
- [The 6 Guys an Immigrant Trans Person of Colour Will Date in Melbourne (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-6-guys-an-immigrant-trans-person-of-colour-will-date-in-melbourne-review/) - The 6 Guys an Immigrant Trans Person of Colour Will Date in Melbourne was first seen as part of the Midsumma Festival in 2023. It returns to Melbourne this month in a fantastic production that’s easily a highlight of the theatrical year. Playwright Dax Carnay also stars, taking on the role of Dee, the titular
- [Melt 2025 announces Development Program to support LGBTQIA+ Artists across Queensland](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melt-2025-announces-development-program-to-support-lgbtqia-artists-across-queensland/) - Brisbane Powerhouse, producer of Melt Festival, has announced the return of the Melt Development Program, offering vital support for LGBTQIA+ artists and producers to showcase their work as part of the city-wide celebration, running from 22 October to 9 November 2025. Supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the program will focus on helping
- [RUMBLESKIN](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rumbleskin/) - Following the success of Our Monster’s Name is Jerry and Lemon Tree on Dreg Street, Ames May Nunn and Dirty Pennies Theatre Project return with a new queer folk tale, RUMBLESKIN, at fortyfivedownstairs this July. A trucker picks up a pregnant teen on a long stretch of nowhere. A young rodeo rider stumbles into a mysterious ranch. A fugitive
- [Sydney Fringe Festival launches 2025 program and announces Patrick Kennedy as new CEO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-fringe-festival-launches-2025-program-and-announces-patrick-kennedy-as-new-ceo/) - Featuring more than 460 events and over 2,900 artists across four precincts and 10 festival hubs this September, Sydney Fringe Festival has unveiled its 2025 program. It also marks a new chapter under the leadership of recently appointed CEO Patrick Kennedy. With tickets now on sale, highlights of the 2025 program include the immersive theatre
- [Adelaide Film Festival to partner with Pride Foundation Australia to develop short film initiative](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-film-festival-to-partner-with-pride-foundation-australia-to-develop-short-film-initiative/) - Pride Foundation Australia has announced a new partnership with the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (AFFIF) to develop a new short film initiative to platform queer Australian stories. The initiative will give one Australian creative team a $40,000 grant to produce a short film up to 10 min that will have its World Premiere at
- [Hibiscus: Angela Tiatia & Philip Juster](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hibiscus-angela-tiatia-philip-juster/) - Highlighting their shared interests in questions around colonialism and the representation of Pacific places and peoples in European art, a new exhibition presented at Penrith Regional Gallery, in partnership with the Art Gallery of NSW, Hibiscus celebrates the work of Angela Tiatia and Philip Juster, connected through their inventive, insightful reconfiguration of imagery and stories
- [Watch This announces stellar cast for Colour & Light: The Art of Sondheim](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/watch-this-announces-stellar-cast-for-colour-light-the-art-of-sondheim/) - Step into the dazzling world of Stephen Sondheim with Colour & Light: The Art of Stephen Sondheim – a spellbinding new revue from Australia’s highly acclaimed and multi-award winning Sondheim repertory company, Watch This, presented by Theatre Works. After 10 acclaimed productions, Watch This (recipient of twenty-nine Green Room Award nominations and five-time winner) invites you on
- [Taylor Mac's HIR returns to Sydney this July](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/taylor-macs-hir-returns-to-sydney-this-july/) - Asking compelling questions about identity, belonging, trauma and redemption, New Theatre presents Hir by New York playwright and performance artist Taylor Mac this July. Dishonourably discharged from the army, Afghanistan vet Isaac has returned to find his family and Californian childhood home in disarray. His abusive and controlling father, Arnold, has suffered a stroke and is
- [New Australian play threadbare to premiere in Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-australian-play-threadbare-to-premiere-in-melbourne/) - A bold and emotionally resonant new Australian play, threadbare, will premiere this July at St Martins Youth Arts Centre, led by a powerhouse team of young theatre professionals already establishing themselves in major productions nationwide. Written by multidisciplinary artist Tomas Parrish-Chynoweth (MTC’s What If Only, When the Light Leaves), threadbare is a moving exploration of
- [Pursuing Pleasure comes to The Old Fitz Theatre this July](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pursuing-pleasure-comes-to-the-old-fitz-theatre-this-july/) - Presented at The Old Fitz Theatre as part of their Act 2 late show programming, Piera Dennerstein will perform her award-winning cabaret, Pursuing Pleasure, from 7 - 11 July 2025. Opera singer turned curvaceous cabaret cantatrice Piera Dennerstein (Finucane & Smith, Blue is the Colour Midsumma 2022, Call the Doctor! Melbourne Cabaret Festival 2024) shares
- [Beyond Blue CEO Georgie Harman becomes new Patron of Pride in Diversity](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/beyond-blue-ceo-georgie-harman-becomes-new-patron-of-pride-in-diversity/) - Australia’s leading not-for-profit employer support program for all aspects of LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion, Pride in Diversity, has announced Beyond Blue CEO, Georgie Harman AO, as its new Patron. Harman is a respected mental health leader with over 30 years’ experience across government, community and the not-for-profit sector. Since becoming CEO of Beyond Blue in 2014,
- [When Night Comes to take up residency in Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/when-night-comes-to-take-up-residency-in-sydney/) - Broad Encounters has announced their thrilling new creation, When Night Comes, will take up residency at the historic Union Bond Store in The Rocks from 22 August in partnership with Sydney Fringe Festival and The Rocks. Following sold-out performances in Melbourne, When Night Comes marks an intimate and intoxicating evolution from the company that brought audiences the sprawling,
- [Hit Pop Musical The Lovers heads to Sydney in October](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hit-pop-musical-the-lovers-heads-to-sydney-in-october/) - Producers Shake & Stir Theatre Co and John Frost for Crossroads Live have announced that the breakout Australian pop musical The Lovers is coming to Sydney. The new production will open at Theatre Royal Sydney on 31 October, following its premiere at QPAC’s Playhouse in Brisbane. The show features a who’s who of Australian musical theatre –
- [Hedwig and the Angry Inch (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hedwig-and-the-angry-inch-review-2/) - In a bold, blistering new Australian production, Hedwig and the Angry Inch has roared to life at the Athenaeum Theatre with searing passion, raw vulnerability and rock ‘n’ roll ferocity. Starring the magnetic Seann Miley Moore as the iconic genderqueer glam-rock goddess Hedwig, and Adam Noviello as the ever-simmering Yitzhak, this staging redefines what a revival can
- [Cabaret Icon Reuben Kaye announced as Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director for 2026](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cabaret-icon-reuben-kaye-announced-as-adelaide-cabaret-festival-artistic-director-for-2026/) - Adelaide Festival Centre is thrilled to announce multi-award-winning Australian comedian, singer, and writer Reuben Kaye will take on the role of Artistic Director for the 2026 Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Last night, during the final weekend of the world’s largest cabaret festival, current Artistic Director Virginia Gay handed over the reins to Reuben Kaye at the sold-out 25th Birthday Party in
- [Qtopia Sydney to unveil powerful Tribute Honouring First Mardi Gras 78ers](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydney-to-unveil-powerful-tribute-honouring-first-mardi-gras-78ers/) - Qtopia Sydney will host a landmark evening of remembrance and resilience on Tuesday 24 June to mark the 47th anniversary of the first Sydney Mardi Gras: a peaceful protest turned pivotal moment that sparked Australia’s modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement. Presented in collaboration with the First Mardi Gras 78ers and as part of Pride Fest 2025,
- [Strictly Baz Luhrmann: The Concert](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/strictly-baz-luhrmann-the-concert/) - Three decades since legendary director Baz Luhrmann directed an era-defining production of La Bohème for Opera Australia, the company is celebrating his extraordinary cinematic career with a musical showcase from his most successful films for two nights only in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall, 23 and 24 June 2025. Strictly Baz Luhrmann will star
- [Hedwig and the Angry Inch arrives in Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hedwig-and-the-angry-inch-arrives-in-melbourne/) - Following a smash hit season at the Adelaide Festival, earning five-star acclaim across the board, Hedwig and the Angry Inch has arrived in Melbourne, with performances running until 6 July 2025. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, this genre-defying sensation has been hailed by Rolling Stone as “the best rock musical ever.” Featuring iconic
- [Q-Lit Festival 2025: Victoria’s New Festival of Queer Writers & Storytellers](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/q-lit-festival-2025-victorias-new-festival-of-queer-writers-storytellers/) - Featuring eight days of panels, performances, workshops, a book fair, and parties across the city, Victoria’s LGBTQIA+ Festival of Words, Q-Lit, will be presenting its first metro festival from 20 - 28 June 2025. Following three years of state-wide touring that brought queer literary events to 16 towns across Victoria, Q-Lit 2025 marks a new
- [Reuben Kaye’s hilarious Opera Up Late to premiere in Melbourne - for one night only!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/reuben-kayes-hilarious-opera-up-late-to-premiere-in-melbourne-for-one-night-only/) - Following sold-out runs at the Sydney Opera House, Reuben Kaye’s wildly outrageous queer inspired spectacle Opera Up Late is making its keenly anticipated Melbourne debut for one fabulous nightly only on Sunday 2 November at the Regent Theatre. The brainchild of Reuben Kaye, Melbourne born, international comedy and cabaret icon, and award winning director, Shaun
- [Suri Chan: But I Don't Feel Empowered](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/suri-chan-but-i-dont-feel-empowered/) - In But I Don't Feel Empowered, poet and artist Suri Chan harnesses the power of beautiful language and whimsical illustrations to speak on both the lighthearted and heartbreaking experiences that bind us. A debut collection of honest, free-verse and whimsically illustrated poems, Suri explores themes of heartbreak, womanhood, and trauma from the lens of a queer
- [Gayby Baby Daddy to premiere at Qtopia Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gayby-baby-daddy-to-premiere-at-qtopia-sydney/) - From the team that brought you Up Your Bum, No Babies, Qtopia Sydney presents the premiere of Gayby Baby Daddy at The Substation, as part of the Pride Fest Season from 21 - 23 June 2025. When Matt Young (Graham’s Dad from Gayby Baby) became a parent, he never imagined that his family would become part
- [White Rabbit Gallery: Tender Comrade](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/white-rabbit-gallery-tender-comrade/) - A sprawling ecosystem of relationships, networks, and alliances, White Rabbit Gallery presents their latest exhibition, Tender Comrade, from 18 June 2025. Chinese history wasn't always straight. While queerness may seem like a foreign import, its roots in China date back to ancient times. Bisexuality was the norm among emperors - Emperor Ai of the Han
- [SUGAR](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sugar-2/) - Making its Sydney premiere as part of the 2025 Hayes Cabaret Season in June, the award-winning production SUGAR is theatrical, outrageous, silly and sexy. The show, written by Ro Bright (a Scotsman Fringe First award winner for Daffodils at Edinburgh Fringe), stops in at the Hayes for two nights only before embarking on an international tour
- [Australia's Favourite Showgirl Carlotta AM Awarded the 2025 Adelaide Cabaret Festival Icon Award](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australias-favourite-showgirl-carlotta-am-awarded-the-2025-adelaide-cabaret-festival-icon-award/) - In front of a full house at The 2025 Variety Gala at Her Majesty's Theatre, Carlotta AM has been announced as the recipient of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2025 Icon Award. One of Australia's most iconic cabaret performers, Carlotta performed at the very first Adelaide Cabaret Festival in 2001. She began her career in 1963 as
- [Melt Festival reveals first program announcements](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melt-festival-reveals-first-program-announcements/) - Following a record-breaking, traffic-stopping, absolutely joyous festival in 2024, Melt Festival returns in 2025 to crank the fabulous factor up to eleven. "After a phenomenal debut, Melt returns in 2025 as one of Queensland's most dynamic and inclusive celebrations of arts and culture. Now in its second year, the festival continues to spotlight the creativity, pride,
- [Skank Sinatra Unleashes Big-Band Glamour at Qtopia Sydney this Pride Fest](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/skank-sinatra-unleashes-big-band-glamour-at-qtopia-sydney-this-pride-fest/) - Twice crowned Best Cabaret at Adelaide Fringe, nominated for Best Musical Theatre and Cabaret at Sydney Fringe, and with sold-out award-winning performances spanning Australia and Europe, the unstoppable Skank Sinatra storms into Qtopia Sydney this June, armed with powerhouse live vocals, sky-high glamour and a sizzling reinvention of Sinatra like you’ve never heard before. With
- [Backing Regional Artists and Voices for Victoria's Pride](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/backing-regional-artists-and-voices-for-victorias-pride/) - The Victorian Government is backing new ideas and local events that celebrate LGBTIQA+ pride in the lead-up to Victoria's Pride 2026 festival. Minister for Equality Vicki Ward has announced that expressions of interest for the Victoria's Pride Regional Activation Program - supporting regional and rural events that showcase LGBTIQA+ artists, voices and experiences are now
- [Celebrate PRIDE Month at the Victorian Pride Centre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrate-pride-month-at-the-victorian-pride-centre-2/) - Australia’s purpose-built home for LGBTIQ+ communities is excited to be celebrating Pride Month with a host of events taking place throughout the Victorian Pride Centre this month. Featuring cabaret, comedy, creative workshops, movie screenings, classical music performances, and more, the program is a month-long celebration of diversity, creativity and community! Highlights include: Thank God You’re
- [New adaptation of thriller classic The Talented Mr. Ripley to make Melbourne premiere](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-adaptation-of-thriller-classic-the-talented-mr-ripley-to-make-melbourne-premiere/) - Acclaimed Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith will return to the engrossing world of American novelist Patricia Highsmith with a glamourous adaptation of the 20th century's most iconic psychological thriller, The Talented Mr. Ripley at Arts Centre Melbourne. The Sydney Theatre Company (STC) production is set to make its Melbourne debut at the Playhouse from 28 October – 23 November 2025 direct from the
- [The Lucky Country](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-lucky-country/) - Following a sold-out debut season at Sydney’s Hayes Theatre, the smash hit new musical, The Lucky Country, about what it means to be Australian, will open at Melbourne’s Lawler Theatre from Monday 13 October, before heading to the Brisbane Powerhouse, as part of MELT Festival, from 22 - 26 October 2025. With an original score
- [Jack Ball wins $100,000 Ramsay Art Prize 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/jack-ball-wins-100000-ramsay-art-prize-2025/) - The Art Gallery of South Australia has announced Jack Ball as the winner of the $100,000 Ramsay Art Prize, the nation's most generous prize for Australian artists under forty. Ball's winning work, a large-scale photographic and sculptural installation, Heavy Grit, will be displayed in the Ramsay Art Prize 2025 exhibition which opens on Saturday 31
- [The cast for Jonathan Larson’s award winning musical RENT announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-cast-for-jonathan-larsons-award-winning-musical-rent-has-been-announced/) - The musical that rocked Broadway is back! Jonathan Larson’s exhilarating, multi-Tony® Award winning musical RENT will play at Joan Sutherland Theatre - Sydney Opera House from 27 September 2025. Director Shaun Rennie, fresh from his celebrated production of Guys & Dolls on Sydney Harbour, has assembled some of Australia’s finest singer/actors for this critically lauded
- [Qtopia Sydney's Pride Fest set to reignite Oxford Street this June](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydneys-pride-fest-set-to-reignite-oxford-street-this-june/) - Qtopia Sydney, the largest Centre for Queer history and culture in the world, is gearing up to present its second season of Pride Fest from 1 – 30 June. The month-long festival will feature more than 400 artists across 150+ events, including drag, theatre, comedy, cabaret, live podcasts, exhibitions and workshops, there's something on every
- [Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information comes to Theatre Works](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/caryl-churchills-love-and-information-comes-to-theatre-works/) - Someone sneezes. Someone can’t get a signal. Someone shares a secret. Someone won’t answer the door. Someone put an elephant on the stairs. Someone’s not ready to talk. Someone is her brother’s mother. Someone hates irrational numbers. Someone told the police... and someone’s never felt like this before. A riveting exploration of the delicate balance
- [Sunshine Coast Pride Festival calls for event submissions](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sunshine-coast-pride-festival-calls-for-event-submissions/) - The Sunshine Coast Pride Network is excited to announce that event submissions are now open for the 2025 Sunshine Coast Pride Festival. Running from 14 - 23 November, this will be the longest Pride Festival the Sunshine Coast has ever seen, and the first time the community is invited to contribute events to its program.
- [Law and Life: Transgender Stories](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/law-and-life-transgender-stories/) - Trans people have always existed, yet in recent years, their identities have become politicised, exoticised, and - far too often - weaponised in cultural debates. Presented as part of Vivid Sydney, Law & Life: Transgender Stories hands the mic and spotlight back to trans voices, with a night of storytelling and personal performance. Presented by the Inner
- [MONOLITH](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/monolith/) - A powerful new dance work by Joel Bray Dance that echoes and honours generations of protest and rebellion, MONOLITH will be presented at Arts House, as part of the Rising Festival, this June. Together, five fierce Brown women present themselves as obstacle and resistance to colonising power. They evoke a monolith - the ancient rock
- [If We Got Some More Cocaine I Could Show You How I Love You (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/if-we-got-some-more-cocaine-i-could-show-you-how-i-love-you-review/) - Despite its cumbersome, off-putting title, Irish playwright, John O’Donovan’s first full-length play turns out to be a compelling 90-minute drama about two young gay men struggling with their feelings for each other in a situation which threatens to ruin both their lives. Set in the Irish town of Ennis, the entire play takes place on
- [HAIR the tribal love-rock musical returns to Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hair-the-tribal-love-rock-musical-returns-to-melbourne/) - From its stunning Broadway debut in 1968, HAIR revolutionised musical theatre by defining the “rock musical” with a celebration of 1960s counterculture, anti-war passion, and sexual freedom. Now, experience HAIR like never before in Glenn Elston’s bold new production at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre from October 2025. Let down your long, beautiful hair and pull out the tie-dye as you
- [Accessing HIV PrEP in regional and rural New South Wales](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/accessing-hiv-prep-in-regional-and-rural-new-south-wales/) - Despite HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) being added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in April 2018, 18-to-25-year gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) continue to experience higher rates of HIV infection than older gbMSM. Identifying as a young gay, bisexual man, or being a man who has sex with men
- [Protecting and celebrating LGBTIQA+ cultural heritage in the City of Yarra](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/protecting-and-celebrating-lgbtiqa-cultural-heritage-in-the-city-of-yarra/) - Yarra City Council has prepared a unique heritage study that identifies places of historical importance to the LGBTIQA+ community. The LGBTIQA+ Heritage Study recommends mechanisms for improving the documentation and protection of these sites so they can be promoted and celebrated. “This Study is a demonstration of the City’s appreciation of not just our built heritage, but
- [Ballarat International Foto Biennale announces ENNINFUL x MAPPLETHORPE](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ballarat-international-foto-biennale-announces-enninful-x-mapplethorpe/) - The work and vision of one of the world's most revered photographers, Robert Mapplethorpe (1946-1989), will be shown in an Australian exclusive exhibition at the 2025 Ballarat International Foto Biennale. This selection of Robert Mapplethorpe's work has been curated by Edward Enninful OBE, Ghanaian-born British editor and stylist who was Editor in Chief of British
- [Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir: Under the Milky Way](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-lesbian-choir-under-the-milky-way/) - Grab your Vegemite sandwiches, load-up your fried-out Kombis, and prepare for an extraordinary performance of quintessential Aussie hits, as the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir presents Under the Milky Way at the Petersham Town Hall for two performances on Saturday 31 May 2025. Featuring over 100 singers and 24 iconic songs, Under the Milky Way
- [Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras Festival comes to a close after memorable run](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/wagga-wagga-mardi-gras-festival-comes-to-a-close-after-memorable-run/) - The Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras Festival Committee has announced the beloved community event will not return, citing increasing difficulty in securing sponsorship and grant funding as the primary reason for the decision. Since the first parade in 2019, Wagga Wagga Mardi Gras has been a vibrant celebration of inclusivity, pride, and community spirit. From local
- [Benson Wu appointed CEO to lead Queer Screen into a new era](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/benson-wu-appointed-ceo-to-lead-queer-screen-into-a-new-era/) - Queer Screen is delighted to announce the appointment of Benson Wu as its inaugural Chief Executive Officer (CEO), ushering in an exciting new chapter for Australia’s leading LGBTQIA+ screen organisation. A well-regarded arts leader and festival professional, Wu has a long-standing connection with Queer Screen, having started as a volunteer before going on to build
- [Heaven](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/heaven/) - Following critically acclaimed sell-out seasons in Dublin, New York, Edinburgh, and London, Bitchen Wolf is thrilled to present the Australian premiere of Irish playwright Eugene O’Brien’s Heaven, at Qtopia Sydney’s Loading Dock Theatre, from 14 May 2025. Winner of the 2023 Irish Times Award for Best New Play and the 2023 Scotsman Fringe First Award,
- [Calamity Jane returns to Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/calamity-jane-returns-to-sydney/) - Take a rollicking ride through the Wild West as acclaimed musical Calamity Jane makes its hotly anticipated return to the city where it all started, playing at the Sydney Opera House in an exclusive season from 14 October - 16 November 2025. Virginia Gay is Calamity Jane, the role which earned her the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Actress and
- [1000 Voices to unite in song to soundtrack MELT 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/1000-voices-to-unite-in-song-to-soundtrack-melt-2025/) - Calling all choirs, aspiring singers and allies! Melt is excited to reveal that the 2025 festival will feature an unforgettable moment of song, bringing together over a thousand singers in support and celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community at 1000 Voices. Taking centre stage as the grand finale of Melt 2025, 1000 Voices will be a
- [MQFF announces the winner for Pitch, Pleez! 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mqff-announces-the-winner-for-pitch-pleez-2025/) - Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) has announced Mohammad Awad and their project Flight Risk, as the 2025 winner of $10,000 cash funding through the annual Pitch, Pleez! competition. Running since 2019, each year MQFF invites filmmakers to submit their short film idea, with a selection of finalists competing in a live ‘Pitch Off’ in front
- [Shadow Boxing](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/shadow-boxing/) - A challenging solo work exploring identity; through examining masculinity, violence, sexuality and vulnerability, Feet First Collective and Theatre Works presents Shadow Boxing by James Gaddas at the Explosives Factory from 14 May 2025. Meet Flynn: He’s strong, he’s a boxer, and… gay. As if living in the shadow of his father’s failed boxing career wasn’t
- [Full program announced for 72nd Sydney Film Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/full-program-announced-for-72nd-sydney-film-festival/) - Featuring 201 films from 70 countries including 17 World Premieres, 6 international premieres and 137 Australian Premieres, the 72nd Sydney Film Festival program has been officially launched by Festival Director Nashen Moodley, bringing together hundreds of new international and local stories. This year also sees the addition of the iconic Sydney Opera House as a
- [What's HOT at the 2025 South Side Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/whats-hot-at-the-2025-south-side-festival/) - Frankston’s annual South Side Festival returns this week, delivering a captivating 11-day program showcasing thought-provoking performances, raucous comedy, dazzling installations, striking visual arts, and some delightfully naughty bits. The Australian Pride Network takes a look at 10 events worth checking out! Neon Fields Beauty Park: 8 - 11 May 2025 Neon Fields returns to glow
- [Gil Beckwith to depart as CEO of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gil-beckwith-to-depart-as-ceo-of-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras/) - The Board of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has announced that CEO Gil Beckwith (she/her) has made the decision to step down from the role, following two years of remarkable leadership. Gil first joined Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in 2018 as Business and Finance Manager, later becoming CFO, and then stepping into
- [IRL (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/irl-review/) - Lewis Treston's IRL is a camp fever dream - managing to be equal parts nostalgia and guttural call to be just a little more kinder to ourselves. Alexei is cos playing, perfect pink princess dress making, hormonally charged protagonist and he is loud, in charge and ready to be seen... that is by everyone except
- [Paul Capsis to read Oscar Wilde's De Profundis in a special event at fortyfivedownstairs](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/paul-capsis-to-read-oscar-wildes-de-profundis-in-a-special-event-at-fortyfivedownstairs/) - The extraordinary Paul Capsis returns to fortyfivedownstairs this May with a searing rendition of Oscar Wilde's De Profundis. In 1897, from the solitude of his prison cell, Oscar Wilde poured his heart into a searing 50,000-word letter to his estranged lover Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas. Blistering with anguish and fury, De Profundis is Wilde’s unfiltered outpouring of
- [Queerthentic - regional LGBTQIA+ art prize returns for 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queerthentic-regional-lgbtqia-art-prize-returns-for-2025/) - Macedon Ranges Accessible Arts Inc. is excited to announce that submissions are now open for the 2025 Queerthentic exhibition – a regional LGBTQIA+ art prize celebrating diversity, authenticity, and artistic expression. Now in its third year, Queerthentic 2025 will be held at The Old Auction House in Kyneton from 1 - 26 May 2025, with over $2,000 in prizes to be won. This
- [Qtopia Sydney unveils Pride Fest 2025: A bold new chapter for Queer Arts in NSW](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydney-unveils-pride-fest-2025-a-bold-new-chapter-for-queer-arts-in-nsw/) - Driving massive cultural and economic impact across Sydney and joining global celebrations of International Pride Month, Qtopia Sydney - the largest centre for Queer History and Culture in the world - unveils its 2025 Pride Fest season. Now in its second year, Pride Fest is a month-long, multi-genre celebration of identity, creativity, inclusion and empowerment.
- [Brisbane Comedy Festival reveals 2025 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/brisbane-comedy-festival-reveals-2025-program/) - They say laughter is the best medicine! The Brisbane Comedy Festival is prescribing a giant dose of it as the event unveils the full program for its anticipated sweet 16th edition! Running from 23 April to 25 May, the festival will take over Brisbane Powerhouse, The Tivoli, Fortitude Music Hall and The Princess Theatre, spreading a month’s worth of non-stop cackles across the city for
- [SBS announces Courtney Act and Tony Armstrong as hosts for Eurovision](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sbs-announces-courtney-act-and-tony-armstrong-as-hosts-for-eurovision/) - SBS and production partner Beyond Productions are excited to reveal Logie-award winning presenter Tony Armstrong and multi-hyphenate entertainer and global icon Courtney Act are the new dynamic duo teaming up to take the helm of the commentary booth in their inaugural year at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland. Whether it’s kicking goals as one of the nation’s most
- [Feast Festival welcomes Penny McAuley as new Board Chair](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feast-festival-welcomes-penny-mcauley-as-new-board-chair/) - Feast Festival is proud to announce the appointment of Penny McAuley as the new Chairperson of its Board - with more than 35 years of experience across arts, culture, local government, and disability advocacy, Penny brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to the organisation. Based in South Australia, Penny’s appointment marks a significant step
- [Pride and preservation: The Imperial Hotel listed on the NSW State Heritage Register](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pride-and-preservation-the-imperial-hotel-listed-on-the-nsw-state-heritage-register/) - The iconic LGBTQIA+ landmark, the Imperial Hotel in Erskineville, has been listed on the NSW State Heritage Register, recognising its deep cultural and historical significance. “The Imperial Hotel has been at the heart of Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community for decades, fostering a spirit of inclusivity, creativity and celebration. Its listing on the State Heritage Register ensures
- [From Melbourne to New York: Circus Oz Non Stop returns to the Comedy Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/from-melbourne-to-new-york-circus-oz-non-stop-returns-to-the-comedy-festival/) - Following a sold-out season at the Forum Melbourne in 2023 , Circus Oz will present the return of their New York-bound spectacular, Circus Oz Non Stop, at the Melbourne’s Town Hall - their first performance at this iconic venue in over 20 years, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, this April. Don’t miss the
- [Origami 2025 - Boutique Garden Festival of Music Art and Light](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/origami-2025-boutique-garden-festival-of-music-art-and-light/) - Origami "Folding Art & Sound" is back - louder, lusher and more luminous than ever. This award-winning boutique festival returns for one night only on Saturday 12 April, transforming Gosford’s iconic Edogawa Japanese Garden into an electrifying sensory wonderland of music, art and light. Now in its third year, Origami has cemented its place as
- [Berlin Burlesque: The Story of Hanussen (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/berlin-burlesque-the-story-of-hanussen-review/) - Step into the smoke-hazed shadows of 1930s Berlin and let yourself be bewitched by Berlin Burlesque: The Story of Hanussen – a spellbinding production by the Lyttelton Circus Theatre Co ensconced in the theatre at Gasworks Arts Park. A captivating blend of theatre, circus arts and live music, Berlin Burlesque is part historical portrait and part cabaret fever dream. At the
- [Tropical Fruits: EQUEERNOX](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tropical-fruits-equeernox/) - A queer rite of seasonal passage. As the veil between light and dark hangs in perfect balance, we summon you to step into the liminal - a cosmic convergence of queerness, creativity, and celestial celebration. On Saturday April 19th, under the watchful gaze of ancient constellations and planetary archetypes, we gather on sacred Bundjalung Country
- [Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett returns to Melbourne!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bernie-dieters-club-kabarett-returns-to-melbourne/) - The global smash-hit returns to Melbourne! Bernie Dieter's über award-winning den of inequity, Club Kabarett is turning the Meat Market into the hottest club East of Berlin. For over a decade, the undisputed Weimar punk kabarett goddess, Bernie Dieter has captivated audiences worldwide - renowned for her riotous original songs, immense vocal talent, and flair for
- [Queer stage sensation Trophy Boys returns this year with a national tour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-stage-sensation-trophy-boys-returns-this-year-with-a-national-tour/) - Following rave reviews and multiple sold-out seasons, the acclaimed queer black comedy Trophy Boys will tour nationally this year performing at Sydney’s Carriageworks (23 July – 3 August) and Parramatta's Riverside Theatres (6 – 9 August), Arts Centre Melbourne (12 – 24 August) and Brisbane’s QPAC (25 – 30 August). Set on the biggest night
- [Broadway Icon Bernadette Peters to headline Brisbane's MELT Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/broadway-icon-bernadette-peters-to-headline-brisbanes-melt-festival/) - Melt Festival is excited to reveal the first artist for its 2025 program! In celebration of LGBTQIA+ artists and allies, Brisbane/Magandjin will proudly host the legendary star of stage and screen, Bernadette Peters, for an exclusive Australian performance this October you won't want to miss. Set to be the iconic star's first Australian performance in over
- [MQFF welcomes Ro Bright as Program Director](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mqff-welcomes-ro-bright-as-program-director/) - Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) has announced that Ro Bright (they/them) has been appointed as our Program Director. Bright’s artistic vision, creative passion and festival expertise will guide the next stage of MQFF’s ever-evolving program, starting with an exciting 2025 program for our 35th year. "It’s an incredible honour to be joining the MQFF team.
- [Adelaide Cabaret Festival Celebrates its 25th Birthday with a sparkling 2025 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festival-celebrates-its-25th-birthday-with-a-sparkling-2025-program/) - The world’s largest cabaret festival and Australia’s favourite winter festival, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, is turning 25 and in a birthday celebration like no other, audiences are invited to join the party and BLING IT ON with a contemporary, and star-studded line-up announced today! Unwrapping her second program as Artistic Director, award-winning Australian actor, writer, and
- [Mel Brooks’ The Producers heads to Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres following a sold-out season at Hayes Theatre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mel-brooks-the-producers-heads-to-parramattas-riverside-theatres-following-a-sold-out-season-at-hayes-theatre/) - Tonight marks the highly anticipated opening night of The Producers at Hayes Theatre Co where the entire season has officially sold out. In response to overwhelming demand, the smash-hit production will extend its run with a strictly limited one-week season at Riverside Theatres. Those who missed out on getting tickets to the Hayes season now have another
- [The Songs of Elton and George (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-songs-of-elton-and-george-review/) - An enthusiastic Canberra audience sustained their extraordinary record of sold-out performances by Anthony Callea and Tim Campbell with their show The Songs of Elton and George. After playing three sold out performances at Hamer Hall in Melbourne and two in the Sydney Opera House in 2024, with John Foreman and the Australian Pops Orchestra, Callea
- [Popera: Sex, Death & Politics](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/popera-sex-death-politics/) - Hot off the heels of Adelaide’s Fringe, Popera is back at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, debuting new songs and intimate moments at The Motley Bauhaus this April for four shows only. Entertainment Publicist turned writer, producer and director turned cabaret songwriter, Bronny Lane, has teamed up with Australia’s favourite Crohn’s and allergy cabaret girl, Uma Dobia,
- [Saints of Damour (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/saints-of-damour-review/) - Saints of Damour is an epic love story following one man’s journey from Lebanon to Australia while navigating love, family, loss and grief. Pierre is a humble tomato farmer in Damour, spending his days at the market while staring at the sea, longing for a future that will never come. Like a crashing wave Samir enters
- [Queer Delights at the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-delights-at-the-2025-melbourne-international-comedy-festival/) - The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is back and bigger than ever – featuring a diverse and dynamic mix of international superstars, beloved Australian comedians, and exciting emerging talent. Running from 26 March to 20 April 2025, the Festival promises to be an unforgettable celebration of comedy. From stand-up and sketch to improv and musical comedy,
- [Berlin Burlesque: The Story of Hanussen comes to Gasworks Arts Park this April](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/berlin-burlesque-the-story-of-hanussen-comes-to-gasworks-arts-park-this-april/) - Prepare for a dazzling display of theatre, acrobatics, and live music as the Lyttelton Circus Theatre Co (LCTC) brings their original production, Berlin Burlesque: The Story of Hanussen, to the Gasworks Theatre this April. After a sell-out season in Christchurch, this 14-strong ensemble of theatre makers, acrobats, musicians, and entertainers is ready to take the
- [Simply BRILL – The Teens Who Stole Rock’n’Roll](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/simply-brill-the-teens-who-stole-rocknroll/) - A joyous homage to some of the most popular songs of the 20th century, Arts Centre Melbourne presents Simply BRILL, as part of its Morning Melodies program, on Monday 7 April 2025. Celebrate 1960s rock ‘n’ roll with acclaimed performers Amelia Ryan, Michaela Burger and Michael Griffiths, with a live five-piece band, who shine in this
- [Marcia Sings Summer with special guest Casey Donovan](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/marcia-sings-summer-with-special-guest-casey-donovan/) - Australian music legend, Marcia Hines, and the immensely talented, Casey Donovan, have announced they will be touring together across Australia in October 2025 with a brand new show paying tribute to a global music superstar on the Marcia Sings Summer tour. Donna Summer and Marcia Hines were both born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. They both learned to
- [The Boys in the Band (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-boys-in-the-band-review/) - Presented by James Terry Collective, Mart Crowley’s seminal play, The Boys in the Band, has been masterfully revived under the direction of Alister Smith at Melbourne’s Chapel Off Chapel. Marking a groundbreaking moment in LGBTQ+ theatre and one of the first plays to centre openly gay characters, the play debuted Off-Broadway in 1968, providing an
- [Backing LGBTIQA+ Organisations across Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/backing-lgbtiqa-organisations-across-victoria/) - The Victorian Government is backing LGBTIQA+ organisations with funding to expand support and strengthen services now and into the years ahead. Minister for Equality Vicki Ward has announced the 2024-25 Organisational Development Grants - encouraging LGBTIQA+ communities to apply for a share of $400,000. "Equality is not negotiable in Victoria, and throughout a time of
- [South Side Festival returns to celebrate creativity and community!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/south-side-festival-returns-to-celebrate-creativity-and-community/) - Frankston’s annual South Side Festival returns in May, delivering a captivating 11-day program showcasing thought-provoking performances, raucous comedy, dazzling installations, striking visual arts, and some delightfully naughty bits. South Side Festival sparks creativity, captures imaginations, challenges perceptions, and creates numerous opportunities to engage the broader community and business sector. Neon Fields returns from 8 – 11
- [Boys on the Verge of Tears](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/boys-on-the-verge-of-tears/) - Cutting to the core of masculinity with razor-sharp precision, The Maybe Pile presents the Australian premiere of Sam Grabiner’s Boys on the Verge of Tears at fortyfivedownstairs. Following the sell-out season of their 2023 runaway hit, Trophy Boys (nominated for 4 Green Room Awards - Best Production, Best Director, Best New Writing, Best Performer), culminating
- [James Elazzi's Saints of Damour brings a queer story of love, loss and resilience to the stage](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/james-elazzis-saints-of-damour-brings-a-queer-story-of-love-loss-and-resilience-to-the-stage/) - The home of Queer storytelling, Qtopia Sydney, presents Saints of Damour, a powerful new work by acclaimed Lebanese-Australian playwright James Elazzi, in the Loading Dock Theatre this March. Elazzi’s previous works, including Lady Tabouli and Son of Byblos, have been praised for their unflinching exploration of masculinity, culture and Queer identity. With Saints of Damour,
- [Tash York’s Chaos Cabaret](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tash-yorks-chaos-cabaret/) - Step into the delightfully unpredictable and utterly exhilarating world of Tash York’s Chaos Cabaret, debuting at Adelaide Fringe 2025 in Gluttony! Known as one of Fringe’s most adored icons, Tash York – award-winning cabaret performer, comedian, and queen of chaos – brings her trademark wit, charm, and powerhouse vocals to this one-of-a-kind improvised variety game show.
- [Dolly Parton’s greatest hits come to life in Here You Come Again](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dolly-partons-greatest-hits-come-to-life-in-here-you-come-again/) - Shine up your cowboy boots and grab your rhinestones, Here You Come Again, the dazzling musical comedy packed with Dolly Parton’s greatest hits, is heading to Australia. Officially produced with the approval of Dolly Parton and featuring iconic songs like Jolene, 9 to 5, Islands in the Stream, and I Will Always Love You, this heart-warming and hilarious
- [The Boys in the Band](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-boys-in-the-band/) - Presented by James Terry Collective, The Boys in the Band - the ground-breaking and controversial play is about to conclude its highly anticipated restaging at Chapel off Chapel, reigniting discussions on LGBTQ+ history, censorship, and artistic freedom. The Tony-Award winning play by Mart Crowley was first staged in 1968 New York to critical acclaim, and
- [Melbourne Queer Film Festival announces 2025 Pitch, Pleez! competition](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-queer-film-festival-announces-2025-pitch-pleez-competition/) - Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) is calling on queer filmmakers to submit their short film proposals for the 2025 Pitch, Pleez! competition, with a $10,000 cash funding prize for the winning pitch. Now in its seventh year, Pitch, Pleez! has provided Australian LGBTQIA+ filmmakers the opportunity to create original content by assisting the production of
- [Sydney Pride Festival launches Pride Month Celebrations: Love, Respect, Empower!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-pride-festival-launches-pride-month-celebrations-love-respect-empower/) - Taking place from 1 - 30 June 2025, Sydney Pride Month will celebrate diversity, unity, and equality under the theme, Love, Respect, Empower. This vibrant month-long event will bring together the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to honour love in all its forms, encourage mutual respect, and empower individuals to embrace their authentic selves. With a
- [Finalists announced for National LGBTQ+ Sporting Inclusion Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/finalists-announced-for-national-lgbtq-sporting-inclusion-awards/) - The finalists for the 2025 Australian Pride in Sport Awards have been announced ahead of a spectacular ceremony set to take place in Melbourne on 16 April. Now in its eighth year, the event will bring together sporting identities, clubs, and codes from across the country to celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion in Australian sport over the
- [Mardi Gras Film Festival audience favourites screening on demand](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mardi-gras-film-festival-audience-favourites-screening-on-demand/) - A selection of films, which all received very high scores from the audience of the in-cinema component of Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney, are available to stream nationally this weekend. Unusually Normal Top scorer with a sensational rating of 4.9 out of 5 by our Sydney audience, Unusually Normal was the unexpected hit of
- [Strange Chaos (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/strange-chaos-review/) - Mitch Jones's body is a walking canvas. Tattoos cover nearly every visible inch of skin. His striking multi-coloured mohawk adds the perfect finishing touch. Before the show even begins, you know this performer has literally put himself on the line for his art. Our adventure starts at a North Adelaide street corner. A growing crowd
- [Madame Martha's After Dark: The Parisian Cabaret (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/madame-marthas-after-dark-the-parisian-cabaret-review/) - With the first couple of numbers, I thought Madame Martha's may end up being a disjointed pastiche of unrelated songs - like the lip-synced drag shows at any gay club in the 1990s. Except the three drag queens in Madame Martha's - creative genius Jens Radda, Hugo Weaving's Mitzi-reminiscent (film version of The Adventures of
- [The Peter Allen Songbook: Time is a Traveller](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-peter-allen-songbook-time-is-a-traveller/) - Featuring songs by Australia’s iconic songwriter, musician and performer Peter Allen, Annaliesa Rose sings the Peter Allen Songbook, giving his repertoire new life with her unique and versatile vocals alongside multi-talented Musical Director Daryl Wallis on keyboard and backing vocals. This show presents a collection of Peter Allen’s finest songs, some we know and love,
- [Eva Rees' bold new trans thriller Djuna comes to the stage this March](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/eva-rees-bold-new-trans-thriller-djuna-comes-to-the-stage-this-march/) - From the cutting-edge queer theatre makers that brought Melbourne The Inheritance, In The Club and The Gospel According to Jesus and Queen of Heaven, comes a razor-sharp new collaboration with trans playwright Eva Rees. Presented by Darebin Arts Speakeasy, the psychological thriller has been directed by Bullet Heart Club’s Kitan Petkovski, and promises to captivate
- [Orange Rainbow Festival grows into five-day event to celebrate inclusion and acceptance](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/orange-rainbow-festival-grows-into-five-day-event-to-celebrate-inclusion-and-acceptance/) - Celebrating inclusion and acceptance within their local community, the Rainbow Festival will be held in Orange from 19 - 23 March 2025. This year the city’s LGBTQIA+ festival will build on the success of last year’s inaugural celebration with a five-day program of events, including signature events, the Rainbow Walk and the 18+ Street Party,
- [Celebrating Queer Country Pride: ChillOut Festival returns for 2025 this Weekend](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrating-queer-country-pride-chillout-festival-returns-for-2025-this-weekend/) - Roll up, roll up! One of Australia’s premier regional LGBTIQ+ pride events, ChillOut Festival, is returning to Daylesford and surrounds over the Labour Day weekend from 6 – 10 March 2025, with the theme, Rainbow Circus Spectacular! From humble beginnings in 1997, ChillOut Festival has grown to become one of Australia’s largest and longest running
- [Oozing Future returns Strange Chaos to Adelaide Fringe this March](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/oozing-future-returns-strange-chaos-to-adelaide-fringe-this-march/) - Talk of the festival in 2023, Strange Chaos by Oozing Future returns to Adelaide Fringe in March for a limited season of spectacular punk-rock clowning. Set in a suburban backyard, and played in the headlights of a broken down Ute, Mitch Jones once again demonstrates why he is the enfant-terrible of Australian circus – going
- [Broadway smash-hit In The Heights brings the heat to Melbourne and the Gold Coast](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/broadway-smash-hit-in-the-heights-brings-the-heat-to-melbourne-and-the-gold-coast/) - The Tony Award®-winning musical sensation In The Heights is dancing its way to Melbourne and the Gold Coast this year. Experience musical mastermind Lin-Manuel Miranda’s (Hamilton, Moana) debut musical which set the stage for his meteoric rise. Following a sold-out season at the Hayes Theatre and acclaimed runs at the Sydney Opera House, In The
- [Celebrating 25 Years of Brisbane’s Biggest Rainbow Festival: Big Gay Day 2025 Announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrating-25-years-of-brisbanes-biggest-rainbow-festival-big-gay-day-2025-announced/) - One of Brisbane's largest LGBTQIA+ street festivals, Big Gay Day, turns 25 this year and the city’s fabulous rainbow festival is bigger and better than ever. Held on the Labour Day long weekend, Sunday 4 May, the exciting line-up has been announced - with Peach PRC and The Presets (DJ set) headlining. The all-inclusive, one-day
- [Sunshine Coast Pride Festival returns in 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sunshine-coast-pride-festival-returns-in-2025/) - Hundreds gathered at The Station in Birtinya on Friday night for the relaunch of the Sunshine Coast Pride Network, and to hear long-awaited news of the return of the coast's Pride Festival. Running 14 - 23 November, it will be the biggest and most comprehensive Pride offering the region has ever seen. The event has
- [Mardi Gras lights up Sydney for a spectacular final weekend](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mardi-gras-lights-up-sydney-for-a-spectacular-final-weekend/) - Last night, Saturday 1 March 2025, Sydney did what it does best - turned the volume up, took over the streets, and celebrated every shade of the rainbow. The 47th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade transformed Oxford Street, Flinders Street, and Anzac Parade into a dazzling display of community, resilience, and unapologetic self-expression.
- [Ember Flame: SOLO (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ember-flame-solo-review/) - “I am always looking for love, and I find it,” performer Ember Flame chants in one of the several spoken verse pieces at the centre of this beautiful show. This must-see burlesque at the Adelaide Fringe revolves hypnotically around the theme of connection. While the seeking and finding of love is the heart of the
- [Hedwig and the Angry Inch (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hedwig-and-the-angry-inch-review/) - Die-hard fans of John Cameron Mitchell (text) and Steven Trask's (music and lyrics) bawdy and divinely outrageous Tony Award winning Hedwig and the Angry Inch (1998) were out in force for the show's opening night as part of the Adelaide Festival. While they got their fix, I'm a Hedwig virgin no more - shocked to the core just
- [They Will Be Kings](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/they-will-be-kings/) - An electrifying fusion of Drag Kinging, contemporary performance and queer joy, WEREWOLF and Kings of Joy presents They Will Be Kings at The Loading Dock Theatre, as part of the 2025 Mardi Gras Festival, from 25 - 28 February. They Will Be Kings is a new performance work about the politics of joy, power and
- [CANDIDE (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/candide-review/) - Despite its 1956 premiere Broadway season being labelled a box office disaster, Candide has become one of those masterpieces best known for its components rather than its complete performances which are still relatively rare. The overture, orchestrated by Leonard Bernstein himself, is a favourite party piece for symphony orchestras worldwide, while coloratura sopranos delight in
- [Candide (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-candide/) - Leonard Bernstein’s effervescent and irreverent operetta Candide certainly makes for a fun, firecracker start to Victorian Opera’s 2024 season. And Stuart Maunder’s first contribution as newly settled artistic director certainly makes the serious business of running an opera company seem a most enjoyable task. Thursday’s opening night at St Kilda’s packed Palais Theatre was a hoot! Based
- [Marching Towards Freedom: Highlights of the 2025 Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade Revealed](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/marching-towards-freedom-highlights-of-the-2025-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-parade-revealed/) - Get ready to set free pride, diversity, and unbridled joy as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade returns on Saturday 1 March 2025. With over 10,000 marchers and more than 180 spectacular floats, this year's Parade is a dazzling celebration of the 2025 Festival theme, FREE TO BE, honouring the LGBTQIA+ community's resilience, creativity, and unwavering pursuit of
- [Madame Martha's After Dark: The Parisian Cabaret](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/madame-marthas-after-dark-the-parisian-cabaret/) - Direct from sold-out seasons across Australia, Adelaide Fringe audiences are invited to step into the sensational underground Parisian cabaret where Vogue-posing, Fosse-popping, French-lace-drenched club kittens take you on a wild ride of intoxicating elegance. Presented by internationally acclaimed artist and cabaret queen Jens Radda, Madame Martha’s will electrify Adelaide with an explosion of Moulin Rouge
- [CRUISE (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cruise-review/) - Cruise by Jack Holden is a tour de force through the heyday of Queer London – the celebratory seedy underbelly where lost boys are found and families are created. A hedonistic crucible that reached a breaking point that not only defined a whole generation but saw the loss of countless beautiful souls and stories. Throughout the work the audience is introduced
- [Top Picks for 2025 Sydney Mardi Gras Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-picks-for-2025-sydney-mardi-gras-festival/) - Celebrating 47 years in 2025, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras continues to stand strong as a pillar of strength and unity and a monument for creativity and self-expression within LGBTQIA+ communities in Sydney and across the globe. The 2025 Festival promises to bring unforgettable moments, radiant performances, and vibrant events that honour the
- [Panti Bliss: If These Wigs Could Talk (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/panti-bliss-if-these-wigs-could-talk-review/) - From the moment Panti Bliss steps onto the Fairfax Studio stage at Arts Centre Melbourne, the audience is utterly captivated by this raconteur, gender discombobulist and 'National Fucking Treasure'. A legendary figure in the world of drag and LGBTQ+ activism, Bliss commands the stage with an effortless charisma. The alter-ego of Rory O’Neill, Bliss is
- [New York bar Marie's Crisis brings singalong to Common Rooms in Melbourne for six nights of fun this February](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-york-bar-maries-crisis-brings-singalong-to-common-rooms-in-melbourne-for-six-nights-of-fun-this-february/) - Nestled in the heart of New York's enchanting West Village is a basement piano bar so iconic, celebrities queue to get in. For six nights only, Marie's Crisis and its top pianists are coming to Melbourne to play especially for you. This evening is unplugged and spontaneous - it's just the crowd, the piano and
- [Hobart Council replaces stolen pride flags - Tasmania Police investigating theft](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hobart-council-replaces-stolen-pride-flags-tasmania-police-investigating-theft/) - Equality Tasmania has praised Hobart City Council and Tasmanian Police for their response to the theft of three pride flags from outside Hobart Town Hall last week. The flags, originally hoisted for the annual TasPride Festival, were replaced by the Council on Monday 17 February. Meanwhile, Tasmanian Police has launched an investigation into the theft.
- [Kylie triumphs in Tension Tour global debut](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/kylie-triumphs-in-tension-tour-global-debut/) - On Saturday night, Kylie reaffirmed why she is one of the world’s most iconic performers, triumphantly debuting the very first show of her global Tension Tour to an adoring sell-out crowd of 13,500 at Perth’s RAC Arena. ​ ​ ​Clearly excited to host the first night of Kylie’s Tension Tour, Perth fans made sure Kylie knew they were ready
- [City of Sydney raises the flag for Mardi Gras](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/city-of-sydney-raises-the-flag-for-mardi-gras/) - The Progress Pride Flag was raised above Sydney Town Hall on the evening of Friday 14 February to officially mark the start of more than two weeks of Mardi Gras celebrations. Attending the Progress Pride flag raising ceremony were Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras organisers, key members of rainbow communities, participants of the first
- [Inaugural National Sports Festival to increase LGBTIQ+ participation kicks off](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/inaugural-national-sports-festival-to-increase-lgbtiq-participation-kicks-off/) - With a packed program of events nationwide, the inaugural Australian Pride in Sport Festival is in full swing, drawing sporting clubs, organisations, athletes and newcomers to the country’s largest community-driven celebration of LGBTQ+ participation in sport. Produced by Pride in Sport, Australia’s leading LGBTQ+ sporting inclusion initiative, the program features events in a range of
- [New rainbow intersection unveiled at Taylor Square](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-rainbow-intersection-unveiled-at-taylor-square/) - The arched roads on both sides of Oxford Street at Taylor Square are now painted with pride, right in time for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The City of Sydney has completed work on a new colourful Progress Pride flag and raised intersection at Taylor Square where Forbes and Bourke streets meet outside
- [SOLO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/solo/) - Fresh from a sell-out season at Sydney Fringe, Ember Flame presents Solo at the Goodwood Theatre and Studios, as part of the 2025 Adelaide Fringe, from 27 February to 1 March. A love letter from the bedroom of Australia’s Burlesque Poet, Ember Flame, who asks: What does it mean to connect to others? Ember explores
- [Your Silence Will Not Protect You](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/your-silence-will-not-protect-you-2/) - Qtopia Sydney in association with Gavin Roach presents his award-winning play, Your Silence Will Not Protect You, in The Substation Theatre from 20 - 22 February 2025. Do you remember the panic attack you had the first, and only, time you fisted someone? Gavin does. And it was hilarious. Having tackled bullying and body image,
- [Homophonic! (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/homophonic-review/) - This year was the fifteenth Homphonic! concert at Midsumma. I have missed a couple of them, but it remains my favourite gig every year. Homophonic! celebrates and creates community and joy. Classical and contemporary and/or experimental classical music has been a world where queer identity has often been hidden. It’s better now, but there are
- [John Neumeier’s masterpiece Nijinsky leads The Australian Ballet's 2025 Season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/john-neumeiers-masterpiece-nijinsky-leads-the-australian-ballets-2025-season/) - Precisely 75 years after Nijinsky’s passing, John Neumeier’s Nijinsky returns to lead The Australian Ballet’s Season 2025, honouring the dancer whose raw, emotional performances once electrified audiences across Europe. Nearly a decade since it was last performed, this powerful tribute to one of dance’s most beloved and tragic figures will be staged in Melbourne from
- [Stellar Cast announced for The Producers at Hayes Theatre Co](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stellar-cast-announced-for-the-producers-at-hayes-theatre-co/) - Joshua Robson Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co has announce the talented cast and creative team for the highly anticipated production of The Producers, a Mel Brooks Musical with uproarious comedy, unforgettable songs and show-stopping performances. Blazing the trail for a new kind of outrageous, in-your-face musical comedy, The Producers won a record 12 Tony Awards. Now
- [The Flea (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-flea-review/) - James Fritz's The Flea is a wonderfully absurd camp trip through history and the perfect start to the New Theatre's 2025 Season. A flea bites a rat, the rat startles a horse, the horse kicks a man... and the man dies. This is where the story begins, and what happens next is a series of
- [Holden Sheppard: Invisible Boys](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/holden-sheppard-invisible-boys-2/) - Following its critically acclaimed release in 2019, Holden Sheppard, Invisible Boys has been re-released to tie in with the ten-episode contemporary drama series on STAN. Invisible Boys is an emotional tale of identity, sexuality and suicide derived from personal experience about three teenage boys who struggle to come to terms with their homosexuality in a
- [The Children's Hour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-childrens-hour/) - First time collaborators Tiny Dog Productions and Dead Fly Productions team up to bring you The Children's Hour by Lillian Hellman at The Old Fitz Theatre this February, as part of the 2025 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival. Based on a true story, The Children's Hour follows the story of Martha and Karen who run a boarding school for young
- [Movie makers, shakers and lovers invited to Pride in Film events ](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/movie-makers-shakers-and-lovers-invited-to-pride-in-film-events/) - Emerging and established filmmakers, future film festival staff, and fans of movie magic are invited to attend Queer Screen's Pride in Film events during the Mardi Gras Film Festival (MGFF) this month. The series features an Industry Development Day at Haymarket Creative on Sunday 23 February, where attendees can Ask Ana Kokkinos Anything at a morning masterclass,
- [Have a fabulous, fun and safe Mardi Gras 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/have-a-fabulous-fun-and-safe-mardi-gras-2025/) - As Sydney counts down for Australia’s biggest annual pride celebration - the 2025 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival - ACON is reminding everyone to prioritise health and safety during the celebrations. “Mardi Gras is all about celebrating who we are as a community and having a great time doing it,” said ACON CEO
- [Jack Holden's Cruise to make Australian premiere in Sydney this February](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/jack-holdens-cruise-to-make-australian-premiere-in-sydney-this-february/) - Fruit Box Theatre in association with bAKEHOUSE Theatre Company presents the Australian premiere of Jack Holden's Cruise at KXT on Broadway, as part of the 2025 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival, this February. “Let’s make sure we’re travelling so fast that the heat we generate when we reenter the sky will burn us
- [Street Party caps off Victoria's Pride](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/street-party-caps-off-victorias-pride/) - Around 50,000 Victorians will celebrate Victoria's Pride with a Street Party taking over Gertrude and Smith streets in Melbourne's inner north today, thanks to the Victorian Government. Minister for Equality Vicki Ward will join the events spanning Fitzroy and Collingwood to celebrate Victoria's LGBTIQA+ communities at the iconic one-day street party. The free, inclusive event
- [TITANIQUE (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/titanique-review/) - The inventors of the jukebox musical – a stage or film musical that uses popular songs instead of original music – have much to answer for. The writers of Titanique have played fast and loose with facts for this cleverly conceived concoction which purports to tell the probably untrue story of what really happened on the Titanic
- [Love Unheard: Celebrating Queer Composers through Music (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/love-unheard-celebrating-queer-composers-through-music-review/) - Festivals tend to reward curiosity. Those with an interest in contemporary music, whether brand new, or older but under-appreciated, would have found much to interest them in Love Unheard: Celebrating Queer Composers through Music. For starters there’s the venue: The Theatrette on the ground floor of the Victorian Pride Centre. It’s a warm space enlivened by brightly coloured
- [Labyrinth (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/labyrinth-review/) - It’s one year since composer and artistic director Evan J. Lawson and librettist Daniel Szesiong Todd’s original new work, Labyrinth, premiered at Abbotsford Convent’s subterranean Store. And it’s back – with a little tinkering and most of the same artists reprising their roles – to lure you into its effortlessly entrancing and haunting world. Not only
- [FOLLIES (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/follies-review/) - For over a decade, Victorian Opera (VO) has elevated the entertaining, idiosyncratic and intellectually rich canvas of works by the late musical theatre legend, Stephen Sondheim. Sunday In The Park with George (2013), Into the Woods (2014), Sweeney Todd (2015 and 2024) and A Little Night Music (2019) have all been brought to life with excellent stagings. Now, stepping further back into Sondheim’s
- [FOLLIES set to open at the Palais Theatre this Saturday](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/follies-set-to-open-at-the-palais-theatre-this-saturday/) - An all-star cast will grace St Kilda’s Palais Theatre stage, this weekend, as Victorian Opera presents Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman’s Tony-Award-winning musical, FOLLIES, for a limited season this February. Set in a run-down theatre scheduled for demolition, former chorus girls reunite to honour performing there during the interwar years. The theatre is ramshackle, and the harshness of
- [Chasing Dick: A Love Story comes to Qtopia Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chasing-dick-a-love-story-comes-to-qtopia-sydney/) - Offering a profound commentary on the evolving nature of love and identity in contemporary society, TayoTayo Collective and Qtopia Sydney presents Chasing Dick: A Love Story at The Loading Dock Theatre this February. In a regional Australian town, a conservative accountant father and his attractive bisexual son will soon find out that they have been
- [Compose Queer x Queerstories](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/compose-queer-x-queerstories/) - Compose Queer and Queerstories have combined their creative skills and community connections to conceive an exciting new project, an anthology of completely new work, performed in concert by the innovative, youth-led choir Divisi at fortyfivedownstairs in February 2025. Twelve LGBTQI+ composers, both emerging and established, will draw inspiration from narrative non-fiction written by twelve queer
- [New Theatre announces 2025 Season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-theatre-announces-2025-season/) - Sydney’s New Theatre has revealed the eight plays that make up its 2025 Season. "We're announcing our season a little later than usual, but I think you'll agree it's worth the wait, with a full compliment of eight shows, including two world premieres and two Australian premieres!" says Artistic Director, Louise Fischer. "I'm excited to
- [Eddie Perfect and Lyndon Watts star in the Sydney season of Candide](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/eddie-perfect-and-lyndon-watts-star-in-the-sydney-season-of-candide/) - Tony Award nominated composer Eddie Perfect and renowned musical theatre star Lyndon Watts lead the cast of Dean Bryant’s production of Leonard Bernstein’s brilliant satirical operetta Candide, when it makes its Sydney premiere in the Joan Sutherland Theatre on Thursday 20 February 2025. Star of the stage and screen, and composer of the Broadway smash
- [QRAVE](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qrave/) - Internationally renowned artiste, journalist and storyteller Jessi Ryan sets the scene this Midsumma with QRAVE - an epic double bill at Abbotsford Convent. QRAVE - part exhibition, part performance is the amalgamation of a research project which spanned 2024, uncovering community histories which have and continue to emanate from The City Of Yarra and Birrarung
- [Frankie van Kan: A Body At Work](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/frankie-van-kan-a-body-at-work/) - Serial nudist, Frankie van Kan exposes more of herself than ever before in A Body at Work - a deeply intimate piece of confessional theatre at Theatre Works, as part of the 2025 Midsumma Festival, from 28 January - 1 February. Dubbed “A dynamite piece of theatre” by ArtsHub, A Body at Work, directed by
- [Promising big notes and lots of laughs Opera Up Late returns this January](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/promising-big-notes-and-lots-of-laughs-opera-up-late-returns-this-january/) - Back by popular demand, Opera Up Late returns to the Sydney Opera House for its third year on Thursday 30 January, with a new line-up of wildly talented performers joining irreverent host Reuben Kaye, including one of Australia’s most adored sopranos Emma Matthews. Currently starring as the Fairy Godmother in the Australian Premiere of OA’s production of
- [An Evening Without Kate Bush comes to Arts Centre Melbourne this Summer](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/an-evening-without-kate-bush-comes-to-arts-centre-melbourne-this-summer/) - Enter Strange Phenomena, howl with the Hounds of Love and dance on the moors with Wuthering Heights, the smash-hit cult cabaret An Evening Without Kate Bush makes its Victorian debut at Arts Centre Melbourne from 5 - 8 February 2025. Adored by critics and audiences alike, the production pays glorious tribute to the music, fans (known as Fish People)
- [The 'Queen of Ireland' Panti Bliss returns to Arts Centre Melbourne this Summer](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-queen-of-ireland-panti-bliss-returns-to-arts-centre-melbourne-this-summer/) - After eight long years, The Queen of Ireland Panti Bliss returns to Australia with her record-breaking, smash hit comedy If These Wigs Could Talk gracing Arts Centre Melbourne's Fairfax Studio stage from 4 – 9 February as part of 2025 Midsumma Festival. Following a lifetime of accidental activism, far-fetched shenanigans and making a full time show of herself, notorious drag queen Panti Bliss
- [Victorian Pride Centre launches LGBTIQA+ Speakers Bureau](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorian-pride-centre-launches-lgbtiqa-speakers-bureau/) - Designed to connect audiences, organisations, and communities with a group of trained speakers, the Victorian Pride Centre has launched the LGBTIQA+ Speakers Bureau. An initiative of the Victorian Pride Centre, these speakers will bring a blend of storytelling, focusing on personal lived experiences and professional insights, to a wide range of discussions and opportunities. The
- [Mardi Gras Film Festival Volunteer Registrations](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mardi-gras-film-festival-volunteer-registrations/) - Want to be part of the 32nd Mardi Gras Film Festival? Volunteering at the festival offers a great opportunity to meet like-minded individuals, contribute to an inclusive community, and have a lot of fun! Running from Thursday 13 February, the 2025 Festival line-up includes almost 150 of the world’s best LGBTQI+ films, presented across 72
- [New Theatre to premiere The Flea by James Fritz this February](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-theatre-to-premiere-the-flea-by-james-fritz-this-february/) - Presented as part of Mardi Gras+, New Theatre kicks off their 2025 season with the Australian premiere of James Fritz’s astonishing new play, The Flea, from 4 February – 8 March. London, 1889. Charlie Swinscow, a young post boy, gets busted with 14 shillings in his pocket. But the twist? He didn’t steal it. That cash
- [Sauna Boy](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sauna-boy-2/) - Back by popular demand, Gavin Roach and Dan Ireland-Reeves presents Sauna Boy - which will play The Motley Bauhaus: 28 January – 8 February, as part of the Midsumma Festival, before playing The Substation - Qtopia Sydney from 18 February, and The Warehouse Theatre, Adelaide from 4 March 2025. Dan works at one of the
- [Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feeling-afraid-as-if-something-terrible-is-going-to-happen-review/) - Brimming with humour, vulnerability and an undercurrent of existential unease, it is easy to see why Marcelo Dos Santos’ Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen, starring Samuel Barnett, has garnered the critical acclaim it deserves. Premiering at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022, followed by a 2023 season at London’s Bush
- [Top Picks for the 2025 Midsumma Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-picks-for-the-2025-midsumma-festival/) - With a jam-packed calendar featuring more than 200 events, celebrating the theme Collective Identity(s), the 2025 Midsumma Festival promises to be a transformative celebration of storytelling, creativity and community. With so much on offer, Australian Arts Review takes a look at twelve events worth checking out. A Body At Work Theatre Works: 28 January – 1
- [Get Ready for Carnival as Midsumma Festival Kicks off this Sunday!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/get-ready-for-carnival-as-midsumma-festival-kicks-off-this-sunday/) - This weekend, the 2025 Midsumma Festival will kick off with the highly anticipated Midsumma Carnival in the Alexandra Gardens on Sunday 19 January. The annual queer-day-out will launch three weeks of arts and culture with the huge community opening event running from 11.00 am – 9.00 pm beside the Yarra River in Melbourne's CBD and
- [Bearded The Musical (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bearded-the-musical/) - Bearded, a new queer musical by co-creators Sean Donehue and Nick Waxman comes with an extensive list of warnings. Opening Thursday night at St Kilda’s Theatre Works, those warnings include (but not limited to) coarse language and sexual references, depictions of homophobia, religious satire and explorations of LGBTQ+ identity – in other words, hardly a
- [Forest Collective returns to Abbotsford Convent with Labyrinth](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/forest-collective-returns-to-abbotsford-convent-with-labyrinth/) - In the haunting corridors beneath Abbotsford Convent, Forest Collective presents a reimagining of their highly successful opera-ballet & piano concerto., Labyrinth, as part of the 2025 Midsumma Festival, this January and February. Through this immersive theatrical experience, you will descend into the labyrinth of Greek myth, witnessing first-hand the ordeal of Theseus, Ariadne and her half-brother,
- [Come together for the love of cinema at the 2025 Mardi Gras Film Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/come-together-for-the-love-of-cinema-at-the-2025-mardi-gras-film-festival/) - Queer Screen is calling on cinema lovers to come together at the 32nd Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney from 13 to 27 February. Highlights from the program will be available to stream, on demand, around the nation from 28 February to 10 March 2025. As we come together to celebrate our collective love of
- [Tropical Fruits GALORE 24 New Year’s Eve Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tropical-fruits-galore-24-new-years-eve-festival/) - Established in 1988, the Tropical Fruits Inc are the premier LGBTIQ+ community social group in the New South Wales Northern Rivers town of Lismore – an area appropriately known as the Rainbow Region. Taking place on Widjabul Wia-bal jugun, Tropical Fruits Inc are known for their community-led events and this year's celebration will be no
- [Exciting Leadership Opportunity at Feast Festival!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/exciting-leadership-opportunity-at-feast-festival/) - Adelaide's premier LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural organisation, Feast Festival, is accepting applications for Chair of the Board. Feast is seeking an experienced and passionate leader with strong corporate governance skills to help amplify LGBTQIA+ creative voices and shape a future where everyone's story is heard, respected, and celebrated. Adelaide’s Feast Festival is an arts and
- [ABS releases first ever estimates of LGBTI+ Australians](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/abs-releases-first-ever-estimates-of-lgbti-australians/) - The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released experimental estimates of LGBTI+ populations. These estimates are the first of their kind in Australia. In a new approach, the ABS combined data from nearly 45,000 people who responded to one of four recent ABS health surveys to shed light on LGBTI+ people in Australia. "The new
- [BEARDED: a new queer Aussie musical comes to Theatre Works this January](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bearded-a-new-queer-aussie-musical-comes-to-theatre-works-this-january/) - This January, Sean Donehue and Nick Waxman's new queer Aussie musical, Bearded, comes to Theatre Works for a limited season. Set amidst Australia’s 2017 marriage equality debate, Bearded tells the story of Bet, whose father is a conservative political candidate, and Ace, her best friend, as they navigate family expectations, societal scrutiny, and the courage
- [Ghost Quartet to make Sydney premiere at Hayes Theatre Co this January](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ghost-quartet-to-make-sydney-premiere-at-hayes-theatre-co-this-january/) - After two sold-out seasons in Melbourne, Antipodes Theatre Company will make their Sydney premiere with their critically-acclaimed production of Ghost Quartet at Hayes Theatre Co this January. An intoxicating musical odyssey about love, death and whisky - written and composed by Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812) - ran for years
- [Theatre Works reveals ambitious 2025 Season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/theatre-works-reveals-ambitious-2025-season/) - A celebration of exceptional theatre that champions bold stories, innovative productions, and outstanding talent, Theatre Works is thrilled to reveal its 2025 season. In 2025, Theatre Works will continue to uphold their commitment to enriching Melbourne’s arts landscape with a dynamic program that spans genres, styles, and audiences. “Our 2025 season showcases both ambition and diversity.
- [7th Floor Theatre presents Queensland premiere of Angus Cameron’s Australian Open](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/7th-floor-theatre-presents-queensland-premiere-of-angus-camerons-australian-open/) - 7th Floor Theatre is excited to partner with PIP Theatre to launch its 2025 season with Angus Cameron’s Australian Open. This sharp and fast-paced exploration of wits and relationships takes centre court at PIP Theatre, Milton, for a limited season from 8 January 2025. 7th Floor Artistic Director Hayden Burke is proud to give local
- [Australian Musical Theatre Festival 2025 Program announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australian-musical-theatre-festival-2025-program-announced/) - Artistic Director Tyran Parke has unveiled the Australian Musical Theatre Festival program to be held in Launceston, Tasmania from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 May 2025. Parke revealed that for the first time in the festival's five-year history the award-winning Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra will be the centrefold in what will include a star-studded line-up of Musical Theatre
- [Ballarat International Foto Biennale announces CAMPBELL ADDY to headline 2025 festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ballarat-international-foto-biennale-announces-campbell-addy-to-headline-2025-festival/) - The Ballarat International Foto Biennale has announced British-Ghanaian artist and photographer Campbell Addy will headline the major event in August 2025 with the major solo exhibition, I ❤ Campbell. I ❤ Campbell, will be exclusively shown as part of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale. Featuring a newly conceived set of images, original paintings and a
- [Joshua Fox: What You Into?](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/joshua-fox-what-you-into/) - Raw, moving and savagely funny, What You Into? is Josh Fox's autobiographical account of his spiral into the Grindr world of casual sex, hook-ups and dating apps following the break-up of his marriage. 'What you into?' 'I can host if ur looking?' 'What you into?' 'Do you like straight married men?' 'What you into?' 'Wanna
- [Midsumma Festival 2025 invites audiences to celebrate Collective Identity(s)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/midsumma-festival-2025-invites-audiences-to-celebrate-collective-identitys/) - This Summer, leading LGBTQIA+ Arts Organisation, Midsumma will present a jam-packed calendar with about 200 events celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community across Melbourne and regional Victoria. The State will come alive with theatre, music, visual arts, cabaret, public forums and more, celebrating the festival theme Collective Identity(s). This year’s theme invites audiences to reflect on how
- [Perth amongst final three cities bidding to host the Gay Games in 2030](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/perth-amongst-final-three-cities-bidding-to-host-gay-games-xiii-in-2030/) - After a highly competitive bidding process, the Federation of Gay Games has announced Auckland (New Zealand), Denver (USA) and Perth (Australia) as the three short listed cities moving forward in their bid to host the Gay Games in 2030. These cities represent the best in diversity, inclusivity, and capability to host an event that celebrates
- [Riley Street: mediocre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/riley-street-mediocre-2/) - Riley Street is back and more chaotic than ever and is here to talk about the 'joys' of lacking love, life and success at The Motley Bauhaus this December. With nothing but a piano and a myriad of broken dreams, Riley writes and stars in mediocre - an original show that grapples with the concept of ego-death
- [A bold and diverse program celebrating Queer and Ally Stories - Qtopia Sydney reveals 2025 season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-bold-and-diverse-program-celebrating-queer-and-ally-stories-qtopia-sydney-reveals-2025-season/) - Featuring a stellar line up of Australian and international works, Qtopia Sydney has revealed their second season at the Loading Dock Theatre for 2025. The 2024 inaugural season saw nearly 400 artists working on shows and sharing their stories with over 9,000 audience members. The new theatre space has proven to be a vital and
- [Five great ways to treat yourself this Christmas](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/five-great-ways-to-treat-yourself-this-christmas/) - In what seems like the blink of an eye, winter is just a memory as the warmer weather arrives. In no time at all it will soon be Christmas with lots to look forward to catching up with friends and family with some time away from work. The modern world provides many increased demands with
- [Adelaide Cabaret Festival ready to sparkle in its 25th year with The 2025 Variety Gala now on sale](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festival-ready-to-sparkle-in-its-25th-year-with-the-2025-variety-gala-now-on-sale/) - Pop the champagne and confetti, as Adelaide Cabaret Festival gets ready to celebrate its 25th Birthday, with tickets to The 2025 Variety Gala now on sale. Returning as host extraordinaire, Adelaide Cabaret Festival Artistic Director Virginia Gay will present the gift that keeps on giving: world class performers and magical musical moments, all wrapped up
- [The Street presents Jackie Loeb (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-street-presents-jackie-loeb-review/) - In 1998 Jackie Loeb performed her show, Limited Social Skills, for a three-night season at The School of Arts Café in Queanbeyan. Back then Jackie was attracting attention as an emerging cabaret and television artist, already writing and performing on the popular satirical television sketch comedy series Full Frontal. In the interim between that appearance and
- [Warrnambool set to sparkle with FAB FRENZY](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/warrnambool-set-to-sparkle-with-fab-frenzy/) - DANDROGYNY, a physical theatre practitioner who has performed in over twenty countries, is hosting FAB FRENZY to celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride on Saturday 30 November in Warrnambool. FAB FRENZY is a night event with dance, DJ performances, laughter and love that encourages all participants to join in their wildest outfits and meet local and national talents.
- [Adore Händel's Little Black Book (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adore-handels-little-black-book-review/) - Adore Händel gets around. In the past few months, they’ve spread the contents of their little black book in Melbourne/Naarm (their hometown), Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide (and they’re already returning for Adelaide Fringe 2025), and soon, Perth. Not to S-shame anyone, but if Adore Händel hears someone say “festival,” their mouth opens and sings, “I’m willing.”
- [Cruel Britannia: After Frankenstein (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cruel-britannia-after-frankenstein-review/) - It’s a section of tiled floor, shaped away from the audience but leaning in at the same time. Rachel Stone’s set design has been fashioned at an incline. Over the course of Kristen Smyth’s extraordinary show, this space is many things: a stern London street, nightclub dancefloor, stained bathroom tiles, an operating table, a mortuary
- [A subversive yuletide spectacular Malthouse Theatre presents F Christmas](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-subversive-yuletide-spectacular-malthouse-theatre-presents-f-christmas/) - From the extraordinary minds of Fat Fruit (Sarah Ward and Bec Matthews) and theatre luminary Susie Dee, F Christmas is a new all-star variety show that gives the middle finger to capitalism and the overconsumption of the holiday season. Featuring aerial elves, a tap-dancing turkey, an off-brand Father Christmas and the carol hosts from hell, this
- [Victorian Pride Centre announces Paul Horwell as new Chief Executive Officer](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorian-pride-centre-announces-paul-horwell-as-new-chief-executive-officer/) - The Victorian Pride Centre has announced the appointment of Paul Horwell as its new Chief Executive Officer. Paul brings extensive commercial expertise and connection to our communities through his time at JOY Media. The Victorian Pride Centre is thrilled to have him join their incredible team as they embark on implementing the next strategic plan.
- [Dahlin! It’s the Jeanne Little Show!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dahlin-its-the-jeanne-little-show/) - In a fitting tribute to the beloved Australian entertainer, performed with great aplomb by Caroline Ferguson, Dahlin! It’s the Jeanne Little Show! will be presented at The Butterfly Club on Friday 22 & Saturday 23 November, and at the Shirley Burke Theatre, Parkdale, on Sunday 24 November 2024. Weaving together song and story, Dahlin! It’s
- [Cruel Britannia: After Frankenstein](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cruel-britannia-after-frankenstein/) - A transgender reimagining of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, critically acclaimed writer and performer, Kristen Smyth presents the Australian premiere of her debut solo theatre show, Cruel Britannia: After Frankenstein, in The Show Room - Arts Centre Melbourne, from 20 November 2024. Set in the year of our Lord 1980: Maggie Thatcher's Britain, Captain Walton is navigating
- [Rauschenberg & Johns - Significant Others opens at Geelong Gallery](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rauschenberg-johns-significant-others-opens-at-geelong-gallery/) - Rauschenberg & Johns - Significant Others - a new exhibition depicting one of North America’s most important artistic dialogues has opened at Geelong Gallery. A National Gallery of Australia touring exhibition, Rauschenberg & Johns - Significant Others reveals how, at the height of the Abstract Expressionist movement, a new avant-garde began to materialise from the same-sex
- [Dead To Me: A Comedy Ghost Tour returns to Adelaide](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dead-to-me-a-comedy-ghost-tour-returns-to-adelaide/) - Following sold-out seasons in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, the award-nominated comedy ghost tour, Dead To Me: A Comedy Ghost Tour is back in Adelaide, this November, for the 2024 Feast Festival. The modern dating landscape is a minefield of missed connections, inexplicable disappearances and regrettable second chances that come back to haunt us. Dead To
- [Peter Matthews: The Elixir Effect](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/peter-matthews-the-elixir-effect/) - Modern masculinity, sexual fluidity and identity are explored and challenged through the debut novel The Elixir Effect by Sydney author Peter Matthews. Based on a true story, The Elixir Effect blends literary fiction with raw, unfiltered memoirs to weave a profound narrative that captures the unfiltered depths of personal discovery. Daniel Molina had it all
- [Art Simone: Drag Queens Down Under](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/art-simone-drag-queens-down-under/) - A glorious celebration of life in drag through the eyes of Australia’s most fabulous and fierce drag superstars, Drag Queens Down Under takes a peek behind the velvet curtain, sharing the many triumphs as well as hilarious misadventures in grit, grime and glamour. A gorgeous, fully illustrated photography collection of Australia's best drag queens, this
- [2024 Melbourne Queer Film Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/2024-melbourne-queer-film-festival/) - Boasting a jam-packed program celebrating queer music culture, through the provocation, Formative Sound and Vision, the 34th annual Melbourne Queer Film Festival kicks off tonight and runs through to 24 November 2024. The 2024 program will screen 42 feature films, 18 Australian premieres, 18 Melbourne premieres, 19 documentaries, 11 short film packages and 90 short films. The
- [Stars of the stage to celebrate A (Very) Musical Christmas](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stars-of-the-stage-to-celebrate-a-very-musical-christmas/) - The festive season is about to get an electrifying upgrade as the Michael Cassel Group invites you to experience A (Very) Musical Christmas, an enchanting celebration set to dazzle audiences this December! Taking place on the stage of Hamilton, this intimate and elegant production showcases Australia's brightest musical theatre stars, who will bring your favourite carols
- [Cast revealed for Australian premiere of Elf: The Musical](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cast-revealed-for-australian-premiere-of-elf-the-musical/) - The cast for the Australian premiere season of Elf: The Musical has been found. After a journey through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest and past the sea of twirly-swirly gumdrops, they will reach the Sydney Opera House on 19 December 2024. Gareth Isaac (Grease the Musical, Mary Poppins) will lead the company as the
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras announces 2025 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-announces-2025-program/) - Promising an extraordinary celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride, culture, and community, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival returns from 14 February to 2 March 2025. With a refocused approach, the 2025 festival will bring the community back to the heart of what Sydney Mardi Gras is all about - unapologetic self-expression, powerful inclusivity and joyous unity.
- [Queer Cakes & Butch Bakes - the first Queer Bake-Off in Castlemaine](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-cakes-butch-bakes-the-first-queer-bake-off-in-castlemaine/) - Castlemaine Pride will host its first-ever queer bake-off, Queer Cakes & Butch Bakes, on Sunday 10 November 2024 for their Castlemaine community to make the gayest, deadliest and best pastry in the town. Victoria’s Pride Regional Activation Program, delivered by Midsumma Festival, is proudly supporting this event to bring joy, entertainment and mouth-watering food to
- [Feast Festival takes centre stage at biggest ever Picnic in the Park](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feast-festival-takes-centre-stage-at-biggest-ever-picnic-in-the-park/) - The countdown is on to the 27th annual Feast Festival which launches on Saturday 9 November with its iconic Picnic In The Park at Botanic Park/Tainmuntilla. More than 4000 people are expected to attend Feast’s hero event which returns with a bumper program including the always popular Feast Dog Show and a roster of glittering
- [Seann Miley Moore to Star in the Ultimate Rock Musical - Hedwig and the Angry Inch](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/seann-miley-moore-to-star-in-the-ultimate-rock-musical-hedwig-and-the-angry-inch/) - Breakout star Seann Miley Moore has been confirmed to play the fierce, rebellious anti-heroine Hedwig, in the legendary rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Hailed by Rolling Stone as “the best rock musical ever,” this four-time Tony award-winning production will premiere at the Adelaide Festival in February before touring to Melbourne and Sydney in
- [Queer-gothic play Unnatural to premiere at The Blue Room Theatre this November](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-gothic-play-unnatural-to-premiere-at-the-blue-room-theatre-this-november/) - Be drawn into six hypnotic and vivid tales of the strange, the divine, the terrifying, and the transformative, as Unnatural, the queer-gothic play by emerging playwright Holland Brooks, is presented in a world-premiere season at The Blue Room Theatre from 5 November 2024. Unnatural brings together a team of queer artists from across Australia to
- [Matthew Lopez’s The Inheritance to make Sydney premiere at Seymour Centre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/matthew-lopezs-the-inheritance-to-make-sydney-premiere-at-seymour-centre/) - Following hit seasons on the West End and Broadway, four Tony and four Olivier Awards including Best Play, Matthew Lopez’s blockbuster play, The Inheritance, premieres in Sydney at the Seymour Centre. This two-part epic reimagines E.M. Forster’s Howards End as a contemporary portrait of New York’s gay community. A story of survival, legacy and love,
- [Old Friends Sing Sondheim: A Celebration of Musical Theatre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/old-friends-sing-sondheim-a-celebration-of-musical-theatre/) - This October and November, the highly anticipated cabaret show Old Friends Sing Sondheim will take to the stage in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne. Old Friends Sing Sondheim features comedy icon Mark Trevorrow (aka Bob Downe), NIDA and Conservatorium of Music-trained Rupert Noffs (and grandson of Wayside Chapel founder, Rev Ted Noffs) and ARIA award-nominated
- [5,500 nude participants grace Brisbane’s Story Bridge in Spencer Tunick’s largest Australian installation yet](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/5500-nude-participants-grace-brisbanes-story-bridge-in-spencer-tunicks-largest-australian-installation-yet/) - On Sunday, Brisbane/Magandjin experienced a breathtaking transformation of its iconic Story Bridge as 5,500 nude participants came together for RISING TIDE - a monumental live nude installation created by New York artist Spencer Tunick. Programmed as part of the Melt Festival 2024, the event celebrated diversity, equity and inclusion. Through Tunick's lens, thousands of bodies flowed together
- [Queer Delights at the 2024 MELT Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-delights-at-the-2024-melt-festival/) - The ultimate celebration of LGBTQIA+ artists and allies, the 2024 MELT Festival bursts into action, featuring over 220 dazzling performances and events, turning Brisbane into a vibrant playground of community, diversity, inclusivity and creative expression until 10 November. The Australian Pride Network takes a look at ten events worth checking out. Candy's Cabaret Game Show
- [Go Red & Let’s End HIV This World AIDS Day: Support ACON’s Red Ribbon Appeal 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/go-red-lets-end-hiv-this-world-aids-day-support-acons-red-ribbon-appeal-2024/) - Support efforts to end HIV by going red this World AIDS Day and getting involved with ACON’s Red Ribbon Appeal. Host a fundraiser to power initiatives that prevent new HIV transmissions, tackle HIV stigma and support people living with HIV in NSW. The Red Ribbon Appeal is an annual fundraising initiative by ACON, NSW’s leading
- [One Day In September](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/one-day-in-september/) - While there have been rumours that multiple gay players exist, there is no openly gay player - past or present - in the men's AFL. A new Australian musical, One Day in September, explores the fictional story of a professional footballer grappling with his personal and private lives and opens at the Athenaeum 2 in
- [The Boys in the Band to play Melbourne in 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-boys-in-the-band-to-play-melbourne-in-2025/) - James Terry Collective has announced it will premiere the Broadway revival of Mart Crowley's The Boys in the Band at Chapel Off Chapel in 2025. The Tony Award-winning play was first staged in 1968 to critical acclaim, and following the success of its 2018 Broadway revival, the play was adapted to a Netflix film starring
- [La Boite celebrates its 100th Year in 2025 with a daring Season of Classics, Premieres and a Few Famous Faces](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/la-boite-celebrates-its-100th-year-in-2025-with-a-daring-season-of-classics-premieres-and-a-few-famous-faces/) - Brisbane-based La Boite Theatre celebrates its 100th birthday in 2025 with the same youthful curiosity, courage and trailblazing creativity that punctuates the colourful history of Australia’s longest, continuously-running theatre company. Revered as one of the nation’s oldest and boldest arts organisations, La Boite marks this auspicious milestone with a year-long celebration of storytelling, special events,
- [The Inheritance (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-inheritance-review/) - This epic play by Matthew Lopez was inspired by his response to E.M. Forster’s 1910 novel Howard’s End. Lopez found parallels between his own life and Forster’s closeted existence before the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality. With The Inheritance Lopez takes the opportunity to compare the lives and loves of gay men in contemporary New York
- [Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir: Echoes of Pride](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-lesbian-choir-echoes-of-pride/) - Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir (SGLC) is thrilled to present a celebration of diversity, resilience, and the unifying power of music with their latest concert, Echoes of Pride, at Petersham Town Hall on Saturday 26 October 2024. Through a carefully curated selection of songs from over 10 years of SGLC repertoire, Echoes of Pride will
- [PICA present Season 4 Kambarang-Birak program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pica-present-season-4-kambarang-birak-program/) - The Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) presents a multi-layered, multi-generational exploration of intimacy, desire, identity and time, across visual arts and contemporary performance by four esteemed artists: Paul Knight (AUS), Jack Ball (AUS), Shannon Te Ao (NZ) and Joel Bray (AUS) for their Kambarang-Birak program from 25 October – 22 December 2024. In the
- [Oyster Boy (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/oyster-boy-review/) - Oyster Boy will most assuredly delight audiences attending the Melbourne Fringe Festival in the coming days. Created by performer Kyle Walmsley and director Elizabeth Millington, Oyster Boy is a story about an oyster awaiting a monumental event, his shucking. An absurdly dark and hilarious journey awaits viewers at Gasworks Arts Park. The show has had
- [Apocrypha (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/apocrypha-review/) - Oozing Future's Apocrypha offers a captivating blend of circus and comedy, seamlessly intertwined with avant-garde theatre to deliver a unique and mesmerising performance. Directed by Mitch Jones, the production explores thought-provoking themes such as desire, counterculture, and social isolation. The audience is drawn into a surreal world of poetic unease, where bold acrobatic feats and
- [The gift of sound and vision - 2024 Melbourne Queer Film Festival program now live](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-gift-of-sound-and-vision-2024-melbourne-queer-film-festival-program-now-live/) - Boasting a jam-packed program celebrating queer music culture, through the provocation, Formative Sound and Vision, the 34th annual Melbourne Queer Film Festival runs from 14 – 24 November 2024. The 2024 program will screen 42 feature films, 18 Australian premieres, 18 Melbourne premieres, 19 documentaries, 11 short film packages and 90 short films, plus a
- [Van Badham's Werewolf to premiere at Arts Centre Melbourne this week](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/van-badhams-werewolf-to-premiere-at-arts-centre-melbourne-this-week/) - A new political thriller from iconoclast writer Van Badham and acclaimed director Gary Abrahams, Arts Centre Melbourne presents Werewolf in The Show Room, as part of the Melbourne Fringe, from 16 - 26 October 2024. A fascist speaking tour is arriving in Melbourne, and while government and media figures struggle to understand its impact, local
- [Art, Identity and Innovation intersect at the 2024 Liveworks Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/art-identity-and-innovation-intersect-at-the-2024-liveworks-festival/) - A celebration of bold and captivating performances that push the boundaries of creativity and storytelling, Performance Space presents the 2024 Liveworks Festival at Carriageworks from 23 - 27 October. This year’s line-up features a diverse array of works exploring how we practice care and intimacy, how we hold each other in collapse, how we find
- [Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen to premiere in Australia in 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feeling-afraid-as-if-something-terrible-is-going-to-happen-to-premiere-in-australia-in-2025/) - Direct from a critically acclaimed London season in its first presentation outside the UK, Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen will make its Australian premiere at Arts Centre Melbourne from 14 January to 1 February as part of Midsumma Festival, before playing at the Sydney Opera House from 5 – 23 February 2025 as part of the
- [The Queen’s City of the South (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-queens-city-of-the-south-review/) - Does dredging up the past do more harm than good? This is a central question explored in The Queen’s City of the South, a humorous and fascinating play concentrating on community, identity and Australia’s devastating treatment of queer individuals in the small town of Cooma. The play focuses on Ryan, played by writer Mark Salvesto –
- [Orgasmic AF: Confessions of a Sexologist](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/orgasmic-af-confessions-of-a-sexologist/) - Prepare for a bold and empowering experience as Dr. Martha Tara Lee brings her highly anticipated one-woman show, Orgasmic AF: Confessions of a Sexologist, to The Motley Bauhaus, as part of the Melbourne Fringe, this October. Let’s talk about sex! Curious about the secrets to mind-blowing pleasure or the common stumbling blocks in the bedroom?
- [Dynamic and powerful: Carlton launches 2024 Pride guernsey](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dynamic-and-powerful-carlton-launches-2024-pride-guernsey/) - The Carlton Football Club is excited to reveal its 2024 Pride guernsey, designed by queer Vietnamese illustrator and graphic designer Zo Lam (they/them). The guernsey encapsulates the intertwining nature of both the football community and the LGBTQIA+ community. The colours used across the guernsey represent the progress pride flag embellished with the Carlton Navy Blue
- [Entertainment Assist launches Buckets of Love program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/entertainment-assist-launches-buckets-of-love-program/) - Entertainment Assist - a national charity focusing on the mental health and wellbeing of the entertainment industry - will run a fundraising initiative this October, raising money to provide free education programs for the industry, supporting mental health challenges. The inaugural Buckets of Love program will take place across the weekend of 11 - 13
- [Flat Earthers: The Musical to premiere in Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/flat-earthers-the-musical-to-premiere-in-sydney/) - Griffin Theatre Company and Hayes Theatre Co present the world premiere of Flat Earthers: The Musical. Fresh from the ingenious minds of Lou Wall, Jean Tong and James Gales (Romeo Is Not The Only Fruit), this West Side Story-meets-QAnon queer pop spectacular bursts onto the Hayes Theatre stage from 11 October 2024. Somewhere on the
- [Oyster Boy comes to Gasworks Arts Park](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/oyster-boy-comes-to-gasworks-arts-park/) - A hilarious black comedy for anyone who has ever feared leaving their safe space, Kyle Walmsley and Elizabeth Millington present Oyster Boy at the Studio Theatre - Gasworks Arts Park, as part of the Melbourne Fringe, from 15 - 19 October 2024. Oyster Boy offers a dark, absurd comedy that dives into the peculiar life of
- [The Queen’s City of the South](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-queens-city-of-the-south/) - Inspired by the queer history of Cooma Gaol and its use as a homosexual prison in the 1950s-60s, Mark Salvestro presents the premiere of The Queen’s City of the South at The Loading Dock Theatre - Qtopia Sydney this October. Does digging up old secrets do more harm than good? The story follows Ryan, Cooma’s
- [Bisexual Intellectuals (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bisexual-intellectuals-review/) - Clearly, considerable thought has gone into the look of cabaret show Bisexual Intellectuals. It may not completely meet its Fringe-blurb aim of being “A camp and chaotic celebration of queer joy, dismantling bi-phobia with levity and heart” for some punters. Regardless, there are moments of fun mixed in with more serious content. The show was written and performed
- [KINDER (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/kinder-review/) - Theatre is at its best when the audience forgets that they are watching a performance. This is precisely the case with KINDER. Part of Melbourne's Fringe Festival, audience members can expect to see one of this year's best shows just a stone's throw away from its festival hub. Ryan Stewart performs as Goody Prostate, a
- [EnQueer - Sydney Queer Writers' Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/enqueer-sydney-queer-writers-festival/) - Be inspired, challenged and uplifted by an extraordinary weekend of queer stories, creativity and debate, showcasing some of the finest queer and gender-diverse writers in Australia at EnQueer - Sydney Queer Writers' Festival at Qtopia Sydney on 4 & 5 October 2024. Teaming up with Qtopia for its 2024 event, the EnQueer writers’ festival features
- [Fruitcake (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/fruitcake-review/) - Seeing Fruitcake as part of this year’s Melbourne Fringe Festivals is a reminder of what Fringe Festivals are all about. It’s about the freedom to celebrate new and developing works. Part of its chaotic charm is performers fiercely backing their work and performing them full-throatedly in any venue they can get their hands on – a reminder
- [Apocrypha](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/apocrypha/) - The new ensemble show from circus provocateur Mitch Jones that journeys beyond the canon of mainstream culture, Darebin Arts Speakeasy and Melbourne Fringe presents Apocrypha at the Darebin Arts Centre this October. Inspired by cult cinema, sacred texts and the erotic novels of Jean Genet (poet, thief and queer icon), this stunning new performance explores
- [KINDER](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/kinder/) - A whirlwind hour of storytelling that will challenge our ideas of family, care, and the responsibility we have to our future generations, Ryan Stewart presents KINDER as part of the 2024 Melbourne Fringe this October. When an unexpected phone call from a local library derails a performance planned by the barely digestible (and wholly intolerable)
- [Queer Delights at the 2024 Melbourne Fringe](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-delights-at-the-2024-melbourne-fringe/) - The 42nd annual Melbourne Fringe Festival returns this October with a veritable buffet of over 470 diverse events taking place across Melbourne. Pushing boundaries across performing arts, music, dance, cabaret and many more wild and wonderful categories, Melbourne Fringe will have audiences entertained, provoked and astounded. With so much on offer, the Australian Pride Network takes a
- [Geraldine Quinn: The Passion of Saint Nicholas](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/geraldine-quinn-the-passion-of-saint-nicholas/) - “If these young people stick together, they could really go far!” - thus spoke a long-forgotten judge of the 1991 Talent Quest at St John’s Regional College, Dandenong, when Geraldine and her brother Nicholas took first place. All through high school, Gerry and Nick shared a passion for music - two competitive siblings with one
- [Bite Club: 2nd Serve (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bite-club-2nd-serve-review/) - Decadent is right! Crank a thesaurus through a laundry mangle and you still wouldn’t find a better word to describe such an exciting, entertaining, and undeniably exothermic show as Bite Club: 2nd Serve than decadent. A glorious melding of song, circus, comedy, raunch, burlesque, drag, pumps, acrobatics, and acrobatics in pumps – Briefs Factory have built their
- [More principal cast members announced for JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/more-principal-cast-members-announced-for-jesus-christ-superstar/) - Two principal cast members for the Australian tour of the award-winning Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s celebrated rock musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR have been revealed today. Internationally acclaimed comedian, singer and writer Reuben Kaye will play Herod. Hailing from Melbourne, Reuben has captivated global audiences with his
- [Putting Your Family's Success First With Comprehensive Life Insurance](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/putting-your-familys-success-first-with-comprehensive-life-insurance/) - Building a family is possibly the most rewarding chapter of our lives. Falling in love and watching your children grow up is unimaginably beautiful. As parents, we want nothing more than to ensure those we love are always safe and secure. That’s why we should always put their success and security first. One commonly overlooked
- [CRUSH](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/crush/) - Dramatic, daring and delusional, Benjamin Quirk bares it all with self-afflicting candour in CRUSH, a new solo theatrical endeavour playing at The Loading Dock Theatre from 24 - 28 September, as part of The Sydney Fringe, before playing The Butterfly Club, Melbourne, from 3 October 2024. Following a sold-out premiere season at The Blue Room
- [Fruitcake](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/fruitcake/) - “An immersive story about burgeoning young love and the challenges of expeditious intimacy”, Fruitcake Productions presents Fruitcake at The Motley Bauhaus, as part of Melbourne Fringe from 30 September 2024. Fruitcake is a confident, funny, sexually liberated person who has never needed anyone else. So why is she so drawn to the strange girl in her intro
- [New Theatre to present the Australian premiere of Samuel Adamson's Wife](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-theatre-to-present-the-australian-premiere-of-samuel-adamsons-wife/) - A love letter to the power of theatre, and a decades-hopping investigation into marriage, queerness and gender, New Theatre presents the Australian premiere of Samuel Adamson's Wife this October. Daisy is at a crossroads. Her moral compass tells her to go one way, society the other. What she chooses to do next will have consequences
- [SUGAR](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sugar/) - The indie theatre powerhouse behind hits including The Inheritance, In the Club and The Gospel According to Jesus, Queen of Heaven, have announced their latest collaboration, SUGAR - a new cabaret by Ro Bright will have its world premiere at the 2024 Melbourne Fringe Festival this October. Inspired by erotic cult classics from the 90s,
- [Feast Festival unveils 2024 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feast-festival-unveils-2024-program/) - Feast Festival generates excitement for ‘Pridevember’ with the official launch of its vibrant 2024 program, honouring the transformative impact of Adelaide’s premier LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural festival. From 9 - 24 November, more than 900 artists, performers, volunteers, and production crew will come together to produce 82 events for Feast Festival 2024 with 95% of
- [2024 Honour Awards Announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/2024-honour-awards-announced/) - Among the recipients of 2024’s Honour Awards are inspiring individuals, outstanding organisations, bold creative minds and dedicated activists, advocates and local heroes with a passion for making a difference in the LGBTQ+ communities. Revealed on Wednesday 18 September at the Honour Awards gala event in Sydney’s Doltone House Hyde Park, the recipients were recognised in
- [Briefs Factory returns to Arts Centre Melbourne with Bite Club: 2nd Serve](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/briefs-factory-returns-to-arts-centre-melbourne-with-bite-club-2nd-serve/) - Brisbane’s award-winning cult cabaret mischief makers, circus stars and heart-stopping hooligans Briefs Factory present their brand-new show, Bite Club: 2nd Serve, on the Playhouse stage at Arts Centre Melbourne from 25 – 29 September 2024. Australia’s favourite “carnie” queens will be serving up their signature camp-cabaret fantasy of circus, drag and comedy in a sultry showcase of outrageous entertainment. For the first time in
- [Hayes Theatre Co announces 2025 season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hayes-theatre-co-announces-2025-season/) - Richard Carroll and Victoria Falconer, Artistic Directors of Hayes Theatre Co, have announced seven exciting musicals, a new play with music and a Stephen Sondheim concert that will make up the 2025 program for the Hayes, alongside several special events and cabaret shows. The year opens with the Australian Premiere Production of Ghost Quartet, written
- [Spencer Tunick's TIDE Exhibition to premiere at the Brisbane Powerhouse](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/spencer-tunicks-tide-exhibition-to-premiere-at-the-brisbane-powerhouse/) - Brisbane Powerhouse's Melt Festival is proud to present TIDE - a projected video exhibition from Spencer Tunick's TIDE series created in 2023, will go on display at the Brisbane Powerhouse from Saturday 28 September to Sunday 10 November 2024. 2024 marks the artist's 30 anniversary of documenting the live nude figure in public with photography
- [MARVELous The Show to premiere at the National Theatre in October](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/marvelous-the-show-to-premiere-at-the-national-theatre-in-october/) - A dynamic blend of parody, hilarity and impressive live performances - all delivered with a satiric and risqué edge, MARVELous The Show will premiere at St Kilda's National Theatre in November. With a rock-infused soundtrack, a breath-taking stage design, and a cast of exceptional acrobats, vocalists, dancers and high flying aerialists, MARVELous The Show is
- [OSCAR© (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/oscar/) - Amongst the plethora of brilliant witticisms, maxims and reflections embedded in the works of the late 19th-century Irish writer Oscar Wilde, is the idea that there is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about at all. Now, more than 120 years since his death, with
- [Headliners announced for 2024 Coastal Twist Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/headliners-announced-for-2024-coastal-twist-festival/) - Prepare for a vibrant explosion of colour and creativity as the NSW Central Coast comes alive with its fourth annual Coastal Twist Festival - running from Tuesday 1 October to the crowning jewel Coastie Carnie Fair Day on Sunday 6 October 2024. Already entrenched as a unique quirky, kitsch Australiana festival blossoming across 6 days
- [Queen Bette – the ultimate Hollywood icon brought back to life](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queen-bette-the-ultimate-hollywood-icon-brought-back-to-life/) - Following sell-out seasons in Sydney and Melbourne, G.bod Theatre is thrilled to announce the Queensland premiere of Queen Bette – a one-woman show starring Jeanette Cronin as iconic movie star Bette Davis at Brisbane’s Pip Theatre from 24 September 2024. Bette Davis was one of the most iconic and gifted film actors of the 20th Century. This
- [Entries open for 2025 St Kilda Film Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/entries-open-for-2025-st-kilda-film-festival/) - St Kilda Film Festival (SKFF) has announced that entries are now open for the 2025 Festival. Proudly presented and produced by the City of Port Phillip, the internationally recognised short film festival attracted a record-breaking number of submissions and presented its biggest screening program when it celebrated its 40th anniversary in June this year. The
- [Australian Premiere of Tony Award-Winning Broadway Hit Kimberley Akimbo coming in 2025](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australian-premiere-of-tony-award-winning-broadway-hit-kimberley-akimbo-coming-in-2025/) - State Theatre Company South Australia has today revealed a major new production of the Tony Award-winning Broadway hit musical Kimberley Akimbo for its 2025 season. Kimberley Akimbo will premiere at Her Majesty’s Theatre (Adelaide) in July followed by a season with Melbourne Theatre Company, in association with Wagnan Productions and presenting partner, ECH. Kimberly Akimbo took Broadway by
- [R U OK? calls on LGBTIQ+ communities and allies to Ask R U OK? Any Day](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/r-u-ok-calls-on-lgbtiq-communities-and-allies-to-ask-r-u-ok-any-day/) - R U OK? is calling on LGBTIQ+ communities and allies to ask R U OK? Any Day because life happens every day. The reminder comes as the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports LGBTIQ+ communities experience higher levels of mental ill health, suicidality and self-harm, compared with the general population[1]. "Although many LGBTIQ+ people
- [The Bookshop Darlinghurst’s Les McDonald to be Honoured for over 40 Years of Service](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-bookshop-darlinghursts-les-mcdonald-to-be-honoured-for-over-40-years-of-service/) - For his service to rainbow communities in New South Wales spanning over four decades, The Bookshop Darlinghurst’s Les McDonald will be recognised with a special accolade at the 2024 Honour Awards. The ACON President’s Award, bestowed annually to those whose community service have made a significant impact to the lives of people in LGBTQ communities
- [Rainbow Events bringing PRIDE to Victorian Regional Communities](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rainbow-events-bringing-pride-to-victorian-regional-communities/) - The Victorian Government is funding twelve diverse projects that will kick off in the regions this summer as part of Victoria's Pride - a state wide celebration of LGBTIQA+ communities. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced the recipients of the Regional Activation Program of Victoria's Pride, delivered by LGBTIQA+ arts and cultural organisation Midsumma.
- [Hillsong Boy returns for Sydney Fringe](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hillsong-boy-returns-for-sydney-fringe/) - After a smash-hit, sold out season with Brand X earlier in 2024, Scott Parker and Felicity Nicol’s Hillsong Boy will headline the Made in Sydney Hub for ten nights at the PACT Centre for Emerging Artists in Erskineville this September. Hillsong Boy chronicles the weird and wonderful experiences of ex-Hillsonger, Scott Parker, during his twenty
- [Queer Delights at the 2024 Sydney Fringe](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-delights-at-the-2024-sydney-fringe/) - This September, the Sydney Fringe Festival will feature over 400 events, showcasing over 1,800 performers, across four precincts and 12 festival hubs. With so much on offer, the Australian Pride Network takes a look at ten events worth checking out. CRUSH Queer Hub – Qtopia Sydney: 24 – 28 September Have you ever wondered why
- [Top Picks for the 2024 Brisbane Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-picks-for-the-2024-brisbane-festival/) - Weaving a rich tapestry of community and culture, the 2024 Brisbane Festival invites audiences to experience a city-wide celebration of arts and live performances throughout September. With so much on offer, the Australian Pride Network takes a look at 10 events worth checking out: BRIEFS FACTORY – The Art Boat! Pontoon B – Clem Jones
- [Love is in the air and Queer Screen Film Fest is feeling flirty](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/love-is-in-the-air-and-queer-screen-is-feeling-flirty/) - With Spring just around the corner and the zing of LGBTIQ+ love in the air, Queer Screen is feeling decidedly flirty curating a fresh selection of films for the 2024 Queer Screen Film Fest. Highlights include: Strange Creatures World Premiere! Riley Nottingham (Thank God You’re Here) and Johnny Carr (Five Bedrooms) play estranged brothers in
- [Shake & Stir Theatre Co’s Fourteen comes to Geelong Arts Centre this week](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/shake-stir-theatre-cos-fourteen-comes-to-geelong-arts-centre-this-week/) - Based on the best-selling memoir by award-winning journalist Shannon Molloy, Fourteen is the inspirational true story of growing up gay in central Queensland, transformed into a powerful must-see theatre production playing at Geelong Arts Centre from 30 – 31 August 2024. Produced by Shake & Stir Theatre Co and led by Conor Leach (Sequin in a Blue Room, SLAP.BANG.KISS) as
- [Milk and Blood (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/milk-and-blood-review/) - Milk and Blood are the third and fourth instalments in Benjamin Nichol’s anthology series of solo plays united by the shared themes of love, loneliness, violence and resilience across the Australian landscape. Milk and Blood are distinct and separate stories, although the first in Nichol’s anthology to be written in mind to be shown in tandem. An
- [Fun Home](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/fun-home-2/) - The five-time Tony Award-winning musical Fun Home will be presented in a much-anticipated Brisbane season at Pip Theatre from 29 August 2024. With Music by Jeanine Terori, Book and Lyrics by Lisa Kron, and adapted from Alison Bechdel’s ground-breaking best-selling graphic novel, Fun Home is a refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your parents
- [Melbourne and Perth amongst seven cities bidding for 2030 Gay Games](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-and-perth-amongst-seven-cities-bidding-for-2030-gay-games/) - Melbourne and Perth have been shortlisted as one of seven cities remaining to bid to host the 2030 Gay Games. The Federation of Gay Games (FGG) has announced they’re reviewing completed bids from Melbourne and Perth, as well as Auckland, Cape Town, Denver, Edmonton and Taipei. Each city is now invited to present their bid
- [Welcome to Paradise! Melt Festival reveals 2024 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/welcome-to-paradise-melt-festival-reveals-2024-program/) - It's here and it's Queer - the full program for Melt Festival 2024! The ultimate celebration of LGBTQIA+ artists and allies, featuring over 220 dazzling performances and events that will electrify Brisbane from 23 October to 10 November 2024. Across the city, a vibrant playground of community, diversity, inclusivity and creative expression will come alive
- [New Commissioner for Victorian LGBTIQA+ Communities Appointed](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-commissioner-for-victorian-lgbtiqa-communities-appointed/) - The Victorian Government is making sure lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQA+) Victorians continue to have a strong voice to advocate for their rights and wellbeing. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced that Joe Ball will be Victoria's third LGBTIQA+ Commissioner – a proud transgender man and longstanding LGBTIQA+ advocate
- [Hepburn Shire Council launches Rainbow Action Plan](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hepburn-shire-council-launches-rainbow-action-plan/) - On Tuesday 20 August, Hepburn Shire Council proudly launched its inaugural Rainbow Action Plan (RAP) for LGBTIQA+ inclusion. Ministers Harriet Shing and Mary-Anne Thomas officially launched the RAP in Daylesford. Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said it was a pleasure to host Minister Shing and Minister Thomas to launch and celebrate this important plan. “The plan
- [Fountain Lakes in Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play to tour nationally this Spring](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/fountain-lakes-in-lockdown-a-drag-parody-play-to-tour-nationally-this-spring/) - Want to find out what Australia’s foxiest morons got up to during the pandemic in Fountain Lakes in Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play - the show that hilariously reimagines life in lockdown through the eyes of your favourite Fountain Lakes residents. Following on from sold-out shows in Melbourne and Geelong earlier this year, this side-splitting night
- [Dear Evan Hansen extends Sydney season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dear-evan-hansen-extends-sydney-season/) - Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group have announced that the Australian premiere season of Dear Evan Hansen has been extended due to overwhelming demand, with tickets now on sale for final shows through to 1 December 2024. This comes ahead of previews commencing on 12 October 2024 at STC's Roslyn Packer Theatre and marks the last chance
- [Honour 2024: Finalists for NSW’s LGBTQ Community Awards Announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/honour-2024-finalists-for-nsws-lgbtq-community-awards-announced/) - Unsung heroes, inspirational individuals and outstanding community organisations comprise a diverse field of finalists for the 2024 Honour Awards, NSW’s premier awards celebration for LGBTQ communities. First held in 2007, the Honour Awards celebrates outstanding service to, and achievements within, LGBTQ communities in NSW. The awards are also a gala fundraising event for ACON, NSW’s
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras announces 2025 Dates and Theme](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-announces-2025-dates-and-theme/) - The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival will return to Sydney from 14 February - 2 March 2025, ready to bedazzle the emerald city with a celebration of pride and diversity. FREE TO BE will be the central theme for 2025 festivities. Celebrating 47 years, Sydney Mardi Gras continues to stand strong as a pillar
- [Coming together to celebrate LGBTIQA+ Diversity And Pride in Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/coming-together-to-celebrate-lgbtiqa-diversity-and-pride-in-victoria/) - The Victorian Government is supporting event organisers to host a range of inclusive events celebrating Victoria's diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) communities. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced the opening of the Pride Events and Festivals Fund for 2024-25, with $400,000 in grants available across two funding
- [Eat Your Art Out at the Melbourne Fringe Festival 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/eat-your-art-out-at-the-melbourne-fringe-festival-2024/) - The 42nd annual Melbourne Fringe Festival returns this October with a veritable buffet of over 470 diverse events taking place across Melbourne. The program is live now and invites audiences to Eat Your Art Out - with delectable events for food and art lovers to indulge in. As always, boundaries will be pushed across performing
- [Navigating Culture and Queerness: PICKLED to premiere at Belvoir Theatre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/navigating-culture-and-queerness-pickled-to-premiere-at-belvoir-theatre/) - After a sold-out work-in-development season, PYT Fairfield will premiere PICKLED at the Belvoir St Theatre from 20 August – 8 September 2024. This compelling new production, tells the story of Sammy and Yousif, two queer Middle Eastern brothers who reunite after their mother’s sudden passing. Their sole inheritance – a jar of pickles – sets them on
- [Milk and Blood](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/milk-and-blood/) - Following the acclaimed and award-winning productions of kerosene and SIRENS, Benjamin Nichol continues his anthology series of monodramas exploring love and loneliness across Australia with two new works, Milk and Blood, at fortyfivedownstairs from 15 August 2024. Milk tells the story of Mummy, a young mother whose unconditional love for her incarcerated son, Boy, has
- [Showcasing Queer Theatre in Ballarat](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/showcasing-queer-theatre-in-ballarat/) - Over the course of three nights in August, Queer theatre in Australia will be showcased, debated and celebrated in Ballarat. Presenting some of the most exciting new works by some of Australia’s leading Queer theatre makers and performers, the Festival of Australian Queer Theatre is the first festival solely dedicated to Queer theatre and live
- [Studio ’24 - A Disco Choir Experience](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/studio-24-a-disco-choir-experience/) - Hot on the success of their sold-out 2022 and 2023 showcase concerts, the QPAC Chamber Choir brings you Studio ’24 - A Disco Choir Experience, a celebration of disco throughout the decades in the Concert Hall on Tuesday 13 August 2024. This unique show will take you on a musical and cultural journey starting with classic
- [Beau Woodbridge to star in Dear Evan Hansen](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/beau-woodbridge-to-star-in-dear-evan-hansen/) - Rising star Beau Woodbridge has been announced as the lead in the upcoming Australian tour of Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group's brand-new production of Dear Evan Hansen, premiering at the Roslyn Packer Theatre from 12 October 2024. Woodbridge began his career at a young age, playing the role of Gustave in Love Never Dies before going on to play
- [Meet the cast of TITANIQUE](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/meet-the-cast-of-titanique/) - Producers Michael Cassel and Eva Price have confirmed the 'kooky krazy' cast who will set sail aboard the award-winning splash hit TITANIQUE when it makes its Australian premiere exclusively in Sydney at The Grand Electric from 12 September 2024. The irresistibly funny and irreverent send-up of the blockbuster film Titanic, driven by the songs of pop icon Céline Dion,
- [Occasional Combustible Disaster](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/occasional-combustible-disaster/) - A hilarious and heart-breaking new play, Occasional Combustible Disaster, will set the brand new Loading Dock Theatre at Qtopia Sydney ablaze as a red hot team of creatives come together to examine the fallout inevitable in all nuclear families. Developed with assistance from Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta, Occasional Combustible Disaster, is a debut outing for playwright and
- [The Australian Ballet to host world-premiere of Christopher Wheeldon’s Oscar©](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-australian-ballet-to-host-world-premiere-of-christopher-wheeldons-oscar/) - The remarkable world of a literary legend comes to the stage with The Australian Ballet’s world-premiere of Oscar©, a new full-length work from acclaimed choreographer Christopher Wheeldon at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre from 13 – 24 September, before taking to the stage at the Joan Sutherland Theatre - Sydney Opera House from 8 – 23 November
- [Qtopia Sydney’s plan to illuminate and activate Taylor Square](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydneys-plan-to-illuminate-and-activate-taylor-square/) - Qtopia Sydney has unveiled plans that would see Taylor Square, Oxford Street and its surrounding precinct enlivened, illuminated and activated once again. Hot on the heels of the exhibitions and performances in The Substation and The Toilet Block, and the additional people the venues have attracted, Qtopia Sydney has shared plans to erect an information
- [Two Remain](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/two-remain/) - The first opera to portray the persecution of gays during the Holocaust, Nightingale Opera presents the Australian Premiere of Two Remain, a ground-breaking opera by renowned American composer Jake Heggie, at fortyfivedownstairs from 25 - 28 July 2024. Two Remain brings to life the true stories of two Holocaust survivors, Gad Beck and Krystyna Zywulska. Gad
- [Adelaide Fringe 2025 Poster Competition Opens](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-fringe-2025-poster-competition-opens/) - The biggest arts festival in the Southern Hemisphere, Adelaide Fringe, has announced that the 2025 Poster Competition is officially open for submissions. The iconic festival is on the lookout for a design that encapsulates this year’s theme - One for all and all for one. The Adelaide Fringe Poster Competition over the decades has showcased
- [Bianca Del Rio announces 2025 Australian and New Zealand Tour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bianca-del-rio-announces-2025-australian-and-new-zealand-tour/) - Bianca Del Rio has officially announced her new stand-up world comedy tour - Dead Inside - which will bring the RuPaul’s Drag Race icon to Australia and New Zealand in January and February 2025. The comic’s sixth large-scale stand-up tour, Dead Inside, will cover politics, pop culture, political correctness, current events, cancel culture and everyday
- [44 Sex Acts in One Week](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/44-sex-acts-in-one-week-2/) - Girl meets boy. Girl hates boy. Girl f**s boy 44 times. World collapses. Celina is a journalist stuck writing clickbait for a lifestyle blog. It falls to her to road test a new book, The 44 Sex Acts That Will Change Your Life. All she has to do is experience 44 different kinds of sex, across
- [TAFE NSW Fashion Graduates showcase sustainable and inclusive designs](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tafe-nsw-fashion-graduates-showcase-sustainable-and-inclusive-designs/) - In a powerful demonstration of creativity, individualism and inclusivity, two TAFE NSW Fashion Technology graduates are leading the way in gender-neutral fashion. Their innovative designs featuring flowing shorts, timeless silhouettes, and sustainable fabrics, were in the spotlight at the Fashion Technology Graduate Exhibition held last month. Attended by industry professionals and guests, the exhibition celebrated
- [Queer Screen & Screen Australia’s Gender Matters Taskforce announce partnership for Queer Screen Pitch Off!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-screen-screen-australias-gender-matters-taskforce-announce-partnership-for-queer-screen-pitch-off/) - Queer Screen invites aspiring Australian LGBTIQ+ filmmakers to participate in the annual Queer Screen Pitch Off - a prestigious opportunity to pitch short film projects for a chance to win $10,000 in production funding. Established in 2018, Queer Screen Pitch Off has been a pivotal platform for emerging filmmakers, supporting their creative endeavours and fostering
- [ACON appoints Michael Woodhouse as new CEO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/acon-appoints-michael-woodhouse-as-new-ceo/) - The ACON Board has announced the appointment of Michael Woodhouse as its new Chief Executive Officer. Mr Woodhouse brings with him over two decades’ experience in health and human services in the government and NGO sectors and has held a range of executive leadership roles in hospitals, ageing and disability support services and social policy.
- [The Winner Takes It All: Join The Huxleys Team at the 2024 Melbourne Fringe Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-winner-takes-it-all-join-the-huxleys-team-at-the-2024-melbourne-fringe-festival/) - Melbourne Fringe Festival returns in all its fabulous glory from 1 – 20 October with hundreds of diverse events to choose from. In a very special first announcement before the full program is released on 9 August, the Festival has released one of the highlights of this year’s program. In a major new Festival-first commission, dynamic cultural deviants,
- [Cult cabaret La Clique announces 20th anniversary special at the Sydney Opera House](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cult-cabaret-la-clique-announces-20th-anniversary-special-at-the-sydney-opera-house/) - In an Australian exclusive for its 20th anniversary, trailblazing cabaret variety show La Clique will be shimmying its way into the Sydney Opera House from 10 October to 17 November 2024. This homegrown production has achieved cult status with its beguiling fusion of burlesque, circus and new vaudeville, marking 54 sell-out seasons across Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania.
- [Welcome to paradise – Brisbane Powerhouse reveals program for 2024 Melt Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/welcome-to-paradise-brisbane-powerhouse-reveals-program-for-2024-melt-festival/) - Brisbane Powerhouse is thrilled to announce the first round of acts set to perform in venues across the city as part of the new and improved Melt Festival 2024. Melt will burst out of Brisbane Powerhouse and transform the Queensland capital into an epicentre of Queer art and culture from 23 October to 10 November
- [Tash York presents Fringe as F**k - a riotous celebration of chaos and creativity](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tash-york-presents-fringe-as-fk-a-riotous-celebration-of-chaos-and-creativity/) - Everything you love about fringe is coming to Glenelg Winter Arts Festival this July with Tash York’s latest creation, Fringe as F**K. As one of the most beloved faces of fringe, known for her infectious energy and irrepressible wit, York invites audiences to experience a show like no other, where spontaneity reigns supreme and chaos
- [National Circus Festival announces first line-up of Artists](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/national-circus-festival-announces-first-line-up-of-artists/) - After a sell-out event in 2022, the National Circus Festival is set to turn Mullumbimby Showground into a circus wonderland from 4 - 6 October with the country's best circus artists delivering a world-class program packed to the rafters with good times. Imagine three days filled with thrilling circus and cabaret shows, live music, delicious
- [Queering the Collection brings untold LGBTQIA+ stories to centre stage](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queering-the-collection-brings-untold-lgbtqia-stories-to-centre-stage/) - Australia's first male Aboriginal ballet dancer Noel Tovey AM and beloved national treasure Robyn Archer AO are among nine LGBTQIA+ Australian artists and performers featured in a new Arts Centre Melbourne audio series highlighting the significant (and often untold) contributions of Queer artists to Australia's performing arts history. The eight-episode audio series named Queering the Collection features artists and performers in conversation with Queer artist
- [The Past is a Wild Party](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-past-is-a-wild-party/) - An exciting new performance essay that takes us on a journey through archives, sexual politics, and a personal queer history, Siren Theatre Co premieres The Past is a Wild Party by award-winning playwright Noëlle Janaczewska at The Loading Dock Theatre - Qtopia Sydney from 10 July 2024. Trash and high art. Censorship. Gaps and silences.
- [The Will To Be (updated)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-will-to-be-2/) - The Will To Be is an award-winning solo show by Mark Salvestro exploring queer history, societal shame and forbidden love in 1960s Australia, laced with the words of Shakespeare. A University Office, 1962: homosexuality is illegal. Junior lecturer William O'Halloran has been dismissed from his probationary position. His secret is out. As he packs up
- [Landmark Trans and Gender Diverse Campaign Launches](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/landmark-trans-and-gender-diverse-campaign-launches/) - The Victorian Government has launched a nation-leading campaign to raise awareness and improve understanding of the experiences of trans and gender diverse Victorians. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has unveiled The Unsaid Says A Lot campaign, which has been developed to help people to see the impact of daily exclusion, judgement and discrimination on trans
- [BLUE: The Songs of Joni Mitchell](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/blue-the-songs-of-joni-mitchell-2/) - By popular demand, renowned cabaret chanteuse and musical theatre star, Queenie van de Zandt, once again brings her multi-award-winning show, BLUE: The Songs of Joni Mitchell back to the Hayes Theatre Co for a third sensational season from 4 July 2024. BLUE: The Songs of Joni Mitchell is not only a celebration of Joni’s most iconic album, it
- [swim](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/swim/) - Griffin Theatre Company will present one of Australia’s finest writers, Mununjali poet Ellen van Neerven’s debut work for the stage, swim, at Carriageworks from 10 July, before heading to HOTA, Surfers Paradise from 1 August and HotHouse Theatre, Wodonga from 10 September 2024. swim marks Griffin’s first production on the go while the Stables Theatre undergoes a
- [WICKED announces Ainsley Melham as Fiyero for remainder of Melbourne season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/wicked-announces-ainsley-melham-as-fiyero-for-remainder-of-melbourne-season/) - WICKED continues to cast its spell over Melbourne, with its stellar cast enchanting audiences eight times a week with its “brains, heart and courage” (Time magazine). From July though, there will be a new Fiyero in the Emerald City. Due to a knee injury, Liam Head has had to withdraw from his role as Fiyero in WICKED for the remainder
- [Suzie Miller's Sunset Strip heads to New Theatre this July](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/suzie-millers-sunset-strip-heads-to-new-theatre-this-july/) - Examining love, family dysfunction and making the best of shitty situations, New Theatre presents Suzie Miller's Sunset Strip for a limited season from 9 July 2024. How far will you go in the name of family? Sisters Caroline and Phoebe have charted very different courses in their lives. While one escaped their hometown, the struggling
- [Dylin Hardcastle: A Language of Limbs](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dylin-hardcastle-a-language-of-limbs/) - The first love of a teenage girl is a powerful thing, particularly when the object of that desire is her best friend, also a girl. It's the kind of power that could implode a family, a friendship, a life. On a quiet summer night in Newcastle, 1972, a choice must be made: to act upon
- [In The Room Where He Waits](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/in-the-room-where-he-waits/) - After sold-out sessions in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and special event screenings in Adelaide and Perth, the new Australian psychological thriller film, In The Room Where He Waits, is heading to Canberra and returning to Sydney and Brisbane with a Q&A featuring special panel guests. The unnerving, slow burn feature film follows Tobin Wade, an ambitious
- [Pride Month Drag Storytime on the Switchboard Tram](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pride-month-drag-storytime-on-the-switchboard-tram/) - LGBTIQA+ Victorians had an extra reason to celebrate Pride Month with a drag story-time event on board a Melbourne tram today. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing today joined Switchboard CEO Joe Ball, drag performer Frock Hudson and a group of rainbow families for a joyful event aboard Switchboard Victoria's tram in East Melbourne. "Today's celebration
- [46 Years of Sydney Mardi Gras](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/46-years-of-sydney-mardi-gras/) - Today marks 46 years since the first Sydney Mardi Gras. On a cold winter day in 1978 hundreds of pioneers - our beloved 78ers - took to the streets for the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, women and the First Nations communities. That day changed the course of LGBTQIA+ rights in Australia forever. Decades later we
- [Celebrate LGBTQ Community Heroes in NSW: Honour 2024 Nominations Now Open](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrate-lgbtq-community-heroes-in-nsw-honour-2024-nominations-now-open/) - Nominations for the Honour Awards 2024 are now open, inviting individuals to recognise and celebrate the contributions of those who have significantly impacted the lives of LGBTQ+ people in NSW. “The Honour Awards have always been about acknowledging the diverse efforts and inspiring contributions of LGBTQ individuals and organisations,” said ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill AM.
- [Meet the Cast of Dear Evan Hansen ](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/meet-the-cast-of-dear-evan-hansen/) - Following an exhaustive national search, Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group have announced the spectacular array of Australian theatre icons and dazzling newcomers who will star in the Australian premiere of Dear Evan Hansen premiering at STC’s Roslyn Packer Theatre from 12 October 2024. And, following incredible audience demand since the Sydney season was announced, the producers can now reveal
- [Lismore Lantern Parade 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lismore-lantern-parade-2024/) - Celebrating 30 years of bringing light to the heart of our community - the Lismore Lantern Parade on Saturday 22 June will celebrate the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice. Attracting more than 30,000 people each year, the festival celebrates community, art and nature with arts, crafts, workshops, regional cuisine, a spectacular parade,
- [Recollection to premiere at fortyfivedownstairs](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/recollection-to-premiere-at-fortyfivedownstairs/) - Offering a sensory experience for audiences, employing scent to capture the play’s delicate interpretation of grief, decay and blooming, Pot Kettle Black Productions presents Recollection at fortyfivedownstairs from 26 June 2024. This surprising new play by Georgia Ketels captures the journey of a mother, attempting to piece her late teenage daughter’s life into a perfume. The play
- [Watershed: The Death of Dr Duncan (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/watershed-the-death-of-dr-duncan-review/) - Although it received only four performances, Watershed: The Death of Dr Duncan will probably be the most important and talked about production staged by Opera Australia this year. The subject matter; a gay bashing in Adelaide 50 years ago which led to the drowning of an Adelaide academic, George Ian Ogilvie Duncan in the Torrens River and
- [RENT (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rent-review/) - Whether the global success of Rent is due to the legend surrounding the death of the writer and composer of the work, Jonathan Larson, just one day before his show opened in New York, or because of the quality of the writing which earned Larson a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and the show multiple Tony Awards, Rent continues to
- [Neil Armfield’s critically acclaimed Watershed to premiere at the Sydney Opera House](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/neil-armfields-critically-acclaimed-watershed-to-premiere-at-the-sydney-opera-house/) - The recipient of five-star reviews and emotional standing ovations at its sold-out premiere season at the 2022 Adelaide Festival, Neil Armfield’s acclaimed opera Watershed: The Death of Dr Duncan will make its Sydney debut with Opera Australia this week. An operatic oratorio, Watershed is based on the tragic true story of the 1972 drowning of Dr George
- [Romeo & Juliet Suite (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/romeo-juliet-suite-review/) - Shakespeare's much-loved romantic tragedy is given a fresh modern take as L.A. Dance Projects presents the Australian premiere of Romeo & Juliet Suite at the Sydney Opera House. Benjamin Millepied, a former principal dancer with New York City Ballet, takes his choreographic and filmmaking expertise to new heights, with an exemplary contemporary vision that fuses
- [Victorian Government supports LGBTIQA+ Groups to strengthen their work and grow](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorian-government-supports-lgbtiqa-groups-to-strengthen-their-work-and-grow/) - The Victorian Government is backing the State's lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) communities with grants to help organisations strengthen their work and grow. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced 16 recipients will receive a share of $400,000 as part of the LGBTIQA+ Organisational Development Grants program for
- [Irreverent International Cabaret Star Reuben Kaye Awarded the 2024 Adelaide Cabaret Festival Icon Award](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/irreverent-international-cabaret-star-reuben-kaye-awarded-the-2024-adelaide-cabaret-festival-icon-award/) - Mischievous and comedic cabaret star Reuben Kaye was announced as the recipient of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2024 Icon Award at The 2024 Variety Gala, presented in front of a full house at Adelaide Festival Centre’s Festival Theatre on Friday night. Brash, cheeky, and brutally funny, the multi-award-winning Australian comedian, singer and writer has been
- [Qtopia Sydney's Pride Fest Program is bursting at the seams](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydneys-pride-fest-program-is-bursting-at-the-seams/) - Qtopia Sydney, the largest Centre for Queer history and culture in the world, is gearing up to present the inaugural season of Pride Fest at their flagship theatre, The Loading Dock, and their wonderfully unique Substation in Taylor Square. Taking over both venues, Pride Fest continues throughout June - having received many applications from some
- [Melt Open Development Program Now Open](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melt-open-development-program-now-open/) - Melt Open producer, Brisbane Powerhouse, has launched the Melt Open Development Program, providing artist support that will be available for the inaugural event, taking over venues across the city from 23 October to 10 November 2024. Melt Open offers a platform for the LGBTQIA+ community to celebrate their unique stories and perspectives through this city-wide festival.
- [Regional Pride takes centre stage with activation grants across Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regional-pride-takes-centre-stage-with-activation-grants-across-victoria/) - The Victorian Government is encouraging groups with ideas for regional activities and projects celebrating LGBTIQA+ inclusion to apply to be part of the 2025 Victoria's Pride festival. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has opened expressions of interest for Victoria's Pride Regional Activation Program - a summer events program designed to celebrate LGBTIQA+ Victorians. "We're celebrating LGBTIQA+
- [Sydney Pride Festival launches Pride Month Celebrations: Compassion and Courage](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-pride-festival-launches-pride-month-celebrations-compassion-and-courage/) - Running to 30 June 2024, Sydney Pride Festival has launched Pride Month - celebrating the history, resilience and achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community. This month long event aims to raise awareness, educate and support LGBTQIA+ charities, organisations, and businesses, while fostering compassion and courage with in the community and beyond. This year, the Sydney Pride
- [2024 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards Winners Announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/2024-australian-lgbtq-inclusion-awards-winners-announced/) - DLA Piper, The Star Entertainment Group, McCullough Robertson Lawyers, Macquarie Group and The University of Queensland are among this year’s top employers announced at this year’s Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards. Both DLA Piper and The Star Entertainment Group tied for ‘Employer of the Year,’ while McCullough Robertson Lawyers was announced as ‘Small Employer of the
- [Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir presents Back to the 80s](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-lesbian-choir-presents-back-to-the-80s/) - Sydney Gay & Lesbian Choir (SGLC) is thrilled to present one of its biggest performances to date, Back to the 80s - a jukebox concert of beloved 80s hits at the Seymour Centre on Saturday 8 June 2024. Featuring 100 singers, eighteen classic songs, a five-piece live band, and fabulous 80s inspired costumes, Back to
- [Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery celebrates diversity for Pride month](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bundaberg-regional-art-gallery-celebrates-diversity-for-pride-month/) - Join the celebration of diversity and inclusivity this June as Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery toasts Pride month with an exhibition, opening night party, workshops and more. Pride month, held annually in June, is internationally recognised as a time to celebrate and commemorate the long struggle for equality and civil rights for members of the LGBTQI+
- [Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett returns to Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bernie-dieters-club-kabarett-returns-to-sydney/) - Get ready to be seduced all over again! The incomparable, utterly salacious Bernie Dieter is making a triumphant return to Sydney in her legendary show Bernie Dieter's Club Kabarett. From 29 May, the opulence and otherworldliness of the Sydney Spiegeltent will transport audiences to the Berlin Underground with an intoxicating blend of theatrics, circus, aerials and
- [Midsumma’s 2025 Cover Art Commission NOW OPEN!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/midsummas-2025-cover-art-commission-now-open/) - Midsumma Festival is inviting artists, photographers, illustrators, designers and all creatives to enter a design that could become the primary visual and graphic identity of Midsumma Festival 2025. Entrants are invited to create the Poster and Program Guide front cover that captures the spirit of Midsumma Festival 2025 and expresses what the festival means to
- [Riley Street: Mediocre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/riley-street-mediocre/) - Featuring an onslaught of unequivocal chaos, Riley Street's debut cabaret covers everything you ever needed to know about the 'joys' of lacking love, life and success - at The Motley Bauhaus on 30 May and 1 June 2024. Armed with nothing but a piano and a myriad of broken dreams, star of mediocre, Riley, grapples with the
- [Rodgers & Hammerstein's CAROUSEL to play Sydney and Melbourne in September](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rodgers-hammersteins-carousel-to-play-sydney-and-melbourne-in-september/) - Two of Australia’s most celebrated leading ladies, Anna O’Byrne and Marina Prior, will star, this September, in a lavish concert presentation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s CAROUSEL, one of the most beloved musicals of all time. Set in a seaside town in Maine, the musical follows the love story of Billy Bigelow, a handsome but troubled
- [Creative Arts Safe Space revealed for Gold Coast Pride](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/creative-arts-safe-space-revealed-for-gold-coast-pride/) - Gold Coast Rainbow Communities has announced the Creative Arts Safe Space - a fabulous new offering that's part of the 2024 Gold Coast Pride Festival on Saturday 1 June. The Creative Safe Arts Space will showcase talented LGBTQIAP+, queer and neurodiverse artists and performers from the Gold Coast and surrounding areas as they host workshops and creative
- [Head Over Heels to make Queensland premiere at Ipswich Civic Centre this May](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/head-over-heels-to-make-queensland-premiere-at-ipswich-civic-centre-this-may/) - It’s time to feel the beat! The ground-breaking queer musical comedy, Head Over Heels, will premiere at the Ipswich Civic Centre for a limited season from 31 May 2024. A bold, joyous musical that celebrates love in all its forms, Head Over Heels is set to the beat of iconic 1980s all-female rock band The
- [Victorian Government provides Grants for Groups supporting LGBTIQA+ Communities](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorian-government-provides-grants-for-groups-supporting-lgbtiqa-communities/) - The Victorian Government is supporting the State's lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) communities with recipients announced for the new LGBTIQA+ Sector Strengthening (LSS) grants program. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced the grant recipients on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). "We have always
- [Candide](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/candide/) - For the first time in more than a decade, State Opera South Australia and State Theatre Company South Australia will come together to present a spectacular concert version of Leonard Bernstein’s beloved comic operetta and existential vaudeville, Candide, at Her Majesty's Theatre from 23 May 2024. This beloved Broadway hit tells the story of naïve young
- [SIX the Musical crowns its new Australian Queens](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/six-the-musical-crowns-its-new-australian-queens/) - SIX the Musical, the global phenomenon which has taken the world by storm has confirmed its new Australian cast! The Tony Award-winning electrifying musical enjoyed record-breaking seasons across the country and now, following huge demand and anticipation SIX will reign again in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. SIX tells the extraordinary story of the six wives of King Henry
- [Sports star Josh Cavallo has united with Feast Festival in bid to bring Gay Games to Adelaide](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sports-star-josh-cavallo-united-with-feast-festival-in-bid-to-bring-gay-games-to-adelaide/) - Adelaide’s global reputation as a sporting mecca continues to soar with the city’s LGBTQIA+ Feast Festival officially entering the running to host the highly lucrative 2030 Gay Games - and it’s got the backing of one of sport’s biggest stars - Adelaide United player, Josh Cavallo. Feast Festival, in cooperation with the South Australian Tourism
- [Fourteen (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/fourteen-review/) - Shake & Stir Theatre Company can always be relied upon for its impressively mounted and performed productions. Fourteen will certainly rank among its best and most provocative. Based on a best-selling memoir by Shannon Molloy, Fourteen tells the true story of a year of self-discovery for an effeminate year 9 student attending an all-boys school in the
- [What’s HOT at the 2024 South Side Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/whats-hot-at-the-2024-south-side-festival/) - In its 3rd year, the South Side Festival is bringing engaging stories, captivating performances, and immersive experiences to Frankston City this May. The Australian Pride Network takes a look at 10 events worth checking out! Bird Child Spirit George Pentland Botanic Gardens, Frankston: 10 – 19 May 2024 The award-winning Bird Child Spirit by composer and visual
- [New Australian comedy Share House: The Musical to premiere at Arts Centre Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-australian-comedy-share-house-the-musical-to-premiere-at-arts-centre-melbourne/) - Multi-award winning singer, songwriter and comedian Jude Perl presents the premiere of Share House: The Musical at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio for a limited season from 16 - 19 May 2024. Featuring a 15-piece orchestra, the comedy-musical is based on Perl’s solo show Roommates: The Musical (winner of the Green Room Award 2018 for Best Original Songs). Directed by Desiree
- [Queer Screen Goes to Cannes in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-screen-goes-to-cannes-in-2024/) - Queer Screen Goes to Cannes for a second year and will be packing five productions to represent at the acclaimed Marché du Film, occurring in conjunction with the 77th Cannes Film Festival on the French Riviera this month. Seven festivals from across the globe were invited by the Marché du Film to showcase their selection of
- [Queer-ways: From Archive to Artwork](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-ways-from-archive-to-artwork/) - On Friday 24 May 2024, Public Record Office Victoria presents Queer-ways: From Archive to Artwork - a talk with Queer-ways co-creator LUCIANO, about how they unite design, history and community to bring to life archive materials. Queer-ways: Retracing Queer Footprints is an award-winning community arts initiative that shares the queer history of Australia, combining stories
- [Homo Pentecostus](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/homo-pentecostus/) - In a world premiere, Malthouse audiences are invited to embark on an odyssey of self-discovery and liberation with Homo Pentecostus at the Malthouse Theatre from 11 - 25 May 2024. Actor, dancer, and writer Joel Bray unveils an intimate exploration of his secret queer identity within the confines of a 1990s Pentecostal Church. Experience a
- [Geraldine Quinn: BROAD](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/geraldine-quinn-broad-2/) - Fierce rock-cabaret singer-songwriter and comedian Geraldine Quinn heads to Sydney and Brisbane this May with her original, sold-out, multi-award winning triumph of a cabaret – BROAD. Agnes Moorehead. Rhonda Burchmore. Vivienne Westwood with a tit out. Geraldine Quinn grew up idolising fabulous, bold, brassy (mostly ginger) older women. Now she’s becoming one. But what happens when
- [Former Sydney WorldPride CEO Kate Wickett to lead City Recital Hall](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/former-sydney-worldpride-ceo-kate-wickett-to-lead-city-recital-hall/) - The Board of City Recital Hall has announced the appointment of Kate Wickett, former CEO of Sydney WorldPride, as its new Chief Executive Officer. With a stellar record of transforming Sydney into a bustling hub for domestic and international visitors, Kate is set to bring her visionary leadership to revitalise Sydney’s cultural scene and draw audiences to
- [Finalists announced for the 2024 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/finalists-announced-for-the-2024-australian-lgbtq-inclusion-awards/) - The finalists for the 2024 Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards have been announced ahead of a glittering ceremony to be held in Sydney on 31 May 2024. The awards will see business leaders, diversity champions, HR professionals and many more actively working on LGBTQ+ inclusion come together at the ICC Grand Ballroom in Sydney to celebrate
- [Community views sought on who should participate at Pride events](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/community-views-sought-on-who-should-participate-at-pride-events/) - Just.Equal Australia wants to know the views of LGBTIQA+ Australians on who can march in pride parades. The group has launched a new community survey in response to public debate about police marching in Mardi Gras and other pride parades. "Police participation in pride parades has been a controversial issue for several years," said JE
- [Briefs - Dirty Laundry](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/briefs-dirty-laundry/) - After 10 years of selling out festivals worldwide, the Briefs boys are back with their hills hoist poised, ready to air their Dirty Laundry in this unmissable new party cabaret performance. Led by the incomparable Fez Faanana aka Shivanana, the dazzling Briefs boys deliver an evening soaked in glitter, comedy, and provocative truths. With a
- [The Laramie Project](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-laramie-project/) - For one night only, an all-star cast will bring Matthew Shepard’s story to life in a staged reading of The Laramie Project - one of the world’s most striking examples of verbatim theatre at Sydney's City Recital Hall on Tuesday 14 May 2024. It was 25 years ago when Moisés Kaufman and members of New
- [The Air Is Electric – David McDiarmid in America](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-air-is-electric-david-mcdiarmid-in-america/) - The first dedicated exhibition of iconic Australian queer artist David McDiarmid’s photographs from his first trip to America in 1977, the Australian Queer Archives presents The Air Is Electric at the Victorian Pride Centre until 30 June 2024. In 1977, fresh from his Sydney solo exhibition Secret Love (Dec 1976), the first explicitly gay art exhibition
- [Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/angels-in-america-a-gay-fantasia-on-national-themes/) - Magnificent in scope and detail, The University of Adelaide Theatre Guild presents Tony Kushner's award-winning play, Angels in America, at the Little Theatre this May. An epic production in two parts, Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes is a complex, metaphorical and symbolic examination of sexuality in America in the 1980s by Pulitzer
- [REUBEN KAYE: APOCALIPSTIK (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/reuben-kaye-apocalipstik-review/) - The lights go to black and after a loud, largely unintelligible, voice-over, the drums roll, the curtains open, and there, in a blinding spotlight, stands the always remarkable, REUBEN KAYE. His name is in capitals because that’s how he is… LARGER THAN LIFE. Immaculately coiffed and remarkably costumed by Kingsley Hall and Tristan Seebohm, each
- [International superstar Keala Settle to join smash hit musical & JULIET in Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/international-superstar-keala-settle-to-join-smash-hit-musical-juliet-in-sydney/) - There’s a new nurse in Verona as star of stage and screen Keala Settle is set to join the cast of & JULIET for the final weeks of the Australia tour at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. Settle, who shot to fame as Lettie Lutz, a bearded lady, in the 2017 musical film The Greatest Showman, and will appear in the
- [Connection and Support for Older LGBTIQA+ Victorians](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/connection-and-support-for-older-lgbtiqa-victorians/) - The Victorian Government is ensuring LGBTIQA+ Victorians have strong community and social connections as they age with a ground-breaking four-year pilot program now open for co-design with the community. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced $4.5 million in funding for Switchboard to deliver the Pride in Ageing program which helps older LGBTIQA+ Victorians feel
- [Silver City Stiletto Train returns for Broken Heel Festival 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/silver-city-stiletto-train-returns-for-broken-heel-festival-2024/) - The 2024 Broken Heel Festival marks the 30th anniversary of the cinematic release of the Australian cult classic, The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, at her spiritual home, The Palace Hotel, and the outback town of Broken Hill. NSW TrainLink is scheduling the Silver City Stiletto - a special return train service to
- [Shake & Stir Theatre Co's acclaimed Fourteen returns for a national tour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/shake-stir-theatre-cos-acclaimed-fourteen-returns-for-a-national-tour/) - Beginning its national tour at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, Fourteen, based on the best-selling memoir by award-winning journalist Shannon Molloy, is the inspirational true story of growing up gay in central Queensland, transformed into a powerful must-see theatre production by nationally acclaimed Shake & Stir Theatre Co. Shannon Molloy is a year 9 student at an
- [A Mysterious New Creation from Australia’s Leaders of Immersive Theatre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-mysterious-new-creation-from-australias-leaders-of-immersive-theatre/) - Lauded as the “leading creator of exciting and thoroughly immersive theatre in Australia right now” [Arts Hub], Broad Encounters has revealed a new creation - When Night Comes. An intimate soiree for small groups only, When Night Comes is a distinct departure from the company’s hugely popular large-scale, free-roam productions Love Lust Lost (Melbourne 2023,
- [Benjamin Millepied’s Romeo & Juliet Suite to play Sydney Opera House this June](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/benjamin-millepieds-romeo-juliet-suite-to-play-sydney-opera-house-this-june/) - Navigating seamlessly between the conventions of cinema, dance and theatre, Benjamin Millepied’s Romeo & Juliet Suite will make its Australian premiere in an exclusive season at the Sydney Opera House this June. Marking his Australian debut with this work, Millepied brings his reimagining of Shakespeare’s timeless story and Prokofiev’s classical masterpiece to the Joan Sutherland Theatre and beyond. The production harnesses
- [Elegies: A Song Cycle to play fortyfivedownstairs this July](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/elegies-a-song-cycle-to-play-fortyfivedownstairs-this-july/) - The first presentation by new company, Clovelly Fox Productions, William Finn’s quirky and uplifting musical, Elegies – A Song Cycle will play Melbourne’s fortyfivedownstairs this July. This poignant new production, directed by the award-winning Tyran Parke, will be the first chance for Australia to see this show in a decade. Often hilarious, always touching, Elegies – A Song
- [Peacemongers](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/peacemongers/) - Dinner, theatre and disagreement, Darebin Arts Speakeasy presents Peacemongers by The People this April. Melbourne-based independent theatre company The People make experimental, personal, politically current, accessible and deeply moving performances that celebrate our collective humanity. The latest offering from this unconventional collective is a real-life attempt at Utopia. Peacemongers is documentary theatre at its most
- [TOY SYMPHONY returns to Sydney this April](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/toy-symphony-returns-to-sydney-this-april/) - After a critically acclaimed season in Brisbane, Ad Astra Theatre Company will present Michael Gow’s Toy Symphony at the recently opened The Loading Dock Theatre - Qtopia Sydney this April. Roland Henning has writer’s block. As he embarks on a voyage of self-reflection in the hope of finding himself again, glimpses of his troubled past begin to
- [Geelong Pride Film Festival 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/geelong-pride-film-festival-2024/) - Now in its 7th year, the Geelong Pride Film Festival, presents another diverse program of films at The Pivotonian Cinema, Village Geelong and Platform Arts from 18 - 28 April 2024. The Geelong Pride Film Festival features a specially curated selection of feature films and short films from Australia and around the world. Some sessions
- [Australia’s largest Yayoi Kusama retrospective exhibition to open at NGV](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australias-largest-yayoi-kusama-retrospective-exhibition-to-open-at-ngv/) - In December 2024, the National Gallery of Victoria celebrates the illustrious career of iconic contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama with a world-premiere blockbuster exhibition spanning her eight-decade practice, including the global unveiling of the artist’s most recent immersive infinity mirror room work. Curated by the NGV, in collaboration with the artist, especially for Australian audiences, the
- [Commemorative United Nations Panel unveiled in Tasmania](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/commemorative-united-nations-panel-unveiled-in-tasmania/) - A panel commemorating the 30th anniversary of the United Nations condemnation of Tasmania's anti-gay laws has been unveiled in Hobart. The panel was unveiled by former senator, Margaret Reynolds, in front of an audience of about 60 people at the Salamanca Arts Centre where the UN decision was announced. On 11 April 1994 the Tasmanian
- [Casey Donovan to star as Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/casey-donovan-to-star-as-deloris-van-cartier-in-sister-act/) - Praise be! In the biggest role of her career to date, Casey Donovan has been confirmed to lead the cast of the most heavenly of musicals, Sister Act, when it opens at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney from August and the Regent Theatre in Melbourne from November. Joining Casey in donning the habit will be the
- [LITTLE SQUIRT (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/little-squirt-review/) - It’s with no doubt, Darby James’ latest work has enjoyed the success it deserves. Previously titled Spunk Daddy, it has garnered serious interest and a series of awards including Best Cabaret at the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival and the Edinburgh Touring Award. Only this week, it received 3 Green Room Awards including Outstanding Production, Outstanding Direction
- [Perth International Cabaret Festival returns for 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/perth-international-cabaret-festival-returns-for-2024/) - Perth International Cabaret Festival (PICF) is thrilled to announce its return to the home of cabaret – the stunning His Majesty’s Theatre from 10-23 June 2024. The festival features a collection of powerhouse Australian performers including Caroline O’Connor, Vika and Linda Bull, Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier, finishing with the glorious Tom Burlinson and the
- [A Case for the Existence of God](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-case-for-the-existence-of-god-2/) - Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre presents the Victorian premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s highly-acclaimed play, A Case for the Existence of God, from 13 April 2024. Winner of the 2022 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play and named one of the best plays of 2022 by The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Vulture,
- [A Day In The Life Of A Lesbian Bank Robber (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-lesbian-bank-robber-review/) - Performed by the Tuck Shop Ladies (Rosie Burgess and Sam Lohs), A Day in the Life of a Lesbian Bank Robber is an entertaining musical journey into the randomness of the everyday. Over the course of the well-crafted set, the audience was treated to a collection of short songs, some very (very) short songs, and a few
- [Things I know To Be True](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/things-i-know-to-be-true/) - A powerful family drama from one of Australia’s master playwrights, Theatre Works presents the Victorian premiere of Things I Know To Be True by Andrew Bovell for a limited season from 19 April 2024. Bob and Fran have worked for thirty years to build a home and raise a family. Now that the children have grown
- [Memoirs of a Meth Head](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/memoirs-of-a-meth-head/) - A darkly funny and immersive hour that will attempt to entertain, horrify and educate in equal measures, Elliot McLaren presents Memoirs of a Meth Head at The Motley Bauhaus, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, until 10 April 2024. Elliot McLaren is a mixed race comedian who grew up in an abusive, criminal
- [New Grants for Victorian LGBTIQA+ Groups to expand work](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-grants-for-victorian-lgbtiqa-groups-to-expand-work/) - The Victorian Government is calling for organisations and groups that support Victoria’s LGBTIQA+ communities to apply for grants that will help them strengthen their work and grow. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has opened applications for LGBTIQA+ Organisational Development Grants, with applications accepted until 30 April 2024. “We’re strengthening the community-led LGBTIQA+ sector with grants
- [That's One Damn Sexy Ape](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/thats-one-damn-sexy-ape/) - Gavin Roach presents the world premiere of That's One Damn Sexy Ape at the La Mama Courthouse, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival from 16 April 2024. Bubo is a proud, strong and stoic gorilla. He is the pride of the Zoo. Its main attraction. Visitors come in waves to gaze upon his
- [Chris Demos: Legs in the Pool (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chris-demos-legs-in-the-pool-review/) - One of the great things about each iteration of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the opportunity to discover new comedians or shows hoping to make their mark in a festival setting. One such comedian is Chris Demos presenting his debut show, Legs in the Pool, in the historic surrounds of Tasma Terrace in East Melbourne.
- [A Case for the Existence of God](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-case-for-the-existence-of-god/) - Outhouse Theatre Co and Seymour Centre presents the Australian premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's highly-acclaimed play, A Case for the Existence of God, in the Reginald Theatre - Seymour Centre, from 11 April 2024. Winner of the 2022 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play and named one of the best plays of
- [Bake Off returns to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bake-off-returns-to-celebrate-the-40th-anniversary-of-the-bobby-goldsmith-foundation/) - Bake Off makes a grand return to the Sydney scene this April to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation (BGF). This colourful, community-based event brings together professional and amateur bakers vying for the win across six categories - best decorated, best fete baking, best professional creation, best tart or pie, and the
- [Victorian Government recognises Transgender Day of Visibility](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorian-government-recognises-transgender-day-of-visibility/) - Minister For Equality, Harriet Shing has released a statement recognising Transgender Day of Visibility. "Today we celebrate our vibrant and diverse trans and gender diverse communities on Transgender Day of Visibility," said Minister For Equality, Harriet Shing. Recognising trans and gender-diverse experiences and achievements is important, not just today, but every day. Trans and gender
- [LITTLE SQUIRT](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/little-squirt/) - Winner of the Edinburgh Touring Award and Best Cabaret at Melbourne Fringe Festival 2023, LITTLE SQUIRT, the uproarious cabaret by musical comedian Darby James about the process of sperm donation, comes to Malthouse Theatre, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, until 21 April 2024. After clicking on a Facebook advert in Melbourne’s final
- [Tropical Fruits presents BENT BUNNIES this Easter](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tropical-fruits-presents-bent-bunnies-this-easter/) - Following a 'magikal' New Year's celebration, Tropical Fruits is excited to be bringing the community together again, as they present BENT BUNNIES at Repentance Creek Hall on Saturday 30 March 2024. Nestled in the Northern Rivers Hinterland, enjoy a social afternoon out the back of the hall, followed by down and dirty dancing until late!
- [Hannah Gadsby: Woof!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hannah-gadsby-woof/) - Hannah Gadsby returns to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to premiere their new stand-up show WOOF! at Arts Centre Melbourne this March and April. Award-winning comedian Hannah Gadsby has a lot of new thoughts and at least one new interest and has decided it’s time to share these with the public. Since stopping the comedy
- [2024 Adelaide Cabaret Festival program revealed](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/2024-adelaide-cabaret-festival-program-revealed/) - Adelaide Cabaret Festival – the biggest cabaret festival in the world and Australia’s favourite winter festival – is inviting audiences to soak it in, with a mischievous, contemporary, and star-studded line-up that has been announced today. Unveiling her debut program as Artistic Director, award-winning Australian actor, writer, and personality Virginia Gay presents the 24th Adelaide
- [HELIOS](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/helios/) - An award-winning story about the Son of the God of the Sun, Wright&Grainger presents HELIOS at The Substation - Qtopia Sydney for a limited season from 26 March 2024. HELIOS transplants the Ancient Greek tale into a modern-day myth wound around the winding roads of rural England and into the everyday living of a towering
- [Queer Delights at the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-delights-at-the-2024-melbourne-international-comedy-festival/) - With more than 600 shows taking over 150 venues, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival will reach even more people across the city and the suburbs in 2024. With performances spanning stand-up, cabaret, circus and more, there’s something to tickle everyone’s funny bone. With so much on offer, the Australian Pride Network takes a look at
- [Cirque du Soleil celebrates 25 years in Australia with LUZIA](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cirque-du-soleil-celebrates-25-years-in-australia-with-luzia/) - Cirque du Soleil has returned to Australia with its critically acclaimed production LUZIA, now playing at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse until 26 May 2024. The season will commemorate 25 years since Cirque du Soleil first brought its captivating spectacle to Australia in 1999 with Saltimbanco. This unique production, LUZIA invites audiences to immerse themselves in an imaginary Mexico – a
- [Dead To Me: A Comedy Ghost Tour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dead-to-me-a-comedy-ghost-tour/) - Join comedian and confirmed bachelor Matt Bell for a walking ghost tour through Melbourne’s storied streets and fabled haunts, where you will encounter terrifying tales inspired by single life. Steeped in seductive mysteries and foiled fairytales, Matt brings to life a host of hellish suiters of the past. Get the gory details about the horrors of running into exes on the street,
- [Broadway Legend Patti LuPone to tour Australia in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/broadway-legend-patti-lupone-to-tour-australia-in-2024/) - Direct from Carnegie Hall, three-time Tony Award winner, Patti LuPone, will bring her new concert, A Life in Notes, to Australia this winter. LuPone will headline the Adelaide Cabaret Festival before undertaking a national tour stopping in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Music has the power to crystallise a moment in time and evoke eras, in her
- [Chris Demos: Legs in the Pool](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chris-demos-legs-in-the-pool/) - Preparing to make a splash at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, comedian Chris Demos is finally ready to get wet as he presents his debut show, Legs in the Pool, at Tasma Terrace: 27 March - 7 April 2024. What does Legs in the Pool mean? You know when you’re at a pool but you don’t
- [FOMOsexual to debut at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/fomosexual-to-debut-at-the-melbourne-international-comedy-festival/) - Fresh from his award-winning run at the 2023 Sydney Fringe, JD Zamora heads to the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, debuting FOMOsexual at Club Voltaire from 29 March - 12 April. Autistic ADHD pansexual JD Zamora has a "Fear Of Missing Out" on being, trying - and above all, doing - the whole buffet of
- [Tuck Shop Ladies: A Day In The Life Of A Lesbian Bank Robber](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tuck-shop-ladies-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-lesbian-bank-robber/) - The Tuck Shop Ladies return to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with their brand new show, A Day In The Life Of A Lesbian Bank Robber at The Butterfly Club from 5 April 2024. Some people dress casually, some dress glam. For the Tuck Shop Ladies, it happens to be Lesbian Bank Robber Black. And although they’re
- [CHICAGO set to dazzle Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chicago-set-to-dazzle-melbourne/) - Following sold-out seasons in Perth and Brisbane, “The sharpest, slickest show on the block” (The Times, UK), CHICAGO is set to dazzle Melbourne when it opens at Her Majesty’s Theatre this week. Audiences and critics have praised the production and the cast with five-star reviews. Australian Arts Review stated it was “show of the year”, while The West
- [MQFF announces the return of Pitch, Pleez! for 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mqff-announces-the-return-of-pitch-pleez-for-2024/) - Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF), Australia’s largest and oldest celebration of queer film has officially opened the annual Pitch, Pleez! competition for 2024. Each year, MQFF calls upon queer filmmakers to submit their short film proposals, with a cash prize of $10,000 for the winning pitch to produce their film. Pitch, Pleez! is proudly supported
- [Perth Comedy Festival announces 2024 line-up](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/perth-comedy-festival-announces-2024-line-up/) - With a program championing the finest local and national stand-up talents alongside internationally acclaimed comedy giants and rising stars, the 2024 Perth Comedy Festival offers over 65 hilarious shows. From the historic stage of Subiaco’s Regal Theatre to the art deco delight that is Mount Lawley’s Astor Theatre and comedy hub of Northbridge’s Rechabite, immerse yourself in
- [Ruthless! The Musical (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ruthless-the-musical-review/) - It can feel like an affront on one’s well-meaning moral compass laughing out loud at not just one callous act of murder but again and again, one after the other. That’s exactly what occurs in the sinisterly dark but sugary realm of Ruthless! The Musical. Along the way, this wicked little off-Broadway musical – now more
- [Hillsong Boy](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hillsong-boy/) - Robbi James and The Flying Nun by Brand X will present two premiere performances of Scott Parker and Felicity Nicol’s Hillsong Boy at the East Sydney Community and Arts Centre on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 March 2024. Hillsong Boy chronicles the weird and wonderful experiences of ex-Hillsonger, Scott Parker. During his twenty years with
- [Victorian Government calls for applications for new LGBTIQA+ Commissioner](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorian-government-calls-for-applications-for-new-lgbtiqa-commissioner/) - The Victorian Government is calling for leaders with a strong history of working alongside and supporting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) people to apply for the role of Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced that applications for the next LGBTIQA+ Commissioner,
- [Take a deep dive into the 2024 South Side Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/take-a-deep-dive-into-the-2024-south-side-festival/) - In its 3rd year, the South Side Festival is bringing engaging stories, captivating performances, and immersive experiences to Frankston City in May 2024! Expand your sustainable skillset with the Slow Fashion Workshop Series by the Frankston Council Waste Circularity Team in collaboration with the Frankston Library Team. Save your favourite clothing from landfill! Learn the basics
- [JAZZ MEN returns to dazzle audiences this March](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/jazz-men-returns-to-dazzle-audiences-this-march/) - JAZZ MEN arrived in Melbourne at the Athenaeum theatre in January 2024 to rapturous acclaim from critics and audiences alike. Now it is set to dazzle more theatregoers with its non-stop breath-taking dance routines over a series of follow-up seasons. Renowned Melbourne choreographer Robert Sturrock is the creative mind behind this world premiere production, which
- [An Evening With JK (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/an-evening-with-jk-review/) - A saying I’ve heard is “Open their mouths with laughter so you can force a grain of truth down.” From the moment Sasha Chong steps onto the stage as transgender woman Matilda Quinn, that’s what happens. Queer Asian author Benjamin Law was “supposed” to be the chair of this author interview with JK — we later
- [How to Shave](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/how-to-shave/) - The transmasculine experience is hilariously examined in this debut solo hour of stand-up comedy, Han Arbuthnott presents How to Shave at the Majestic Roof Garden Hotel, as part of the 2024 Adelaide Fringe, from 11 March. Boy band talent scouts read on; 25-year-old transmasculine comedian and teenage boy, Han Arbuthnott is the heartthrob you’ve been
- [Burn it.](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/burn-it/) - Queer, dark, and hilarious, Burn it. hits the stage at Verandah Private - The Strathmore Hotel, as part of the 2024 Adelaide Fringe. Two queers. Camping. Post dramatic break-up. Do they engage in wholesome, healthy processing? Or drinking, denial and making fun of trauma? Burn it. is a tragic-comedy that explores mental illness, abuse, unrequited
- [Circus Oz returns to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with an audacious new show - Smash it!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/circus-oz-returns-to-the-melbourne-international-comedy-festival-with-an-audacious-new-show-smash-it/) - Circus Oz is thrilled to announce Smash it! - a daring circus spectacle premiering in the Fairfax Studio - Arts Centre Melbourne as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF). Smash it! is Circus Oz as unbelievable as ever, stripped back, tent-less, dauntless and daring, where sexagenarians, millennials and Gen Z’s unite in chaotic
- [Are you concerned about antibiotic resistant STIs?](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/are-you-concerned-about-antibiotic-resistant-stis/) - Researchers at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales want to talk to gay and bi+ men, trans and gender-diverse people, and other men in these networks, about STIs and resistance to antibiotic treatment. To participate in this study, you need to be: 18 years old or over Identify as a
- [Holding the Man](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/holding-the-man/) - A deeply moving play adapted by Tommy Murphy from Tim Conigrave’s memoir, Belvoir is proud to bring Holding the Man back to stage from 9 March 2024. Tim Conigrave’s 1995 memoir changed Australia, and Tommy Murphy’s 2006 adaptation became an instant hit, introducing a new audience to this heartfelt and laugh-out-loud-in-the-sadness story of queer identity and the
- [Public Sector LGBTQIA+ Leadership & Allyship Summit returns to Canberra next week](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/public-sector-lgbtqia-leadership-allyship-summit-returns-to-canberra-next-week/) - After a sold-out inaugural event in February 2023, The Hatchery will present the Public Sector LGBTQIA+ Leadership & Allyship Summit in Canberra next week. The Summit will provide current and emerging public sector LGBTQIA+ leaders and allies an open, safe and engaging space to come together, share advice & lessons learned to ensure that the public
- [Tom Ballard takes home the 2024 Queer Playwriting Award for The Queer Kingdom](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tom-ballard-takes-home-the-2024-queer-playwriting-award-for-the-queer-kingdom/) - Gasworks Arts Park and Midsumma have announced Tom Ballard as the Winner of the 2024 Queer Playwriting Award for his play, The Queer Kingdom. In its ninth year, the 2024 Queer Playwriting Award Showcase was presented at Gasworks Arts Park on Monday 22 January 2024 featuring the works of four Finalists: Tom Ballard (The Queer
- [LGBTQIA+ Communities ignite with PRIDE at the 46th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtqia-communities-ignite-with-pride-at-the-46th-annual-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-parade/) - Last Saturday (2 March), the streets of Sydney were ablaze with the spirit of pride and diversity as the 46th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade returned to Oxford & Flinders Streets and Anzac Parade. An estimated 250,000 spectators gathered in unity and celebration, bearing witness to a spectacular march of more than
- [YENTL](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/yentl/) - After a triumphant debut in 2022, garnering wide acclaim, four Green Room Awards and numerous five-star reviews - Malthouse Theatre is proud to present a return season of Kadimah Yiddish Theatre’s Yentl in the Merlyn Theatre this March. This new stage adaptation of Nobel Prize laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer’s iconic short story is the first
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras asks NSW Police not to march in 2024 Parade (UPDATE)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-asks-nsw-police-not-to-march-in-2024-parade/) - Late on Monday 26 February, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Board released a Statement regarding NSW Police marching in the 2024 Parade. "Sydney Mardi Gras along with LGBTQIA+ communities across the country have been devastated by the loss of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, whose lives were cut short last week. Police have
- [Briefs: Dirty Laundry (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/briefs-dirty-laundry-review/) - The gender-bending boys of Briefs Factory certainly take their dirty laundry seriously. This Brisbane-based acrobatic troupe has been touring its unique style of spectacular burlesque circus around Australia and Internationally for more than a decade. Their current production, Briefs: Dirty Laundry, is currently ensconced in the Sydney Spiegeltent in Moore Park as a headline Mardi Gras attraction, and they
- [MILF and The Mistress](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/milf-and-the-mistress/) - A dynamic and darkly comic new Australian work, CrunchySmooth Productions presents MILF and The Mistress by Jane Montgomery Griffiths, at Jack & Jill's Basement Bar, as part of the 2024 Adelaide Fringe: 27 February - 10 March. What happens when the soccer runs, the Saturday night TV and the flannelette pyjamas start to make you
- [QTOPIA Sydney opens its doors to the world](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qtopia-sydney-opens-its-doors-to-the-world/) - The largest home of Queer history and culture in the world, Qtopia Sydney, has opened the doors to 17 thought-provoking and immersive exhibitions. Attended by three levels of government – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Premier Chris Minns and Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Qtopia Sydney welcomed invited guests, launching the spectacular campus across four venues:
- [An Evening With JK](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/an-evening-with-jk/) - After a sold-out debut season in Melbourne, comedian Anna Piper Scott (Safe Home, SBS) brings her defiant and controversial original play, An Evening With JK, to Adelaide Fringe this March. This sharp satire has turned heads for its audacious casting; the proudly transgender Piper Scott plays “JK” - a Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist (TERF). Parodying
- [Every Lovely Terrible Thing](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/every-lovely-terrible-thing/) - Lab Kelpie, one of Australia’s leading new writing theatre companies, will partner with Theatre Works, the home of independent theatre, to present the world premiere of Every Lovely Terrible Thing, a timely and universal tale of love, courage and intergenerational trauma by award-winning emerging queer playwright Adam Fawcett, this March. Directed by Justin Nott and
- [ChillOut Festival returns for 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chillout-festival-returns-for-2024/) - Get ready to kick up your heels because ChillOut Festival, Australia's premier regional LGBTIQ+ arts and cultural festival, is back for 2024! Daylesford and Hepburn Springs will once again turn into a rainbow wonderland for the 'Boots & Bling' themed weekend for 7 - 11 March 2024. Courtney Act will headline the festival with multiple
- [Queer Delights at the 2024 Adelaide Fringe](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-delights-at-the-2024-adelaide-fringe/) - Bursting at the seams with more than 1,300 shows, the 2024 Adelaide Fringe program boasts a record number of shows that will delight, inspire and challenge audiences. The Australian Pride Network takes a look at 10 shows worth checking out! Alice Tovey: Not Like The Other Ghouls The Dom Polski Centre: continues to 3 March
- [Alice Tovey: Not Like The Other Ghouls (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/alice-tovey-not-like-the-other-ghouls-review/) - Walk into the venue and sit down in Frankenstein’s Palace. Be prepared to spend an hour devoid of meaning. That last sentence sounds like a criticism of the show, but Alice Tovey promises this show will be free of meaning. That doesn’t mean that in Seinfeld-style it’s a show about nothing. It instead means it’s
- [Marie's Crisis brings showtunes singalong to Melbourne's Common Rooms for three nights of fun!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/maries-crisis-brings-showtunes-singalong-to-melbournes-common-rooms-for-three-nights-of-fun/) - Nestled in the heart of New York's enchanting West Village is a basement piano bar so iconic, celebrities queue to get in. And for three nights only, Marie's Crisis and its top pianists are coming to Melbourne to play especially for you. This evening is unplugged and spontaneous - it's just the crowd, the piano
- [Three-day festival to celebrate and support city’s LGBTQIA+ young people in Orange](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/three-day-festival-to-celebrate-and-support-citys-lgbtqia-young-people-in-orange/) - A rainbow walk, festival, and street disco will headline festivities for the first Orange Rainbow Festival, which will be held in March to celebrate and support the city’s LBGTQIA+ young people. The free event is hosted by the Orange Youth Action Council’s Sincerely Queer group, supported by Orange City Council, and is fully funded by
- [Smash Hit Musical RENT opens in Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/smash-hit-musical-rent-opens-in-melbourne/) - After sell-out performances, rave reviews and standing ovations, the multi-Tony Award-winning rock musical by Jonathan Larson, RENT, has its Opening Night performance tomorrow evening (Tuesday 20 February) at Arts Centre Melbourne. Director Shaun Rennie, musical director Andrew Worboys and choreographer Luca Dinardo have assembled some of Australia’s finest singer/actors for an all-new production of this iconic musical. Noah Mullins (West Side Story) plays the
- [Australian Music Theatre Festival reveals 2024 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australian-music-theatre-festival-reveals-2024-program/) - John Bucchino, Josh Piterman, Patrice Tipoki, Kerrie Anne Greenland, Queenie van de Zandt, Tyran Parke, Natalie Gamsu, Nicole Farrow, Samantha Hammersley and more... 2024 is the fifth year of the Australian Musical Theatre Festival and to celebrate the success of this inspiring musical event, Artistic Director, Tyran Parke has curated 19 events over five days from Wednesday 15
- [Symbol of PRIDE flies high in Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/symbol-of-pride-flies-high-in-sydney/) - Soaring above Sydney Town Hall, the Progress Pride flag marks the start of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The international symbol for pride was raised by Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO at a special ceremony on Friday 17 February - attended by members of the largest rainbow community in Australia, leading
- [Blak Futures Now: Celebrating First Nations Stories with Blak & Bright Literary Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/blak-futures-now-celebrating-first-nations-stories-with-blak-bright-literary-festival/) - Melbourne's biannual First Nations literature festival, Blak & Bright, is set to return this March, empowering and celebrating First Nations writers and storytellers, with an almost entirely free program. Spanning 5 days, with over 30 events and 80 First Nations artists of diverse backgrounds and genres, the contemporary festival - the largest in Australia - has revealed its expansive
- [Sophie Ellis-Bextor to headline Bondi Beach Party](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sophie-ellis-bextor-to-headline-bondi-beach-party/) - British pop icon Sophie Ellis-Bextor has been announced as the headline performer of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras’ Bondi Beach Party on Saturday 24 February 2024. Known for her electrifying blend of disco pop and electronica, Ellis-Bextor will bring her distinctive sound to the iconic sands of Bondi Beach, joining a stellar line-up of
- [Sydney Mardi Gras Fair Day Cancelled](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-mardi-gras-fair-day-cancelled/) - On Monday 12 February, following advice from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) about possible asbestos contamination in mulch, test results found bonded asbestos at Victoria Park. The City of Sydney (City) and Sydney Mardi Gras have been working together closely over the past two days to coordinate clean-up of the affected areas while bumping in
- [Ruthless! The Musical to take Melbourne by storm this March](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ruthless-the-musical-to-take-melbourne-by-storm-this-march/) - Brace yourself Melbourne for an uproarious theatrical extravaganza as Ruthless! The Musical descends upon St Kilda’s The Alex Theatre in March. This riotous and fabulously camp production, featuring Marvin Laird’s catchy tunes and Joel Paley’s witty script and lyrics, promises to be a wild ride that has garnered thunderous applause throughout both of its extensive Off-Broadway and
- [Historians Call Us Roommates: A Queer Cabaret (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/historians-call-us-roommates-a-queer-cabaret-review/) - There’s a tendency for long-term queer love affairs to be mislabelled as friendships in historical accounts. Unless the chroniclers were incredibly naïve (or maybe because accurate accounts could endanger the writer?), history has been “cis-straight-white-washed”. To correct this, performer Chelsea Heaney is here “to set the record … gay” in Historians Call Us Roommates: A Queer Cabaret. Much of the
- [Supporting Lgbtiqa+ Inclusion at Victoria’s Pride](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/supporting-lgbtiqa-inclusion-at-victorias-pride/) - Melbourne's iconic Smith and Gertrude streets came alive yesterday for a one-day Street Party in celebration of Victoria's LGBTIQA+ communities with support from the Victorian Government. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing joined in festivities at the Victoria's Pride Street Party in Collingwood and welcomed the show of support for the state's diverse rainbow community. "Victoria's
- [Review: ALTAR](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-altar/) - We are ushered into the Rosina Courtyard of the Abbotsford Convent and seated, as if for a wedding, on two sides of an aisle, staring at a wooden arch, draped with fabric and adorned with flowers. The wedding is over, though. Crushed beer cans are scattered near flower pots. Cigarette butts crushed onto the concrete.
- [Review: Mechorstra](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-mechorstra/) - Artistic Directors Scott Pokorny and Tim Barnes of the northern suburbs based Scimm. Dance Company have a talented pool of dancers under their wing. They also have a knack for showcasing their troupe and each individual’s technical and expressive abilities. As part of Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival, Scott and Tim – aha, so that’s how Scimm.
- [Tash York: Love That For You (review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tash-york-love-that-for-you-review/) - When cabaret performer Tash York sees you wearing Crocs and says “Love that for you” - maybe it’s a good look for you … or maybe it really isn’t. Just a touch of sarcasm can make all the difference. We get an exploration of this kind of mood (at times) in Tash York’s new show
- [Review: La Nonna's Saucy Sauce Day](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-la-nonnas-saucy-sauce-day/) - To keep hold of their culture in a new land, migrants preserve rituals from home. Italians arriving in Australia in the 1950s retained the annual family gathering to make enough tomato sauce to last through the winter. But what happens when later generations aren’t interested in traditions? We see how some Italian grandmothers try to
- [Review: Long Drive Together](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-long-drive-together/) - Fifteen years after the death of their teenage school friend, Dylan and Solar jump in a car to drive from Adelaide to Mudgee, their friend’s hometown. A lot happens between 15 and 30, and they have a Long Drive Together. Road trips are a cliched metaphor for personal journeys because they are the perfect metaphor.
- [Alice Tovey: Not Like The Other Ghouls](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/alice-tovey-not-like-the-other-ghouls/) - A gory love letter to horror movies, monsters, and the final girl left standing, Alice Tovey’s bold new show, Not Like The Other Ghouls, will be presented at the Dwa @ The Dom Polski, as part of the 2024 Adelaide Fringe: 19 February – 3 March. Presented by Antithesis and Heartfelt Havoc, Not Like the Other Ghouls is
- [Review: Fish Amethyst](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-fish-amethyst/) - The brief blurb for Fish Amethyst invites us to: “Take a trip with the gods into outer space in this hilariously camp sci-fi adventure.” It seems that the craft is lacking adequate fuel, and navigation systems are compromised, in both story and production. Seats were scattered around the space in pairs, and the three gods
- [Miriam Margolyes brings her new live stage show to Australia in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/miriam-margolyes-brings-her-new-live-stage-show-to-australia-in-2024/) - British-Australian actress and raconteur, Miriam Margolyes is bringing her popular UK live event to Australia in March 2024. This new show will offer more, juicy, jaw-dropping stories from her eventful life and career and is presented on the back of her bestselling and much-acclaimed book, Oh Miriam! Stories from an Extraordinary Life. "My new book and
- [Review: Labyrinth](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-labyrinth/) - Into The Store you enter at Abbotsford Convent - a series of subfloor rooms beneath the site's main gothic edifice - for Forest Collective's latest new work, Labyrinth, another impressive work as part of Melbourne's Midsumma Festival. Thereon, this intelligently conceived, thrilling and evocative new work composed by artistic director Evan J. Lawson, to a
- [Melt Open announces Courtney Act as Ambassador](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melt-open-announces-courtney-act-as-ambassador/) - Melt Open, Brisbane's major new festival celebrating queer art and culture is thrilled to unveil the program's official ambassador and announce that registrations for a major 2024 event, River Pride Parade are now open. Hello sailor! There simply could not be a more perfect inaugural ambassador for Melt Open than Brisbane-bred, international icon.... Courtney Act!
- [YUMMY: Joy Machine (Review)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/yummy-joy-machine-review/) - You can attend an arts festival for entertainment, but they can also lead you somewhere new, and maybe even challenge your ignorance. Some might have found that Joy Machine - a one-night-only Midsumma offering by Yummy - does the lot. About the range of a glitter canon from the St Albans train station is the
- [Review: IAGO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-iago/) - It is difficult to know what to make of IAGO, Douglas Hackett’s debut play for Midsumma Festival. Part of the difficulty is that it’s his first play, meaning that many of its faults are to be expected from playwrights in their juvenilia: overwrought ideas, lack of subtlety, an unclear structure. Likewise, there are glimpses of potential. Put forward
- [Review: Torch Song](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-torch-song/) - In the Green Room of a New York dive bar, a drag queen prepares to perform her torch song. She looks out at us, in a wig cap and floral satin nightie, one eyebrow drawn and one waiting: “A drag queen is like an oil painting,” she declares with a wink, “you gotta stand back
- [Josh Thomas stars in Let’s Tidy Up](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/josh-thomas-stars-in-lets-tidy-up/) - Ground-breaking showrunner and comedian, Josh Thomas makes a much-anticipated return to live stand-up in 2024 with a national tour of his brand new show, Let’s Tidy Up. Written with award-winning playwright Lally Katz, Let’s Tidy Up is currently having its Australian premiere season at the Sydney Opera House before touring to Canberra, Hobart, Newcastle, Cairns,
- [In Victoria, Equality is still not negotiable](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/in-victoria-equality-is-still-not-negotiable/) - Yesterday (Sunday 4 February), a Victorian Premier led the iconic Midsumma Pride March for the tenth time, and dozens of LGBTIQA+ organisations will receive grants to help people in every corner of the state celebrate who they are. Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Equality Harriet Shing announced the grant recipients alongside thousands of LGBTIQA+
- [Simon Burke AO joins the Cast of WICKED in Melbourne as the Wizard](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/simon-burke-ao-joins-the-cast-of-wicked-in-melbourne-as-the-wizard/) - It has been announced that award-winning actor Simon Burke AO will be playing the role of the Wizard during the Melbourne season of the spectacular musical WICKED. After nearly three years playing Harold Zidler, the owner and host of the Moulin Rouge cabaret club, Simon is moving to the Emerald City. “Broadway’s Biggest Blockbuster” (NY Times) will return
- [Review: Divisi Chamber Singers – a love is a love is a love](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-divisi-chamber-singers-a-love-is-a-love-is-a-love/) - It is not often that humility and inclusion are so genuinely expressed on the concert stage. On Saturday evening, however, they beamed via Divisi Chamber Singers in a program lasting just over an hour as part of Midsumma 2024, in collaboration with Melbourne Recital Centre. Like myself, for those new to Divisi (soon to be
- [Hallelujah! Sister Act to make Australian premiere in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hallelujah-sister-act-to-make-australian-premiere-in-2024/) - Praise be! The habit is coming to Australia. John Frost for Crossroads Live is delighted to announce the arrival of the most heavenly of musicals, Sister Act, which will make its Australian debut from August 2024. The eagerly anticipated production of the Broadway and UK smash hit musical comedy sensation direct from London will open
- [Scouts Victoria proudly joins the 2024 Midsumma Pride March to Celebrate Diversity and Inclusivity](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/scouts-victoria-proudly-joins-the-2024-midsumma-pride-march-to-celebrate-diversity-and-inclusivity/) - This weekend, Scouts Victoria are excited to have over 300 Scouts members participating in the 2024 Midsumma Pride March on Sunday 4 February. Scouts Victoria is proud to unveil its theme for the march - We are All Stars. The theme reflects the our acknowledgment of the diverse galaxy of stars within its ranks, each
- [Fish Amethyst - the space trip of your life!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/fish-amethyst-the-space-trip-of-your-life/) - Take a trip with the gods into outer space in this hilariously camp sci-fi adventure as Callipygian Blue Circle presents Fish Amethyst at the Bluestone Church Arts Space, Footscray, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival: 7 - 10 February. High camp glamour and extravagant costuming meets low-fi technology in this space age operatic epic
- [Review: Vespertilio](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-vespertilio/) - It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a lot of art about gay men features relationships with significant age gaps. There’s Call Me By Your Name, of course, with the seventeen-year-old Elio and twenty-four-year-old Oliver cycling away their age difference under Italian skies. But it’s on our stages, too. We might think of Griffin Theatre’s Green Park, which
- [Homos, or Everyone in America](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/homos-or-everyone-in-america/) - New Theatre kicks off its 2024 season with the Australian premiere of a stunning queer play: Homos, or Everyone in America by Jordan Seavey, presented as part of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival. In a supposedly ‘post-gay’ America, a booze-infused date in a New York bar sets two men on a rollercoaster ride of
- [Adam Lambert headlines 2024 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras with over 150 artists announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adam-lambert-headlines-2024-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-with-over-150-artists-announced/) - Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2024 is set to surpass all expectations, presenting a colossal line-up of over 150 performers across the Festival’s key events. This year's festival brilliantly showcases an array of global stars, comedians, drag and performance artists, and top-tier international and local DJs, reflecting the rich diversity and dynamic energy of the
- [Reuben Kaye returns to the Opera House with Opera Up Late - for one night only!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/reuben-kaye-returns-to-the-opera-house-with-opera-up-late-for-one-night-only/) - The irrepressible Reuben Kaye is returning to the Sydney Opera House this summer with his irreverent take on all things operatic in Opera Australia’s late-night comedic take on the genre that had audiences in stitches when it premiered at last year’s WorldPride festival. For one night only on Friday 1 March, Reuben and his sassy
- [Review: RENT The Musical](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rent-the-musical/) - RENT: The Musical received a standing ovation when its Australian production premiered in Brisbane on 30 January 2024. Book, music and lyrics are by Jonathan Larson who lived down the road from where the musical is set in New York’s East Village. Obviously, at the time, this was not the best part of town to reside
- [Review: Aeroplane Jelly](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-aeroplane-jelly/) - Festivals can be like a dessert buffet sitting – there are many different treats on offer, and only so much time. So, there’s extra pressure to choose carefully. Aeroplane Jelly is a mix of cabaret and comedy with promising aspects. The show is performed by Italian-Australian Stephen Zappia, and has had a run in Edinburgh. Zappia
- [ALTAR](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/altar/) - This summer you are invited to a wedding you'll never forget! Em Tambree makes their playwriting debut with ALTAR, at the Abbotsford Convent from 7 - 10 February, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival. Sutton's life, meticulously chosen, is a testament to her aspirations. The white picket fence, a husband, three children; these were
- [Griffin Theatre Company farewells iconic SBW Stables Theatre with The Lewis Trilogy](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/griffin-theatre-company-farewells-iconic-sbw-stables-theatre-with-the-lewis-trilogy/) - Griffin Theatre Company will bid a temporary farewell to its iconic home at the SBW Stables Theatre by staging The Lewis Trilogy, an unmissable seven-hour epic set from one of Australia’s most legendary dramatists Louis Nowra, from 9 February - 21 April 2024. The Lewis Trilogy spans three of Nowra’s most iconic plays, freshly adapted
- [Long Drive Together](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/long-drive-together/) - Two friends. Fifteen years. One road trip. From critically acclaimed writer/director Neptune Henriksen, comes a frank and heartfelt play about the beauty of intersectional friendship, second coming-of-age, and moving through grief - Long Drive Together. Long Drive Together is the story of two high school friends, who reunite after years apart, now thirty years old,
- [Scimm. Dance Company presents Mechorstra](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/scimm-dance-company-presents-mechorstra/) - An exploration of the intricate relationship between movement and music, Scimm. Dance Company presents Mechorstra at The MC Showroom from 8 - 11 February, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival. Immerse yourself in the spellbinding world of Mechorstra - a ground-breaking contemporary dance performance choreographed by Artistic Directors Scott Pokorny and Tim Barnes in collaboration
- [Torch Song to premiere at 2024 Midsumma Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/torch-song-to-premiere-at-2024-midsumma-festival/) - Celebrating the resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community while exploring the intricacies of relationships without boundaries, Taylor Made Productions presents the Australian premiere of Torch Song - the award-winning play by Harvey Fierstein, at Chapel Off Chapel from 31 January - 10 February, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival. In Torch Song – the two-act revival of Harvey
- [YUMMY: Joy Machine](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/yummy-joy-machine/) - An outrageous and joyful drag variety show with world-class performers, YUMMY presents Joy Machine at the Bowery Theatre on Saturday 3 February, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival. Get ready for one of the most entertaining variety shows worthy of Leigh Bowery himself! Having performed in over 50 festivals around Australia and overseas, YUMMY
- [Divisi Chamber Singers – a love is a love is a love](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/divisi-chamber-singers-a-love-is-a-love-is-a-love/) - Join Divisi Chamber Singers as they continue to break barriers and inspire in this celebration of queer voices and perspectives, as they present a love is a love is a love, at the Melbourne Recital Centre, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival, on Saturday 3 February. Divisi continues to amplify the voices of local
- [Vespertilio](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/vespertilio/) - A haunting exploration of the difference between merely surviving and truly living, Gavin Roach presents the Australian premiere of Vespertilio by Barry McStay at the Meat Market Stables, from 31 January – 10 February, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival. Alan is on the hunt to find the last greater mouse-eared bat living in Britain,
- [Biggest ever Midsumma Pride March to take over St Kilda this Sunday](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/biggest-ever-midsumma-pride-march-to-take-over-st-kilda-this-sunday/) - The annual Midsumma Pride March returns this Sunday 4 February with an expected crowd of 70,000 people taking to the streets of St Kilda to celebrate solidarity in gender and sexual diversity. This is set to be the biggest ever Midsumma Pride March, with over 18,000 participants registered to march, plus an expected spectator crowd
- [They Came From Uranus to dazzle Melbourne this Midsumma Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/they-came-from-uranus-to-dazzle-melbourne-this-midsumma-festival/) - An outrageous, eye-popping puppet feast for adults, Murray Raine presents They Came From Uranus at The MC Showroom: 24 - 27 January, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival. A decadent story of love bombs going awry in an outrageous sixty-minute “adults only’’ sci-fi cabaret burlesque. It’s a sexy, sassy, hilarious puppet feast performed by master
- [Review: They Came From Uranus](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-they-came-from-uranus/) - You might guess from the title of the puppetry show, They Came From Uranus, that this Midsumma offering is at the less-subtle end of the theatre cosmos. Yes, but it also has some wild visuals, an up-tempo soundtrack, and a performance style that’s out of this world. Aliens on Uranus are horny little pervs. From
- [STUCK](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stuck/) - Taking a dive deep into the very different worlds of two richly delicious, complex characters who find strength from differing sources, Gavin Roach presents STUCK by Kikki Temple at the Meat Market Stables, from 31 January – 10 February, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival. Kikki Temple stars alongside Gabriel Cali in this new work
- [IAGO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/iago/) - Late August Productions presents IAGO by Douglas Hackett at the Cracked Actors Theatre, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival, from 31 January - 4 February. Kiss or kill, IAGO is a modern re-visioning of William Shakespeare's Othello, through the lens of its central relationship. Through contemporary voice, Elizabethan language, dance, stage combat and scenes
- [Tash York: Love That For You](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tash-york-love-that-for-you/) - Uproariously talented and delightfully chaotic, the Queen of Cabaret, Tash York, is set to unveil her latest creation, Love That For You, at Chapel Off Chapel, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival, this February. If you’ve ever been concerned that you’re the only Adult in the room, or have asked yourself, am I living
- [Forest Collective presents Labyrinth at the Abbotsford Convent](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/forest-collective-presents-labyrinth-at-the-abbotsford-convent/) - In the haunting corridors beneath Abbotsford Convent, Forest Collective presents a new dance-opera and piano concerto, Labyrinth, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival, this February. Stone. Sweat. Fear. From deep within – a low, strange moan. This is a place of terror. Of sacrifice. Of reckoning. This is the Labyrinth. Evan J Lawson’s music and
- [Midsumma leaps to life in its 36th year](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/midsumma-leaps-to-life-in-its-36th-year/) - The 36th annual Midsumma Festival, a three-week celebration of LGBTIQA+ art and culture showcasing pride, inclusivity and equality for Victoria’s diverse rainbow communities, kicked off last weekend with the annual Midsumma Carnival at Melbourne's Alexandra Gardens. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing joined the celebrations on Sunday 21 January, helping to judge the proudest pooches in
- [Review: The Inheritance](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-the-inheritance/) - One may as well begin with the opening of the play. A procrastination of writers, all queer men, is sitting around with notebooks or tablets or laptops, looking for inspiration. One young man reaches for his favourite book, hoping that the opening sentence will inspire him. E.M. Forster’s Howards End begins with a dashed off
- [Aeroplane Jelly](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/aeroplane-jelly/) - Part musical theatre, part comedy show, Aeroplane Jelly is a colourful cabaret that explores what it means to be different at The Butterfly Club, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival, this January. Tear open a packet of trauma, add it to a litre of denial, then boil until repressed sexuality bubbles just below the surface.
- [Top Picks for the 2024 Midsumma Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-picks-for-the-2024-midsumma-festival/) - Midsumma Festival returns in 2024 to once again showcase a diverse celebration of queer arts and cultural festivities from 21 January – 11 February. With over 250 events in over 150 venues across Melbourne, showcasing queer culture that features local, interstate, and international artists in spectacular performances, talks and social events, the Australian Pride Network
- [Teague Leigh: The Reclamation of Terra](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/teague-leigh-the-reclamation-of-terra/) - A multi-media call-to-arms, Teague Leigh presents The Reclamation of Terra at the Victorian Artists Society, from 25 January - 5 February, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival. In this exciting multimedia exhibition, queer disabled trans man, Teague Leigh, asks the LGBTQIA+SB community and our allies to rally together to reverse global warming and the
- [Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lady-macbeth-played-wing-defence/) - Serving hot and sporty girl power like you’ve never seen before, Crash Theatre Company presents Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence, an electrifying musical experience, at FANTASIA - Perth Town Hall this January, as part of the Fringe World Festival. Step onto the court of this contemporary turmoil that entangles the timeless allure of Shakespearean drama with an electrifying
- [Stellar Artists to lead Australian Open Pride Day and Finals Festival line-up](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stellar-artists-to-lead-australian-open-pride-day-and-finals-festival-line-up/) - The Australian Open will celebrate diversity and inclusion at its Pride Day on Thursday 25 January. LGBTQI+ advocates Peach PRC and AO Pride Ambassador Tash Sultana, along with 'Raingurl' creator Yaeji, are just a glimpse of the incredible line-up who will be playing at Finals Festival that day. They will be joined by Djanaba, Anesu, and DJ Luv You, taking over John Cain Arena.
- [One of Them Ones](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/one-of-them-ones/) - An uplifting new play about two siblings living in a rural community trying to get their heads around gender identity, Gavin Roach presents the Australian premiere of One of Them Ones by Charlie Josephine at the Meat Market Stables, from 31 January - 10 February, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival. Frankie is desperate
- [Out Cast Theatre returns to the Melbourne stage with Ruff Trade](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/out-cast-theatre-returns-to-the-melbourne-stage-with-ruff-trade/) - Fresh from record-breaking sell-out seasons in Edinburgh, Brighton UK Fringe and the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, Australia’s longest-running LGBTI+ theatre company, Out Cast Theatre finally returns to the Melbourne stage with Ruff Trade at The Motley Bauhaus this January. Two Elizabethan sex workers find themselves in over their heads, mired in revenge, murderous intrigue,
- [Sauna Boy](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sauna-boy/) - Gavin Roach presents the Australian premiere of Sauna Boy by Dan Ireland-Reeves - which will play The Motley Bauhaus: 29 January - 3 February, as part of the 2024 Midsumma Festival, before playing Perth's Fringe World Festival and Adelaide Fringe in February. Welcome to West End Sauna... A place where men from all walks of
- [Melbourne International Comedy Festival returns to Malthouse in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-international-comedy-festival-returns-to-malthouse-in-2024/) - A comedic spectacle is set to take centre stage at Malthouse as Melbourne International Comedy Festival returns with an impressive showcase of 261 performances across five theatres to deliver 22 glorious nights of unbridled entertainment. Running from 28 March to 21 April, Comedy Festival at Malthouse promises to be an even more uproarious experience for
- [Top Picks for FRINGE WORLD 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-picks-for-fringe-world-2024/) - With over five hundred performances presented by some two thousand artists over thirty-one days, it’s no surprise that trawling through this year’s FRINGE WORLD Festival requires stamina, many hours and a glass or two of wine. Once you have your list of fifty possible shows the hard task begins of asking yourself, “What do I
- [Full Cast announced for They’re Playing Our Song](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/full-cast-announced-for-theyre-playing-our-song/) - Neglected Musicals has announced the cast for one of Australia’s most loved musicals, They’re Playing Our Song, which plays the Hayes Theatre Co from 14 – 18 February 2024. With a book by Neil Simon, lyrics by Carol Bayer Sager and music by Marvin Hamlisch, They’re Playing Our Song is based on the real-life relationship of Hamlisch and
- [Midsumma Carnival kicks off three-week festival with iconic full-day extravaganza](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/midsumma-carnival-kicks-off-three-week-festival-with-iconic-full-day-extravaganza/) - The annual Midsumma Carnival will once again take over Melbourne's Alexandra Gardens on Sunday 21 January, where fabulous and diverse LGBTQIA+ acts will grace three stages to mark the opening of Midsumma Festival. This popular annual day event attracts over 120,000 people and entry is free. Presented by Midsumma Festival and supported by City of Melbourne, Midsumma Carnival
- [The Inheritance to make Australian Premiere at fortyfivedownstairs](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-inheritance-to-make-australian-premiere-at-fortyfivedownstairs/) - After acclaimed seasons in the West End and on Broadway, winning both the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Play, The Inheritance by Matthew López (Red, White & Royal Blue) will make its Australian premiere at Melbourne's fortyfivedownstairs this January. Performed in two parts and inspired by E. M. Forster's beloved novel Howards End, López’s
- [Arts Centre Melbourne reveals next step for Alter State](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/arts-centre-melbourne-reveals-next-step-for-alter-state/) - In 2024, Alter State will be focussed on forging connections with First Nations Deaf and Disabled artists, Expressions of Interest (EOI) opportunities, and workshops, as well as a Disability led mainstage production. "Our ambition is to alter the current state of the arts through creative intervention and through increased investment in Disability cultural leadership, to bring about cultural
- [Queer Screen’s 31st Mardi Gras Film Festival is ready to start a conversation](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-screens-31st-mardi-gras-film-festival-is-ready-to-start-a-conversation/) - This February, Queer Screen’s Mardi Gras Film Festival encourages the audience to indulge in a good, old-fashioned, post-screening discussion (or debate!), with a jaw-dropping program that will get everyone's tongues wagging. “The theme focuses on films that start conversations. People will be keen to discuss and dissect them as soon as the credits start to
- [Stellar acts revealed for Victoria’s Pride Street Party](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stellar-acts-revealed-for-victorias-pride-street-party/) - Victoria's LGBTQIA+ communities will celebrate with pride thanks to a vibrant and iconic one-day street party supported by the Victorian Government. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced the line-up for Victoria's Pride Street Party, to be held on Sunday 11 February on Gertrude and Smith Streets in Fitzroy and Collingwood. "Along with our regional
- [JAZZ MEN](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/jazz-men/) - Set to dazzle audiences with its non-stop breath-taking dance routines, the world premiere of a dynamic new dance revue, JAZZ MEN, arrives at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre this January. Renowned Melbourne choreographer Robert Sturrock is the creative mind behind this world premiere production, which features an amazing cast of 11 world-class locally-based male dancers along with Emcee &
- [Top Picks for Sydney Festival 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-picks-for-sydney-festival-2024/) - Across 24 action-packed days, the 2024 Sydney Festival opens today with a city-wide celebration of arts and culture across the city and surrounding suburbs. Enlisting the talents of hundreds of international and local artists, this year's festival is a testament to the creative appetite of Sydney and its culturally curious audiences. The Australian Pride Network
- [Pride Day returns to the Adelaide International Tennis](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pride-day-returns-to-the-adelaide-international-tennis/) - Running from from 8 to 13 January, the Adelaide International is back for 2024. This is about world-class tennis action at The Drive that will feature a WTA 500 and ATP 250 combined tournament. The Adelaide International has recognised the importance of celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community, ensuring that the sport provides a welcoming, inclusive and
- [New dates announced for GATSBY at The Green Light](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-dates-announced-for-gatsby-at-the-green-light/) - Due to high demand, the season for GATSBY at The Green Light has been extended, and will now close on 24 March 2024. Experience a sparkling world inspired by Fitzgerald’s classic novel The Great Gatsby, where the parties of the 1920s meet with the 2020s. Get ready to be outrageously entertained through the prism of cabaret,
- [Celebrate New Year’s Eve with the Aussie Pops Orchestra](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrate-new-years-eve-with-the-aussie-pops-orchestra/) - Melbourne’s favourite way to ring in the New Year returns! Australia’s first lady of song, Marina Prior, the extraordinary baritone and international superstar, Michael Cormick, and star of both Wicked and Frozen, the incredible Jemma Rix, are joining the much-loved The New Year’s Eve (& The Night Before) Gala Concerts on 30 and 31 December 2023. This spectacular gala event, now in
- [Music, mates and good times with The Choir of Man this Summer](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/music-mates-and-good-times-with-the-choir-of-man-this-summer/) - Ready to give Melbourne a night at the pub like no other, The Choir of Man is set to take the stage at Arts Centre Melbourne this summer, for a strictly limited season from Thursday 4 January 2024. The Choir of Man features a stellar line-up, comprising accomplished actors, musicians and instrumentalists including seasoned performers who have captivated audiences spanning
- [Brent Harris: Surrender & Catch](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/brent-harris-surrender-catch/) - TarraWarra Museum of Art has unveiled a major survey exhibition exploring the work of senior contemporary Melbourne-based artist Brent Harris, on view until 11 March 2024. The exhibition Brent Harris: Surrender & Catch, curated by Maria Zagala and co-presented with the Art Gallery of South Australia from 6 July – 20 October, brings together over 100
- [Public Sector LGBTQIA+ Leadership & Allyship Summit returns to Canberra in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/public-sector-lgbtqia-leadership-allyship-summit-returns-to-canberra-in-2024/) - After a sold-out inaugural event in February 2023, The Hatchery is proud to bring the Public Sector LGBTQIA+ Leadership & Allyship Summit back to Canberra in 2024. The Summit will provide current and emerging public sector LGBTQIA+ leaders and allies an open, safe and engaging space to come together, share advice & lessons learned to ensure
- [New #ALLABOARD Pride Tram hits the network](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-allaboard-pide-tram-hits-the-network/) - Yarra Trams has revealed a newly designed tram to celebrate inclusion and the LGBTQIA+ community. Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams has announced that the Victorian Government is supporting the 2024 #AllAboard Pride Tram to operate on Melbourne’s tram network from today. “Everyone should feel comfortable on public transport in Victoria and this
- [The White Mermaid or The Little Lotus: A Musical Fable](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-white-mermaid-or-the-little-lotus-a-musical-fable/) - From the team that brought you Moulin Scrooge! comes a fabulous aquatic fantasy for adults only, The White Mermaid or The Little Lotus: A Musical Fable plays the Seymour Centre this December. Prepare to be transported to the magical world beneath the waves, where the vivacious Tania McMermaid (Trevor Ashley) takes centre stage. In this heart-warming story, Tania
- [New Online Initiative to Support Older LGBTQ+ People Remain Active and Connected](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-online-initiative-to-support-older-lgbtq-people-remain-active-and-connected/) - Strengthening and supporting the physical health of older LGBTQ+ people and addressing unique issues impacting their overall wellbeing lies at the heart of a new program from ACON, NSW’s leading LGBTQ health organisation, in partnership with Gymnastics NSW. Bringing together Gymnastic NSW’s Fitter For Life program and two ACON programs, Pride in Sport and the
- [LGBTIQA+ Ministerial Taskforce Members Announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiqa-ministerial-taskforce-members-announced/) - Victoria's LGBTIQA+ communities will have a stronger role in ensuring the Victorian Government's nation-leading policies are well-informed and respond to their needs with new members appointed for the next term of key advisory bodies. Acting Minister for Equality Steve Dimopoulos is pleased to announce new and returning members for the fifth term of the LGBTIQA+
- [A celebration of queer performance art, fashion and Leigh Bowery’s legacy as a global queer icon](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-celebration-of-queer-performance-art-fashion-and-leigh-bowerys-legacy-as-a-global-queer-icon/) - A show-stopping, late-night queer party featuring drag, burlesque, voguing, music and performance art, the Bowery Ball will be held at NGV International on Friday 22 March 2024. Named in honour of Melbourne-born iconoclast Leigh Bowery - famed twentieth-century performance artist, fashion designer and nightclub impresario - the Bowery Ball celebrates the vibrant creativity and buoyant
- [fortyfivedownstairs reveals 2024 Theatre Program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/fortyfivedownstairs-reveals-2024-theatre-program/) - Featuring a slate of seventeen productions and the return of the Chamber Music Festival, fortyfivedownstairs has announced its theatre program for 2024. "What excites me about this program is the ambition of the artists involved," says Artistic Director of the Theatre, Cameron Lukey. "Whether it's a writer telling their life story or their family’s story;
- [Jetstar reveals new Flying With Pride livery ahead of 2024 Midsumma Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/jetstar-reveals-new-flying-with-pride-livery/) - Jetstar has unveiled new rainbow coloured pride livery in a celebration of its ongoing support of the LGBTQI+ community ahead of Melbourne’s annual queer arts and culture festival, Midsumma. The Melbourne based low-cost carrier is marking eight years of being the official airline partner of Midsumma, with team members getting ready to once again take
- [Supporting Victorian LGBTIQA+ Leaders to take the next steps](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/supporting-victorian-lgbtiqa-leaders-to-take-the-next-steps/) - The Victorian Government is supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) leaders to develop their skills and create positive impacts for their communities. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced the opening of expressions of interest for the 2024 Victorian LGBTIQA+ Leadership Program, encouraging diverse rainbow sector leaders to
- [Smash-hit musical RENT announces new Brisbane and Melbourne performances](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/smash-hit-musical-rent-announces-new-brisbane-and-melbourne-performances/) - Due to huge demand, new performances are on sale this week for the Brisbane and Melbourne seasons of RENT, the multi-Tony Award-winning rock musical by Jonathan Larson, with pre-sales now available and GP sales from Thursday 7 December. The strictly limited Brisbane season runs from 27 January until 11 February 2024 at the Playhouse, QPAC and
- [2023 Borderville Festival gets underway in Albury Wodonga](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/2023-borderville-festival-gets-underway-in-albury-wodonga/) - Bringing the Albury Wodonga region alive with vibrant circus and cabaret across three jam-packed weeks, the Flying Fruit Fly Circus kicks off the 2023 Borderville Festival. Home to the Flying Fruit Fly Circus since it was founded in 1979, Albury-Wodonga has an incredibly rich community of world-renowned circus artists connected to the region, and is
- [Adelaide Fringe launches 2024 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-fringe-launches-2024-program/) - Bursting at the seams with more than 1,300 shows, next year’s Adelaide Fringe is going to be a kaleidoscope of the talented, the wonderful, and the outright whimsical, set to transform Adelaide into a utopia of discovery and culture across February and March. “To say we are excited about the 2024 season is an understatement.
- [Midsumma Festival returns in 2024 and presents A Brave(R) Space](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/midsumma-festival-returns-in-2024-and-presents-a-braver-space/) - Midsumma Festival returns in 2024 to once again showcase a diverse celebration of distinguished queer arts and cultural festivities from 21 January - 11 February. Celebrating the LGBTQIA+ communities since 1988, Midsumma Festival proudly presents over 200 events showcasing queer culture, featuring local, interstate, and international artists in spectacular performances, talks and social events. New
- [New Theatre launches 2024 Season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-theatre-launches-2024-season/) - Sydney’s New Theatre has revealed the eight plays that make up its 2024 Season. “It is so exciting to once again be able to announce a full year of productions. And what a line-up we have for 2024: eight amazing plays, including three Australian premieres and two Sydney premieres,” said Artistic Director, Louise Fischer. The
- [YIRRAMBOI announces 2025 Commissions Program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/yirramboi-announces-2025-commissions-program/) - Melbourne's leading First Nations arts festival, YIRRAMBO is thrilled to open its 2025 Commissions opportunities, which include the return of the YIRRAMBOI Commissions, alongside International Collaborative Commissions, focus nation; Canada. YIRRAMBOI - which means 'tomorrow' in the local languages of the Boonwurrung and Woi-wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nations - celebrates and showcases some
- [Tropical Fruits presents Bush Magik this New Year's Eve](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tropical-fruits-presents-bush-magik-this-new-years-eve/) - Taking place on Widjabul Wia-bal jugun in the Bundjalung Nation, Tropical Fruits Inc invites you to their New Year's festival celebration, Bush Magik. This year’s theme pays homage to the beauty and enchantment of this great land, while celebrating the connection between the Australian bush and the magikal forces that have shaped the landscapes of
- [Vampire Lesbians of Sodom](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/vampire-lesbians-of-sodom/) - A demented tribute to horror cinema and divas of the Golden Age, Little Ones Theatre comes together for one last time with Charles Busch's Vampire Lesbians of Sodom at fortyfivedownstairs this November. Over a decade ago, Little Ones Theatre arrived in Melbourne with an “absolute cack” (The Age) production of Charles Busch’s Psycho Beach Party. It
- [Seymour Centre announces 2024 season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/seymour-centre-announces-2024-season/) - Featuring a set of five outstanding, must-see events presented in partnership with some of Sydney’s most ambitious independent theatre companies, the Seymour Centre has announced its 2024 season. Opening the year in April, Outhouse Theatre Co. returns with the much-anticipated Australian premiere of A Case for the Existence of God by Samuel D. Hunter (The
- [Christos Tsiolkas: The In-Between](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/christos-tsiolkas-the-in-between/) - The tender, sensual and moving new novel from the award-winning and bestselling author of The Slap and Damascus. A compelling contemporary love story between two middle-aged men, told with grace, heart and wisdom. Two middle-aged men meet on an internet date. Each has been scarred by a previous relationship; each has his own compelling reasons
- [Photography Exhibition Illuminates Real Experiences For PrideFEST](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/photography-exhibition-illuminates-real-experiences-for-pridefest/) - Prominent Perth photographer Lauren Crooke of Crooked Images has launched her cinematic photography series, Pride Project, created in response to violent, hate crimes inflicted on members of the LGBTQIA+ community which is set to exhibit throughout PrideFEST. Pride Project was born after Lauren Crooke and Wayne Evans invited the Perth LGBTQIA community to participate in
- [Malthouse Outdoor Stage Program Announced for Summer 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/malthouse-outdoor-stage-program-announced-for-summer-2024/) - Osher Günsberg, Rhys Nicholson, Em Rusciano, Michelle Brasier, Reuben Kaye, Clementine Ford, Linda Morrison, Dan Kelly, Eliza Hull to feature in the 2024 Malthouse Outdoor Stage Program this Summer. Melbourne’s cultural heartbeat is getting ready to pulse as Malthouse Outdoor Stage announces its triumphant return for its third consecutive summer season, commencing in February 2024.
- [Celebrating Diversity: Every Colour In Between Film Festival Showcases Global Voices in LGBTQIA+ Cinema](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrating-diversity-every-colour-in-between-film-festival-showcases-global-voices-in-lgbtqia-cinema/) - This November, Australia plays host to an exciting new film festival. Every Colour In Between (ECIB) is dedicated to celebrating diverse voices in LGBTQIA+ cinema and giving Australian cinema-goers access to extraordinary new films from across the globe. The festival will be available simultaneously across nine Palace Cinema locations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide,
- [Ancient Greek-inspired GODZ show bares all on Brisbane stage](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/ancient-greek-inspired-godz-show-bares-all-on-brisbane-stage/) - After leaving 35,000 spectators breathless across Australia, the multi-award-winning acrobatic troupe Head First Acrobats is set to shock Brisbane with its adults-only stunt-filled show, GODZ, at the 2023 Wynnum Fringe Festival. The 18+ production will be showcased to 2 December at George Clayton Park, with Wynnum being the final Fringe of the year on the
- [Spencer Tunick returns for Melt Open in October 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/spencer-tunick-returns-for-melt-open-in-october-2024/) - Brisbane Powerhouse is excited to reveal that New York contemporary artist, Spencer Tunick's 2023 Brisbane-based work, TIDE, is a prequel for much bigger things to come! Tunick will return to Brisbane in 2024 for a significantly larger installation, as part of the inaugural Melt Open - the city's major new festival celebrating queer art and
- [Joel Creasey joins The Rocky Horror Show as Narrator in Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/joel-creasey-joins-the-rocky-horror-show-as-narrator-in-melbourne/) - After triumphant seasons in 2023, and due to phenomenal demand, the 50th Anniversary world tour continues its global celebrations in honour of iconic Rock ‘N’ Roll musical The Rocky Horror Show in 2024. This new Australian production will return to Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre from 9 February starring Jason Donovan and joining him and the phenomenal cast as
- [Be Brave Be Strong Be You at PrideFEST 2023](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/be-brave-be-strong-be-you-at-pridefest-2023/) - PrideFEST 2023 will be a bold and courageous celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, as Pride WA adopts the theme of “brave” this November. This year’s festival promises to be an aspirational showcase of the community’s bravery, resilience, and determination to fight for equal rights, visibility and respect, as well as a call for our allies
- [Adelaide Cabaret Festival’s Night of Nights – The Variety Gala – announces Virginia Gay as Host](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festivals-night-of-nights-the-variety-gala-announces-virginia-gay-as-host/) - Adelaide Cabaret Festival’s iconic opening night celebration in 2024 will be hosted by none other than Artistic Director and Chief Mischief Maker, Virginia Gay, with tickets now on sale! The one-night-only event will feature a delicious smorgasbord of world-class music, wit and mayhem, which will set audiences’ hearts and minds alight – from a breath-taking line-up
- [Dr Lisa Anderson: Beguiling](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dr-lisa-anderson-beguiling/) - A multimedia exhibition by internationally renowned Australian artist Dr Lisa Anderson, Beguiling explores the parallel elements of beauty and destruction through the Anthropocene at the Victorian Pride Centre. The photographs, captured over many years including from visits to the Arctic and Antarctic, have been altered through scarring with wax and burns, customised infrared filters and
- [La Cage Aux Folles officially opens in Melbourne tonight](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/la-cage-aux-folles-officially-opens-in-melbourne-tonight/) - The hit Broadway musical La Cage Aux Folles will officially open in Melbourne tonight for a strictly limited season at Arts Centre Melbourne. Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, the much-loved, 11 Times Tony Award-winning musical La Cage aux Folles is back in Melbourne starring one of Australia’s most versatile stage and screen performers, five-time Helpmann Award winner Paul Capsis
- [MELT Festival takes over Brisbane Powerhouse this November](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melt-festival-takes-over-brisbane-powerhouse-this-november/) - Brisbane’s forward and fearless annual celebration of queer art, artists, allies and ideas, MELT Festival, is back for an eighth edition with a vibrant and eclectic 2023 program. Featuring ground-breaking home-grown music artists alongside international sensations, provocative and hilarious theatre, exhibitions showcasing exquisite photography, textile art and installations as well as a book launch and
- [Malthouse Theatre’s immersive theatre production Hour of the Wolf extends season for second time](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/malthouse-theatres-immersive-theatre-production-hour-of-the-wolf-extends-season-for-second-time/) - After selling out its initial three-week season and extending until 3 December, Malthouse Theatre’s immersive theatre production Hour of the Wolf is now extending its season for a second time, performing until 17 December 2023. Created by Matthew Lutton and Keziah Warner, written by Keziah Warner and directed by Matthew Lutton, Hour of the Wolf introduces audiences to Hope Hill, a town
- [It's Time for Our Future: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras reveals 2024 Program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/its-time-for-our-future-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-reveals-2024-program/) - The iconic Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival returns from 16 February to 3 March 2024, charging into our future with its biggest and boldest program in years. Bursting at the sequined seams, the expansive Festival program celebrates the entire LGBTQIA+ community, boasting over 100 electrifying community events, dance parties, theatre and music, culminating with the globally
- [Marys in the Park attracts thousands to Adelaide's Eastern Parklands](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/marys-in-the-park-attracts-thousands-to-adelaides-eastern-parklands/) - Adelaide's vibrant cultural scene hit a high note last weekend with the overwhelming success of the Marys in the Park music festival. The much-anticipated event drew in crowds by the thousands, featuring a diverse line-up that showcased local, national, and international talents including pop icon Crystal Waters, Australian music legend Joanne, along with Natlie Bassingthwaite, Ricky
- [Review: ORLANDO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/orlando-2/) - Fusing a classic novel, Australian storytelling charm and music reminiscent of a Kate Bush fever dream, Orlando is a thrilling yet meditative exploration of gender and self. Encompassing multiple bodies and generations of time, Orlando navigates a life filled with mistakes and promise, all leading them down the path to discover their truest self. Willow
- [Melbourne Queer Film Festival kicks off this week](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-queer-film-festival-kicks-off-this-week/) - Celebrating all queer histories, past, present and future, informing the now and shaping the future, the 2023 Melbourne Queer Film Festival kicks off this week. Running 9 - 19 November, cinema-goers will get the chance to see 50 feature films, including 26 Australian premieres, 19 Victorian premieres, 3 world premieres, 11 short film packages and
- [World premiere of IRL to rollick across the stage at La Boite](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/world-premiere-of-irl-to-rollick-across-the-stage-at-la-boite/) - La Boite Theatre ends its 2023 mainstage season on a high note with the world premiere of IRL - a pop culture fuelled romp full of big laughs, sharp dialogue, iconic costumes, and just enough romance to set hearts racing. Playing from 6 November 2023, IRL is equal parts humour and heart, a fierce and
- [Get ready for Adelaide's premiere LGBTQIA+ event, Feast Festival!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/get-ready-for-adelaides-premiere-lgbtqia-event-feast-festival/) - From now until 19 November, you'll discover a world of vibrant performances, thought-provoking exhibitions, and unforgettable experiences that will ignite your senses and captivate your heart at the 2023 Feast Festival. Celebrating diversity, art, and culture - you won't want to miss, the Australian Pride Network takes a look at some events worth checking out:
- [ORLANDO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/orlando/) - A new electro-folk musical, adapted from the novel by Virginia Woolf, Antipodes Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Orlando at fortyfivedownstairs, this November. A noble poet falls asleep a man, wakes up a woman, and lives for over 300 years in this seminal satirical work exploring sexuality and gender. Orlando dances through life, existing
- [Mardi Gras Film Festival 2024 Teaser Programme Launch](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mardi-gras-film-festival-2024-teaser-programme-launch/) - Queer Screen’s 31st Mardi Gras Film Festival has unveiled a sneak peek at the incredible cinematic journey awaiting audiences from 15 to 29 February in Sydney, before an on-demand encore from 1 to 11 March nationwide. The Festival promises a kaleidoscope of LGBTIQ+ stories showcasing both Australian and Sydney premieres from across the globe screening
- [Stellar Cast announced for new Australian Tour of RENT](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/stellar-cast-announced-for-new-australian-tour-of-rent/) - A stellar cast has been announced for the new Australian tour of the multi-Tony Award-winning rock musical by Jonathan Larson, RENT. Director Shaun Rennie, musical director Andrew Worboys and choreographer Luca Dinardo have assembled some of Australia’s finest singer/actors for an all-new production of this iconic musical. Noah Mullins (West Side Story) plays the role
- [Asia TOPA announces quarterly event series to explore groundbreaking Asia Pacific art and culture](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/asia-topa-announces-quarterly-event-series-to-explore-groundbreaking-asia-pacific-art-and-culture/) - Asia TOPA: Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts has announced a quarterly event series Asia TOPA Radar - which will bring together artists and audiences to uncover new art and culture from the Asia Pacific region. The series will start at the University of Melbourne on Thursday 30 November 2023. Featuring diverse Asia Pacific artists, thinkers,
- [Help make your city more inclusive!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/help-make-your-city-more-inclusive/) - Have your say about what makes an inclusive space! An inclusive city is one that mirrors its people. Understanding how different community groups use and contribute to their environment helps city planners to design public spaces that are vibrant, welcoming and safe for all who use them. Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS)
- [Supporting LGBTIQA+ Connection and Diversity Events in Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/supporting-lgbtiqa-connection-and-diversity-events-in-victoria/) - The Victorian Government is supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex, queer and asexual (LGBTIQA+) communities to connect and celebrate their diversity with pride. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced the opening of the $400,000 Pride Events and Festivals Fund for 2023-24, which includes two dedicated funding streams for eligible community groups, for
- [Review:](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review/) - Some performers are so playful, surprising, or damned funny that you’ll go to some trouble to see them whenever they pop up. Sarah Ward is one such talent, and her surprise hosting of the 2023 Melbourne Fringe launch tipped us off about her return. This is in the new experimental cabaret work Testing, Testing. One,
- [Review: Smashed Arvo](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-smashed-arvo/) - After a busy Fringe, the idea of having one more blowout, without another late night, was too much to resist. The 4:30pm offering Smashed Arvo, a rambunctious (18+) variety show, was a perfect way to make this happen. The show’s name is inspired by the fashion of having boozy shows at a time of day closer
- [Message In A Bottle to make Australian premiere at Sydney Opera House](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/message-in-a-bottle-to-make-australian-premiere-at-sydney-opera-house/) - In an Australian premiere, spectacular new dance-theatre work Message In A Bottle from award-winning choreographer Kate Prince, set to the music of 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting, is coming to the Joan Sutherland Theatre this October as part of the Opera House’s 50th Birthday Festival. Combining gravity-defying hip hop and contemporary dance with breath-taking music, Message In A Bottle is a vital
- [Melbourne Fringe Festival 2023 Award Winners Announced](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-fringe-festival-2023-award-winners-announced/) - After a mammoth 20-day Festival that featured over 470 shows across the city and suburbs, Melbourne Fringe has celebrated the artistic excellence, risk-taking bravery and sheer creativity of the 2,600 artists participating in the 2023 Festival with its annual awards ceremony. The honorees in the 40-strong list of awards received praise from judges, industry and
- [Review: Bark of Millions](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-bark-of-millions/) - On Friday evening, 50 years ago to the day when the late Queen Elizabeth II opened the iconic Sydney Opera House in 1972, another queen and two dozen cohorts showed that the country has perhaps come some way after all, constitutional changes aside. For one night only, the inimitable and arresting American actor, playwright, performance
- [Review: GODZ](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-godz/) - Ancient Greco-Roman culture admired the male physique. And in GODZ, you have four examples of a range of impeccable male forms: from the slim and muscular (twinkish for the gay readers) Cupid (Liam Dummer) to the heroically built Hercules (Callan Harris). (Side note: Callan’s Hercules looks like the live-action version of Disney’s Hercules.) Rounding out
- [Review: Gender is a Scam and I am Winning](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-gender-is-a-scam-and-i-am-winning/) - Josh Cake is NOT a scam. And he is winning. In this cabaret slash comedy, Josh Cake will have you eating out of his hand as you see the non-existent mountains and feel the non-existent wind. And after what happens next, he’ll have you laughing out loud AND hooked. Josh starts with setting up the
- [Bark of Millions - a rock opera on queerness](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bark-of-millions-a-rock-opera-on-queerness/) - In an Australian exclusive from landmark performance artist Taylor Mac and musical collaborator Matt Ray, Bark of Millions is an epic rock-opera meditation on queerness presented in association with New York-based Pomegranate Arts in the Concert Hall - Sydney Opera House on Friday 20 October 2023. Part rock opera, part reimagined pride parade, this epic production will stage 55
- [Review: Ned Kelly - the Big Gay Musical](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-ned-kelly-the-big-gay-musical/) - A Fringe festival provides space for … shall we say … unusual ways of telling stories. Imagine an alternative Australian history where a gang of outlaws, played by drag kings, want to secede from the colony of Victoria so they can live and love as they like. That’s the gist of Ned Kelly: the Big Gay
- [Victoria's Pride showcases LGBTQIA+ celebrations across Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorias-pride-showcases-lgbtqia-celebrations-across-victoria/) - Presented by Midsumma, in partnership with the Victorian Government, Victoria’s Pride is a landmark program of pride events and projects held across Victoria this summer as part of a state-wide celebration of LGBTQIA+ communities. The Regional Program of Victoria’s Pride is made up of 13 events that will paint the state rainbow and culminate in
- [Wrestling for Fun (W4F) receives 2023 Parkestone Foundation grant](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/wrestling-for-fun-w4f-receives-2023-parkestone-foundation-grant/) - The Wrestling for Fun (W4F) collective is thrilled to be a 2023 recipient of a Parkestone Foundation grant, which has been awarded annually to South Australian LGBTQI+ community projects since 1980. Wrestling For Fun received a $1,000 grant in August 2023 to part-fund the purchase three professional, portable wrestling mats. This was later revised to
- [GiveOUT Day moved to Thursday 26 October](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/giveout-day-moved-to-thursday-26-october/) - To provide space after the Referendum, GiveOUT Day has been moved by one week to Thursday 26 October 2023. The GiveOUT Board has issued the following Statement on the Referendum. To First Nations communities, including our Brotherboys, Sistergirls and other LGBTQIA+ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, we stand with you today and every day.
- [Gender is a Scam and I am Winning](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gender-is-a-scam-and-i-am-winning/) - An uplifting musical comedy playing with intersections between race, nationality, and gender. Josh Cake presents Gender is a Scam and I am Winning at the Festival Hub: Trades Hall - Corner Store, as part of the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival from 18 - 22 October. The best joke Josh Cake ever told was during a
- [Melbourne Queer Film Festival reveals 2023 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-queer-film-festival-reveals-2023-program/) - The 33rd annual Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) commences on Thursday 9 November with the provocation, Rewind to Fast Forward. The festival celebrates all queer histories, past, present and future, informing the now and shaping the future. Alongside a stream of historical titles throughout the program such as La Cage Aux Folles, Glen or Glenda,
- [Fringe Festival Fever Grips Prahran](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/fringe-festival-fever-grips-prahran/) - Expect to be wowed at this year’s So Soirée Fringe Garden – Prahran’s performing arts playground is back bigger and better than ever. Produced by the City of Stonnington and presented as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, the So Soirée Fringe Garden continues to Sunday October 22 with a bumper program of fabulous shows showcasing talented performers, pushing
- [Review: If We Got Some More Cocaine I Could Show You How I Love You](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-if-we-got-some-more-cocaine-i-could-show-you-how-i-love-you/) - What does it take to tell someone you love them? Especially when you’re a young man and the object of your love is another young man in a small village in Ireland. And are words enough? This two-person play opens with two young men trapped on a rooftop, looking down at the police searching for
- [Review: BACON](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-bacon/) - It would be remiss to review Bacon without giving a trigger warning: it explores toxic masculinity culminating in same-sex rape. Bacon is the story of two British schoolboys: Mark (Sebastiano Pitruzzello) and Darren (Ryan Stewart). Mark is just your typical closeted kid, and Darren is your standard larrikin lad. However, there’s nothing typical or standard
- [BACON](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bacon/) - An unflinching and unexpectedly humorous look at masculinity, sexuality and power, Bacon by Sophie Swithinbank will be presented at the Meat Market Stables: 5 - 21 October, as part of the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival. Mark is new and too scared to make friends. Darren is out-of-control and too scary to make friends. The two
- [Review: Big Dyke Energy](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-big-dyke-energy/) - It’s not often that an online blurb for a Fringe show will do the show justice, but the copy for Hannah Malarski’s Big Dyke Energy is a surprising exception. The one woman show (notwithstanding a charming guest appearance from Malarski’s partner) ‘explores the pressures of being a queer woman in 2023’. Case in point: audiences
- [Sunset Boulevard to premiere in Australia in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sunset-boulevard-to-premiere-in-australia-in-2024/) - A brand-new lavish production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award-winning musical masterpiece, SUNSET BOULEVARD will premiere in Melbourne in May 2024 at the Princess Theatre followed by a season at the Sydney Opera House in August. This newly imagined revival will mark SUNSET BOULEVARD’s first return to Australia in almost twenty years, where it played
- [Review: Mamma Mia! The Musical](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-mamma-mia-the-musical/) - For almost 25 years, jukebox musical Mamma Mia! has been making a truckload of Money Money Money – reputedly over $4 billion since opening at London’s Prince Edward Theatre in April 1999 – as the ABBA songs keep pumping out with infectious, mood-lifting power. It may not be for everyone but, given that ABBA have cast a net over
- [GiveOUT Day calls for public support to fill the rainbow’s pot of gold this month](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/giveout-day-calls-for-public-support-to-fill-the-rainbows-pot-of-gold-this-month/) - It’s the rainbow’s favourite day of the year! GiveOUT Day, Thursday 19 October, is Australia’s annual day of giving to LGBTQIA+ charities, not-for-profits and community projects: a day of raising funds, raising awareness, and celebrating how far this country has come. Over $1 million have been raised for vital services since GiveOUT Day began four
- [Joe Orton's outrageous black comedy LOOT comes to New Theatre this October](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/joe-ortons-outrageous-black-comedy-loot-comes-to-new-theatre-this-october/) - Following on from their productions of Entertaining Mr Sloane in 2012 and What the Butler Saw in 2018, New Theatre once again celebrates the outrageous wit of Joe Orton with LOOT this October. Young thieves (and lovers) Hal and Dennis need a place to stash the cash from a bank robbery. The coffin of Hal's recently-deceased mother,
- [Review: WHALE](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-whale/) - Courtney McManus’s show, WHALE, follows her personal journey to self-acceptance despite the fatphobia and queerphobia she experienced in high school and adulthood. It’s a sad fact that it remains radical for someone to declare their fatness and their queerness without shame. The frustration that comes with noting the dogged endurance of such shame is one
- [Review: HOT FAT CRAZY](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-hot-fat-crazy/) - If you’re gonna grind through about 500-ish Fringe-event blurbs, you want something to grab your attention with novelty or kookiness. The entry for Hot Fat Crazy - the first show by musical-comedy duo Tommy (Bradford) & Eadie (Testro-Girasole) - has that promise, and their offbeat tale of Eadie’s visit to a psych ward delivers in
- [Big Dyke Energy](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/big-dyke-energy/) - Part stand-up, sketch, character confessional and exorcism, Hannah Malarski’s Big Dyke Energy is a blistering comedy show about being your ‘best self’ in a culture that is intent on bringing out the worst in you. It has been a long, tiring journey for Hannah- from coming out as a lesbian to the even lengthier process of
- [WICKED flies into in Melbourne in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/wicked-flies-into-in-melbourne-in-2024/) - Rejoycify! The producers of the Broadway blockbuster WICKED have announced that the musical phenomenon will fly into Melbourne's Regent Theatre in March 2024. Almost 20 years since its premiere on Broadway, WICKED remains one of the most successful and popular musicals in the world, winning over 100 major awards including the Grammy Award, the Olivier
- [Adelaide Fringe's 2024 Poster marches into view](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-fringes-2024-poster-marches-into-view/) - The artwork set to become the face of Australia’s biggest arts festival in 2024 was unveiled Wednesday morning at Adelaide Airport. Rebecca Davis’ submission titled All In will be showcased throughout the 2024 Adelaide Fringe, after being selected from more than 450 submissions. The theme for the 2024 poster was Arts Unlimited which asked artists to interpret
- [Review: EXHUMED - The Best of Bradley Storer](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-exhumed-the-best-of-bradley-storer/) - There’s an occasional impishness to cabaret artiste Bradley Storer, who calls himself a “Weimar performer when it’s convenient”. After 10 years of performing (minus that grim peak-COVID period), he felt it appropriate to mark the occasion. Following a time picking over the bones of his past works, the result is Exhumed: the ‘best’ of Bradley
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras announces Gil Beckwith as new CEO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-announces-gil-beckwith-as-new-ceo/) - The Board of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has announced the appointment of Gil Beckwith as the organisation's Chief Executive Officer. Stepping up from her role as Interim CEO and the current Chief Financial Officer for almost five years, Gil's leadership during this transitionary period has been exceptional, ensuring the seamless continuation of operations
- [Blockbuster Musical Groundhog Day Bound For Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/blockbuster-musical-groundhog-day-bound-for-melbourne/) - Smash-hit musical Groundhog Day The Musical will make its Australian premiere at Melbourne’s iconic Princess Theatre for an exclusive season in January 2024, thanks to support from the Victorian Government. Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos today joined the musical’s composer and lyricist Tim Minchin AM to announce the award-winning show in Melbourne for
- [GODZ](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/godz/) - Time to get Greeced up again! Back from sell-out international and national tours, Winner of the 2022 Melbourne Fringe People’s Choice Award, Head First Acrobats presents GODZ in The Vault - Festival Park, this October. Appearing one last time as a part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, don’t miss the chance to join Cupid (the God of Love), Hercules (the
- [Cupid Reincarnate](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cupid-reincarnate/) - Delightfully silly anarchy! Sophie Bengough presents the Australian premiere of a camp clown cabaret exploring desire, excess and love in Cupid Reincarnate at the Queen Victoria Women's Centre - Millari Murnmut, as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival from 3 - 12 October 2023. Let's wreck it all and start again. You're invited to a
- [If We Got Some More Cocaine I Could Show You How I Love You](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/if-we-got-some-more-cocaine-i-could-show-you-how-i-love-you/) - A raucous and unlikely romantic drama… twenty feet up, John O’Donovan’s If We Got Some More Cocaine I Could Show You How I Love You returns to the Meat Market Stables, this October, as part of the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival. A town a ten thousand people. What parade do we get? I’m a parade. I’m a
- [Hayes Theatre Co reveals 2024 Season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hayes-theatre-co-reveals-2024-season/) - The first full-year season to be programmed by Artistic Directors, Richard Carroll and Victoria Falconer, the Hayes Theatre Co has announced its 2024 Season. Bringing together a season of work produced by the Hayes team, as well as productions by independent partners, Hayes has sought to exemplify the company’s role within the performing arts world
- [Queer Delights at the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-delights-at-the-2023-melbourne-fringe-festival/) - This October, the Melbourne Fringe Festival returns to reimagine the city into one epic art adventure playground, with three weeks of ground-breaking new events, art and bold ideas, that is set to re-invigorate the cheeky and artistic spirit of Melbourne. With more than 2600 artists featured in 475 events across the city and suburbs of
- [Coastie Carnie Fair Day: Fun and Sun for Everyone!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/coastie-carnie-fair-day-fun-and-sun-for-everyone/) - Spring has Sprung and if you have the feels to escape the city this October long weekend for a little micro beach break that’s full of cultural punch, then look no further than the Central Coast, NSW. Just 70 minutes north of Sydney and 70 minutes south of Newcastle the Central Coast comes alive with
- [Nine talented artists awarded prestigious Creative Australia Fellowships](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/nine-talented-artists-awarded-prestigious-creative-australia-fellowships/) - Creative Australia has announced this year's recipients of the prestigious 2023 Creative Australia Fellowships valued at $80,000 over two years. Open to established artists, the Fellowships support creativity and professional development. Amongst this year's nine Fellowship recipients are First Nations musician Shellie Morris, well-known writer Alice Pung, and award-winning theatre maker of Counting and Cracking,
- [Griffin Theatre Company reveals its 2024 Season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/griffin-theatre-company-reveals-its-2024-season/) - Griffin Theatre Company has unveiled its 2024 Season - including the monumental production of Louis Nowra’s The Lewis Trilogy, marking the final production to be staged at the iconic SBW Stables Theatre before it undergoes major redevelopment works. Spanning across five decades in changing Australia, Griffin’s sentimental production of The Lewis Trilogy chronicles the arc
- [HOT FAT CRAZY](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hot-fat-crazy/) - Following a sold-out debut run at the 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Tommy & Eadie are back for their second admission with HOT FAT CRAZY at Trades Hall Carlton, as part of the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival, from 4 October. With direction by Aubrey Flood, this two-person musical sketch comedy is a love letter to
- [WHALE](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/whale-2/) - Confronting audiences and provoking conversation about fatness, Crash Theatre Company heads to Melbourne Fringe this October with their original production of WHALE - a raw, hilarious and poignant show that is part comedy, part theatre, and a lot of storytelling. WHALE tells the true story of Courtney - a fat and funny lesbian, documenting her
- [WICKED casts its spell over Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/wicked-casts-its-spell-over-sydney/) - Sydney has taken WICKED to its heart, with ecstatic audience reactions, five-star critical reviews and thrilling praise on social media. Opening night audience members leapt to their feet as the curtain fell, wiping away tears of joy and applauding enthusiastically. Due to the huge demand for tickets, new performances have gone on sale this week, with WICKED now selling
- [Disney’s Beauty and the Beast to open in Brisbane and Melbourne in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/disneys-beauty-and-the-beast-to-open-in-brisbane-and-melbourne-in-2024/) - Brisbane and Melbourne audiences will experience the romance of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast when the much-anticipated respective seasons of the hit musical opens in Brisbane in February 2024 and Melbourne in June 2024. The last time Beauty and the Beast played for Melbourne audiences was nearly three decades ago, when it premiered in 1995. This will be the
- [Dark Mofo on pause for 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dark-mofo-on-pause-for-2024/) - After a decade of growing success, Dark Mofo organisers have announced that the festival will pause in 2024 for a period of renewal. Taking a fallow year, Dark Mofo intends to reshape a more sustainable model for a full return in 2025, and set the foundation for the next 10 years. Despite achieving record attendances
- [Feast Festival 2023: Bigger, bolder and more colourful than ever!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/feast-festival-2023-bigger-bolder-and-more-colourful-than-ever/) - Feast Festival is set to transform Adelaide into Australia’s epicentre of premier art and cultural performances between 1 - 19 November, better known as 'Pridevember.' This year’s Feast Festival 2023 is set to excite and entice as South Australia’s premier LGBTQIA+ event welcomes artists from across the globe, including superstar queens from RuPaul's Drag Race
- [EXHUMED: The Best of Bradley Storer](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/exhumed-the-best-of-bradley-storer/) - A gloriously depraved musical romp through the graveyard with Melbourne’s Dark Princeling of Cabaret, Bradley Storer returns to The Butterfly Club, as part of the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival with EXHUMED: The Best of Bradley Storer, this October. After reaching, denying and finally accepting the 10-year anniversary of his cabaret debut, Storer - Melbourne’s own
- [Smash hit RENT to tour Australia in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/smash-hit-rent-to-tour-australia-in-2024/) - Award-winning producer LPD Productions has declared there is “no day like today” as it announces the multi-Tony Award-winning rock musical by Jonathan Larson, RENT, will embark on a national tour in 2024. The musical will commence in Brisbane in January 2024 followed by seasons in Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and Canberra, with tickets on sale in
- [Review: TURN, TURN, TURN](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-turn-turn-turn/) - Some of the best science fiction I’ve seen was made for TV with sets made from cardboard. That’s not to say that I don’t like the blockbusters with SFX that blow our senses, but great sci-fi is about people who have everything to lose. TURN, TURN, TURN by Keith Gow is sci-fi that creates the feeling
- [Review: SLUTNIK™ 2: Planet of the Incels](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-slutnik-2-planet-of-the-incels/) - SLUTNIK™ 2: Planet of the Incels crash lands onto the stage for another camp fuelled adventure from planets far, far away. When the crew of cannibal sluts is forced to make a crash landing on an undiscovered world, new threats emerge that bring into question everything they thought they knew about the universe. First and foremost this
- [Six things not to miss at this year's Floriade](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/six-things-not-to-miss-at-this-years-floriade/) - Whether you’re looking to embark on a magical adventure or meet one of Australia’s most famed gardeners, Floriade 2023 has something for everyone. Australia’s biggest celebration of Spring returns to Canberra's Commonwealth Park from 16 September - 15 October featuring more than one million blooms designed around this year’s theme of Floral Wonderland. Once again,
- [Dear Evan Hansen to premiere in Sydney in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/dear-evan-hansen-to-premiere-in-sydney-in-2024/) - Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group have announced the Australian premiere of a brand-new production of the Broadway smash hit Dear Evan Hansen. Beloved on Broadway for its deeply personal and profoundly contemporary take on life and the way we live it Dear Evan Hansen will premiere in Sydney in October 2024 after striking a remarkable chord with audiences and
- [Sydney Theatre Company reveals 2024 Season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-theatre-company-reveals-2024-season/) - Sydney Theatre Company (STC) Artistic Director Kip Williams has announced the Company’s 2024 Season, which will include his new cine-theatre production, an adaptation of the iconic Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Starring solo performer Zahra Newman, Dracula will complete Williams’ trilogy of Victorian gothic stories that began with The Picture of Dorian Gray and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The 15-production strong Season,
- [Oh Miriam! - Stories from an Extraordinary Life](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/oh-miriam-stories-from-an-extraordinary-life/) - Join us on another unforgettable adventure through the extraordinary life and strong opinions of Miriam Margolyes. “My new book is called Oh Miriam! – something that has been said to me a lot over the years, often in tones of strong disapproval. It contains lots more revelations and stories and discoveries and I can’t wait to share
- [Melbourne Theatre Company reveals 2024 season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-theatre-company-reveals-2024-season/) - Melbourne Theatre Company Artistic Director & Co-CEO Anne-Louise Sarks has revealed the Company’s 2024 season. Season 2024, the second under Sarks’ artistic leadership, features 12 productions that offer brave works and daring performances, reflecting the Company’s vision of presenting stories that inspire conversations about who we are, how far we’ve come and where we’re going.
- [The Australian Ballet unveils a bold new season to captivate audiences in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-australian-ballet-unveils-a-bold-new-season-to-captivate-audiences-in-2024/) - The Australian Ballet has announced its 2024 season, a diverse and captivating program of works which honour the Company’s commitment to classical greats and future masterpieces. The Company dancers will have the opportunity to flex their technical and dramatic talents in the season that features two world premieres by globally acclaimed choreographers, two abstract masterworks of
- [Lights laughter and Dolly Diamond!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lights-laughter-and-dolly-diamond/) - Ladies, gentlemen, and all you fabulous folks in Melbourne, brace yourselves for a spectacle like no other, as the Queen of Cabaret, the unstoppable Dolly Diamond, takes to the stage in Ruthless the Musical! at St Kilda’s Alex Theatre in March 2024. Hold onto your sequins, because Dolly is here to sprinkle her magic dust and leave
- [Want to become Feast Festival‘s Poet-In-Residence for 2023](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/want-to-become-feast-festivals-poet-in-residence-for-2023/) - Feast Festival in association with Spoken Word SA and Adelaide City Library are seeking applications to participate in the 2023 Poet-In-Residence program this November. The Poet-In-Residence program encourages poets to step out of comfort zones, engage the public, and create collaborative new work. Through free bespoke workshops curated by the Poet-In-Residence, the poet will connect
- [Final Cast announced for La Cage aux Folles](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/final-cast-announced-for-la-cage-aux-folles/) - Debra Byrne, Peter Phelps, Genevieve Morris, Loredo Malcolm and Bev Killick will join the Melbourne cast of the hit Broadway musical La Cage aux Folles, opening at Arts Centre Melbourne from 9 November 2023. Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, the much-loved, 11 Times Tony Award-winning musical La Cage aux Folles is back in Melbourne starring one
- [From Oppression to Empowerment, Qtopia Sydney's New Home at Historic Darlinghurst Police Station](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/from-oppression-to-empowerment-qtopia-sydneys-new-home-at-historic-darlinghurst-police-station/) - In a momentous event marking a new era, the keys to Qtopia Sydney’s permanent space at the former Darlinghurst Police Station have been officially handed over. This historic occasion marks the culmination of a journey that began with a vision and the tireless efforts of many individuals and organisations committed to preserving and celebrating the
- [Tropical Fruits: Fruity Fair Day](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tropical-fruits-fruity-fair-day/) - Tropical Fruits annual Fair Day and FUNdraising event for fruity families, friends and pooches is back at the Lismore Showgrounds on Sunday 10 September 2023. Join Tropical Fruits at the Lismore Showgrounds Farmers Market area for another fun-filled day with your beloved favourites like Bake Off, Dog Show, Hat Competition, Photography Competition, DJs, Performances, Raffles,
- [Sensory experience LOVE LUST LOST arrives at The Austral](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sensory-experience-love-lust-lost-arrives-at-the-austral/) - Broad Encounters has announced the remarkable multi-disciplinary cast of the brand new immersive theatrical epic Love Lust Lost ahead of its first preview tonight (Friday 8 September 2023) at The Austral, Collingwood. Trained in aerial acrobatics, circus, physical theatre, music, ballet, contemporary dance, theatre and improvisational comedy, the eight-strong cast will showcase their diverse skills in an
- [R U OK? Day 2023: Be 'Here to hear' the people you care about](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/r-u-ok-day-2023-be-here-to-hear-the-people-you-care-about/) - R U OK? are calling on the LGBTIQ+ communities and their allies to let the people they care about know: I'm here to hear, every day of the year, as part of R U OK? Day on Thursday 14 September 2023. R U OK? have dedicated resources to help you know when and how to ask someone who
- [Final cast members revealed for GREASE](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/final-cast-members-revealed-for-grease/) - Producers of the upcoming all-new and electrifying production of GREASE are delighted to reveal the final performers joining the gang at Rydell High. The production opens at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne on 31 December 2023 and the Capitol Theatre, Sydney from 24 March 2024. Key cast members announced include Keanu Gonzalez (Hamilton) in the role of bad
- [Supporting LGBTIQ+ Communities For Victoria’s Pride](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/supporting-lgbtiq-communities-for-victorias-pride/) - Rainbow communities across Victoria will be celebrated over spring and summer with more than a dozen events and activities as part of the Regional Activation Program for Victoria's Pride. Geelong, Gippsland, Mildura, Shepparton, Wangaratta and Warrnambool are just some of the locations to host the events as part of the annual celebration of Victoria's diverse
- [WICKED officially flies into Sydney tonight!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/wicked-officially-flies-into-sydney-tonight/) - Rejoycify Sydney! The musical phenomenon WICKED officially opens tonight (Thursday 7 September) in Australia’s very own Emerald City at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. With huge anticipation and demand, the precinct around the Sydney Lyric has been decorated green to add to the excitement. “I’m thrilled we’re able to bring WICKED to Sydney which will coincide with its 20th anniversary
- [Queer Club is back for 2023](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-club-is-back-for-2023/) - Adelaide - get ready to sparkle and groove at the highly anticipated Queer Club event, a night of music, art, and love that's set to shine brighter than ever! Taking place at JIVE on Friday 3 November, this inclusive and vibrant celebration is open to all members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, promising a
- [TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL announces seasons in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tina-the-tina-turner-musical-announces-seasons-in-perth-adelaide-brisbane-and-melbourne-in-2024/) - The electrifying musical sensation, TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, has been setting Theatre Royal Sydney ablaze with its explosive performances, receiving standing ovations and rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. Today, the producers are excited to announce that the musical will be embarking on a journey across Australia, with upcoming seasons scheduled in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Melbourne in 2024.
- [GATSBY at The Green Light](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/gatsby-at-the-green-light/) - In a world-premiere event, GATSBY at The Green Light will transform the Sydney Opera House’s Studio into an unmissable experience this summer from 16 December 2023 to 25 February 2024. A wonderland of revelry, The Green Light is set to become the hottest club in town when GATSBY - a brand new cabaret variety show
- [Moulin Rouge! The Musical](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/moulin-rouge-the-musical/) - Moulin Rouge! The Musical has returned to Melbourne after its sold out 2021–22 season. I didn’t see it and heard trusted comments that ranged from “unmissable” to “soulless” and “everything that is wrong with commercial music theatre”. But when the confetti cannons explode onto an audience, who can’t wait to clap along to another Hey
- [QHub Safe Spaces celebrate Wear It Purple Day](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/qhub-safe-spaces-celebrate-wear-it-purple-day/) - Victoria's young lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer communities will have more safe spaces and crucial mental health supports with QHub in Geelong and Ballarat with outreach to Surf Coast. QHub is an LGBTIQ+ youth mental health project developed in partnership between Drummond Street Services Queerspace, Wellways in Geelong and Cafs
- [Melbourne Fringe Festival reveals 2023 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-fringe-festival-reveals-2023-program/) - This year’s Melbourne Fringe Festival program has officially dropped with a formidable 475 events bursting at the seams across the city and suburbs of Melbourne. Melbourne Fringe believes art is for everyone and at this year’s Festival, there is a show for every Victorian with loads of free and unique new art in every corner
- [MELT Festival announces 2023 program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melt-festival-announces-2023-program/) - MELT Festival, Brisbane’s forward and fearless annual celebration of queer art, artists, allies and ideas is back for an eighth edition, revealing its vibrant and eclectic 2023 program. Featuring ground-breaking home-grown music artists alongside international sensations, provocative and hilarious theatre, exhibitions showcasing exquisite photography, textile art and installations as well as a book launch and
- [Broadway smash hit & JULIET heads to Sydney in 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/broadway-smash-hit-juliet-heads-to-sydney-in-2024/) - The award-winning anthemic pop musical, & JULIET, is heading to Sydney in February 2024 after a spectacular sold-out season in Melbourne. The Australian production is led by Lorinda May Merrypor in the title role, Australian music industry legend Rob Mills as William Shakespeare and music theatre icon Amy Lehpamer rewrites the narrative as his wife Anne. & JULIET flips the script on
- [SLUTNIK™ 2: Planet of the Incels to premiere at Theatre Works this September](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/slutnik-2-planet-of-the-incels-to-premiere-at-theatre-works-this-september/) - Get ready for touchdown. Queer darling SLUTNIK™ (created by Flick) returns with its highly anticipated sequel, SLUTNIK™ 2: Planet of the Incels, premiering at Theatre Works St Kilda, this September. More than a century ago, a legendary crew of lesbian space cannibals triumphantly left Earth and all of its problems behind. Today, their descendants (and
- [Hayes Theatre Co announces Cast for A Little Night Music](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hayes-theatre-co-announces-cast-for-a-little-night-music/) - Hayes Theatre Co has announced the cast for the acclaimed Stephen Sondheim musical A Little Night Music, which opens in October. Winner of five Tony Awards including Best Musical, A Little Night Music is a wonderfully witty and deeply moving romance, exploring desire, passion and regret. Inspired by the 1955 Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, A
- [House of Oz is back bigger and better at this year's Edinburgh Fringe](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/house-of-oz-is-back-bigger-and-better-at-this-years-edinburgh-fringe/) - Voted Edinburgh Fringe's best venue in 2022, House of Oz at King's Hall in Newington is back bigger and better this year, presenting eight of Australia's most exciting new artists throughout August. Celebrating the best in Australian creativity, from site-specific immersive theatre to family entertainment, as well as the best in the worlds of comedy,
- [LGBTIQA+ Awareness & Inclusivity for Evaluators](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiqa-awareness-inclusivity-for-evaluators/) - An LGBTIQA+ Awareness & Inclusivity for Evaluators workshop will be presented as part of the pre-conference program of the 2023 AES International Evaluation Conference in Brisbane this September. Evaluators have increasingly recognised the need for evaluation to be more culturally responsive and more inclusive of 'broader spectrums of identity, culture and ways of being'. In
- [& JULIET heads to Perth this Summer](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/juliet-heads-to-perth-this-summer/) - The award-winning anthemic pop musical, & JULIET, is heading to Perth this December after a spectacular sold-out season in Melbourne. The Australian production is led by Lorinda May Merrypor in the title role, Australian music industry legend Rob Mills will hold the quill as Shakespeare, while music theatre icon Amy Lehpamer tries to rewrite the narrative as
- [LGBTQIA+ groups throw support behind the Yes vote on the Voice](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtqia-groups-throw-support-behind-the-yes-vote-on-the-voice/) - Almost six years after the national postal survey on marriage equality, LGBTQIA+ groups around the country have united in support of the Voice to parliament. In partnership with BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation, 22 LGBTQIA+ groups from around Australia on Wednesday joined together in support of the Yes campaign for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander constitutional recognition.
- [Jason Om to Host Honour Awards 2023 - NSW’s Leading LGBTQ Community Awards Celebration](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/jason-om-to-host-honour-awards-2023-nsws-leading-lgbtq-community-awards-celebration/) - 2023’s LGBTQ community Honour Awards evening will be hosted by acclaimed journalist and broadcaster Jason Om, who’ll be joined by singer Samantha Leith and a variety of presenters comprising local icons, allies and community members. “This is a brilliant opportunity to put up our achievements in bright lights - and to be proud of how far we’ve come despite
- [Malthouse Theatre announces 2024 Season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/malthouse-theatre-announces-2024-season/) - With eight works that explore and challenge the concepts of belief, fate and the rituals that bring us together today, Malthouse Theatre has announced its 2024 season. From the stage premiere of an award-winning Australian memoir about growing up the child of Black migrants in white middle-class Australia, to a world premiere new work from
- [Central Coast Vibrant Arts & Culture Festival - Coastal Twist](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/central-coast-vibrant-arts-culture-festival-coastal-twist/) - Central Coast NSW is set to fly its Rainbow Flag again with the much-anticipated Annual Coastal Twist LGBTIQA+ Arts and Culture Festival from 26 September to 2 October 2023. As Sydney and Newcastle’s closest regional neighbour, the festival has gone from strength to strength with Coastal Twist 2023 presenting for its third year and already
- [CHICAGO reveals sizzling hot Cast](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chicago-reveals-sizzling-hot-cast/) - A sizzling star-studded cast has been announced for the new Australian tour of one of Australia’s favourite musicals, CHICAGO. Tickets go on pre-sale tomorrow in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne, with general public tickets on sale from Friday 18 August. “The sharpest, slickest show on the block” (The Times UK) will play at Crown Theatre, Perth from November,
- [Honour Awards 2023: Advocates Fighting for Justice for Hate Crimes Victims for Decades to be Recognised](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/honour-awards-2023-advocates-fighting-for-justice-for-hate-crimes-victims-for-decades-to-be-recognised/) - The courageous and tireless efforts of those who have fought for justice for victims of LGBTQ hate crimes in NSW will be recognised with a special accolade at the 2023 Honour Awards. Organised by ACON, the Honour Awards acknowledges outstanding LGBTQ community service in NSW. This year’s event is being held on Wednesday 23 August at
- [New shows for Darren Criss in Sydney and Melbourne added due to overwhelming demand](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-shows-for-darren-criss-in-sydney-and-melbourne-added-due-to-overwhelming-demand/) - Just a handful of tickets remain for Darren Criss' hotly anticipated shows in Sydney and Melbourne, leading producers to announce additional shows in both cities. Fewer than 100 seats remain available for the Sydney and Melbourne dates, with shows in Adelaide, Canberra and Hobart also filling fast. To accommodate the huge demand for tickets an additional
- [Guys and Dolls](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/guys-and-dolls/) - This August, Antipodes Theatre Company (ATC) ambitiously reimagines Guys and Dolls for its 70th Anniversary, unleashing it at Chapel Off Chapel for a limited season. A musical masterpiece, 70 years on Guys and Dolls continues to take audiences on a magical journey. Winner of five Tony Awards and hailed as “A perfect musical comedy” (New York Daily
- [Nan Goldin: The ballad of sexual dependency](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/nan-goldin-the-ballad-of-sexual-dependency/) - Nan Goldin is one of the world’s most influential photographers and her iconic series of 126 photographs The ballad of sexual dependency is a defining artwork of the 1980s. The National Gallery recently acquired the last, complete edition of this cornerstone work, which is currently on display at the Gallery until 28 January 2024. Decades
- [Review: kerosene & SIRENS](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-kerosene-sirens/) - Amazing and heart-moving shows often become extraordinary and heart-tearing when they get the opportunity to be re-staged and seen by new audiences. Fortyfivedownstairs programmed two recent solo independent shows and gave them the time and space to develop into a night of theatre that reminds us why independent theatre is such an important part of
- [Review: Telethon Kid](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-telethon-kid/) - Alistair Baldwin’s uproarious new play, Telethon Kid opens with a montage you’d likely see in the waiting room of a bougie private practice: extreme close-ups of yellow flowers, laughing children on hospital beds; stock-photo retirees joking with their dead-eyed doctors and underscored by a general platitude -‘take care!’. It screams Big Pharma or an early 2000s Dove campaign; a
- [Malthouse Theatre announces season extension for new large-scale immersive theatre work Hour of the Wolf ahead of its world premiere in October](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/malthouse-theatre-announces-season-extension-for-new-large-scale-immersive-theatre-work-hour-of-the-wolf-ahead-of-its-world-premiere-in-october/) - Created by Matthew Lutton and Keziah Warner, Hour of the Wolf invites audiences to Hope Hill – a fictional town that is yours to freely explore on the longest night of the year, at The Malthouse from 19 October 2023. Hour of the Wolf builds on the landmark success of Because the Night, Australia’s first large-scale immersive theatre
- [March into OUR FUTURE at the 2024 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/march-into-our-future-at-the-2024-sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras-parade/) - The streets of Sydney will once again shine with pride and diversity as the iconic Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade returns to Oxford Street, Flinders Street and Anzac Parade on Saturday 2 March 2024. The parade is centred around the 2024 Festival theme Our Future... Building upon a 45-year history of powerful protest and
- [Top five secrets to discover in LOVE LUST LOST](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/top-five-secrets-to-discover-in-love-lust-lost/) - Choose-your-own theatrical-adventure style playground LOVE LUST LOST is currently being built in Melbourne in preparation for its premiere next month at The Austral, Collingwood. From the creators of the runaway underground hit, A Midnight Visit, which ran in Melbourne for an extraordinary 16 weeks in 2019, Broad Encounters' brand new immersive theatrical experience will span
- [Mackenzie Dunn and Brianna Bishop join the cast of GREASE](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mackenzie-dunn-and-brianna-bishop-join-the-cast-of-grease/) - Mackenzie Dunn, playing the role of Rizzo, and Brianna Bishop, in the role of Marty, are set to join the star-studded cast of GREASE, which opens at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre on 31 December 2023, before playing at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from 24 March 2024. Most recently seen in the lead role of Ella in the Australian premiere season of Midnight –
- [Chameleon](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chameleon-2/) - Stewart Reeve is hands down the most effervescent and captivating showman working in cabaret today, and his show Chameleon undeniably proves why. Strutting onto the stage with all the confidence of a consummate professional, Reeve immediately holds the audience in the palm of his hand. Treading the well-worn world of camp, Reeve is likable, endearing and just
- [Expressions of Interest Open for Victorian LGBTIQ+ Advisory Groups](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/expressions-of-interest-open-for-victorian-lgbtiq-advisory-groups/) - The Victorian Government is encouraging members of Victoria's lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer communities interested in helping shape government policies to make life better for their communities to join the next term of the LGBTIQ+ Taskforce and its working groups. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing has announced the opening of
- [Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street-2/) - The 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Sydney Opera House provided an opportunity for this Sydney season of Victorian Opera’s acclaimed production of the Stephen Sondheim/Hugh Wheeler Grand Guignol masterpiece, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; a production Victorian Opera shares with New Zealand Opera. This production stars Ben Mingay, a charismatic performer with an
- [Honour 2023: Finalists announced for NSW LGBTQ Community Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/honour-2023-finalists-announced-for-nsw-lgbtq-community-awards/) - Unsung heroes, inspirational individuals and outstanding community organisations comprise a diverse field of finalists for the 2023 Honour Awards, NSW’s premier awards celebration for LGBTQ communities. First held in 2007, the Honour Awards celebrates outstanding service to, and achievements within, LGBTQ communities in NSW. The awards are also a gala fundraising event for ACON, NSW’s
- [kerosene & SIRENS](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/kerosene-sirens/) - VIMH in association with fortyfivedownstairs presents kerosene & SIRENS - a double bill of acclaimed monodramas by Benjamin Nichol from 2 August 2023. In kerosene, Millie would do anything for her best friend Annie. No matter the consequence, no matter the cost. Times may be tough and Millie may not have much, but as long
- [Cirque du Soleil: CRYSTAL](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/cirque-du-soleil-crystal/) - A one-of-a-kind production that brings the circus arts to the ice for the very first-time, Cirque du Soleil presents CRYSTAL, currently playing at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre until 30 July, before touring to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Thrilling more than 1.8 million people worldwide since its creation in 2017, CRYSTAL blends the art of skating with
- [The Rangebow Festival returns for 2023](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-rangebow-festival-returns-for-2023/) - The largest four-day festival in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, The Rangebow Festival returns from Thursday 10 to Sunday 13 August 2023. The 2023 festival theme is Dream. Love. Live. The festival has experiences for everyone including: indigenous culture, film, theatre, cabaret, opera, food, nature, drag, live music and creative workshops. “The Range communities embraced the
- [Carriageworks Nights: Softcore, Consent and Feast](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/carriageworks-nights-softcore-consent-and-feast/) - Carriageworks, one of Australia’s most significant contemporary multi-arts organisations, has announced further details of its upcoming Carriageworks Nights program this August. The artist-led series of events, Softcore, Consent and Feast, invites audiences to gather after dark for a dynamic program spanning live performance, music, film and food. Softcore: On Thursday 17 August, video artist and
- [Hit Broadway musical La Cage Aux Folles to open in Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/hit-broadway-musical-la-cage-aux-folles-to-open-in-melbourne/) - The hit Broadway musical La Cage Aux Folles will open in Melbourne for a strictly limited season at Arts Centre Melbourne from 9 November 2023. The much-loved musical will star one of Australia’s most versatile stage and screen performers, five-time Helpmann Award winner Paul Capsis in the lead role of Albin and internationally renowned singer
- [Darren Criss returns to Australia for Five-City Tour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/darren-criss-returns-to-australia-for-five-city-tour/) - Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics Choice and Screen Actors Guild award-winner Darren Criss will make a triumphant return to Australia this year for a series of spectacular concerts in September. A multi-faceted artist with a career spanning television, film, music and stage, Criss will perform the hits of his career from Glee to Broadway and more at shows
- [Chameleon](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chameleon/) - Stewart Reeve, star of the hit show Rebel, returns to the stage this July with his award-winning one-man show, Chameleon. Running for three nights only this Melbourne premiere season has universal appeal and invites audiences on the remarkable journey powerhouse vocalist Stewart Reeve took to find his voice, his “unique” sound. Showcasing an unbelievable vocal
- [Celebrate the best and freshest queer filmmaking in the world at the 10th Queer Screen Film Fest this August](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrate-the-best-and-freshest-queer-filmmaking-in-the-world-at-the-10th-queer-screen-film-fest-this-august/) - Queer Screen Film Fest is coming in hot this winter with almost 40 of the best and freshest queer films, straight from major international festivals, landing in time for our 10th anniversary this August. This summer’s 30th Mardi Gras Film Festival, in the midst of Sydney WorldPride, was always going to be a hard act
- [Adelaide Fringe Fund Grant Applications Now Open for 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-fringe-fund-grant-applications-now-open-for-2024/) - The Adelaide Fringe Fund is now accepting grant applications from artists and venues looking to participate in the 2024 Adelaide Fringe. Last year, more than 200 grants totalling $1 million were given out to artists, producers and venues to participate in the 2023 Adelaide Fringe. A grant from the Adelaide Fringe Fund is a great
- [GREASE musical to Partner with Olivia Newton-John Wellness & Research Centre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/grease-musical-to-partner-with-olivia-newton-john-wellness-research-centre/) - The No. 1 Party Musical GREASE, which opens at Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre on 31 December and Sydney’s Capitol Theatre from March 2024, is proud to announce the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre as the Official Charity Partner. In addition to this, GREASE’s very own “Sandy”, Annelise Hall, is delighted to be the official Ambassador for
- [Jake DuPree joins Blanc de Blanc Encore](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/jake-dupree-joins-blanc-de-blanc-encore/) - Strut & Fret producer, Scott Maidment is delighted to announce that international burlesque performer, fitness instructor, accomplished dancer, and acrobat Jake DuPree (they/them) is joining the Blanc de Blanc troupe from Wednesday 16 August 2023. Jake, who just became the first non-binary person to perform at the Crazy Horse in Paris, is thrilled to be bringing their unique
- [Burn the Floor set for East Coast Tour of Australia](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/burn-the-floor-set-for-east-coast-tour-of-australia/) - World-renowned Australian ballroom dance company Burn the Floor has for the very first time collaborated with the hugely talented First Nations star Mitch Tambo to create a brand-new dance production that will tour the east coast of Australia from 21 July to 13 August 2023. This ground-breaking and inspirational journey embraces a mix of Indigenous culture and music with favourite
- [Thorne Harbour Health celebrates 40 years of supporting LGBTIQ+ communities and people living with HIV](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/thorne-harbour-health-celebrates-40-years-of-supporting-lgbtiq-communities-and-people-living-with-hiv/) - Wednesday 12 July 2023 marked 40 years since the founding of Thorne Harbour Health, Australia's oldest HIV/AIDS organisation and now one of the largest LGBTIQ+ community-controlled health organisations in the country. This month the organisation is hosting a series of exhibitions and community forums to reflect on the past four decades as well as inform
- [Reignite this winter at Gertrude Street Projection Festival 2023](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/reignite-this-winter-at-gertrude-street-projection-festival-2023/) - The iconic Gertrude Street Projection Festival (GSPF) returns for its 15th year in 2023, weaving together community, art, public spaces, night and sublime light installations for everyone to enjoy for free. For ten nights from 27 July – 6 August, audiences will be invited to experience a confluence of projections by 11 of the Festival’s
- [The Drag Experiment](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-drag-experiment/) - The show of the year for drag lovers, science nerds, and all folks across the LGBTQIA+ and STEM spectra, The Drag Experiment takes over the Powerhouse Museum on Thursday 17 August, as part of Science Week. Headlined by four phenomenal people who are scientists by day and drag performers by night. You’ll be dazzled with
- [Abbotsford Convent presents DisGraceland by The Huxleys this August](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/abbotsford-convent-presents-disgraceland-by-the-huxleys-this-august/) - Abbotsford Convent will present the exhibition, DisGraceland by Melbourne-based collaborative performance and visual artists, The Huxleys, from 10 – 19 August, as well as a workshop and performance night with the dynamic duo, Will and Garrett Huxley (Aus/Yorta Yorta/Gumbaynggirr). DisGraceland sees The Huxleys on a wild road trip across rural Victoria for a lurid fever dream capturing
- [Griffin Theatre Company presents Jailbaby this July](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/griffin-theatre-company-presents-jailbaby-this-july/) - Griffin Theatre Company will present multi-award-winning playwright Suzie Miller’s captivating new work, Jailbaby, at the SBW Stables Theatre from 7 July 2023. AJ stole a few iPhones, a huge TV and a Socceroos jersey. AJ wasn’t meant to be spotted at the scene. AJ wasn’t meant to get ID’d in the line up. AJ wasn’t meant to
- [See the Northern Lights in Daylesford this Winter](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/see-the-northern-lights-in-daylesford-this-winter-2/) - Andrew Kay and Associates, in partnership with Gluttony and, supported by the Victorian Government, present BOREALIS on the Lake. Daylesford’s night sky will light up in colour again this winter, every Thursday to Sunday from 20 July to 1 October 2023. Dreaming of seeing the Northern Lights? Make it a reality without travelling across the world. Created
- [Melbourne Cabaret Festival returns](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-cabaret-festival-returns/) - The Melbourne Cabaret Festival makes its highly anticipated return this week from Tuesday 4 to Sunday 9 July 2023. Headliners Prinnie Stevens and the Kransky Sisters and another 10 shows complete the line-up, kicking off with the Gala Opening Soiree on Tuesday July 4 Emceed by Rachel Berger. Featured in the 2023 Festival line-up are,
- [This Is Living](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/this-is-living/) - This July, Malthouse Theatre presents Ash Flanders’ new work, This Is Living, a semi-autobiographical play that turns The Malthouse into a Hepburn Springs getaway. Check your emotional baggage at the door because this self-described gang of queers, singles, and divorcees is going on holiday. Hugh has organised a fabulous weekend away for his partner and
- [Michael Gow’s AWAY returns to the stage this July](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/michael-gows-away-returns-to-the-stage-this-july/) - Michael Gow’s timeless Australian classic play, Away, returns to the stage in a reimagined production at Theatre Works this July. Shakespearean in structure, but deeply personal in tone, Away is a uniquely Australian look at small families… and their epic stories. In the Summer of 1967, as the Vietnam War rages, we join three separate suburban families as they
- [Empowering LGBTIQA+ Leaders: The LGBTIQA+ Leadership Summit 2023 Set to Make Waves in Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/empowering-lgbtiqa-leaders-the-lgbtiqa-leadership-summit-2023-set-to-make-waves-in-sydney/) - The Leadership Institute is proud to announce the LGBTIQA+ Leadership Summit 2023, taking place at the Intercontinental Double Bay in Sydney from 22 August 2023. The summit aims to empower LGBTIQA+ individuals to overcome career obstacles and take their rightful places at leadership tables by focusing on innovation, empowerment, and inclusivity. The summit commences with
- [Sean Szeps: Not Like Other Dads](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sean-szeps-not-like-other-dads/) - Not Like Other Dads is a fearless, frank and funny memoir about reinventing the rules of parenting by Sean Szeps. Sean had wanted to be a mum since the age of four, when he fell in love with Mrs Potts, the motherly teapot in Beauty and the Beast. But there was just one problem: he was not,
- [Miss Peony comes to Belvoir Street Theatre before National Tour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/miss-peony-comes-to-belvoir-street-theatre-before-national-tour/) - A comedy of beauty pageants, unrealistic expectations, and the business of family, Belvoir Street Theatre presents the world premiere of Miss Peony by Michelle Law in the Upstairs Theatre from 1 July, before a national tour. Miss Peony is a bold new comedy about our good old need for connection - to family, the past, the
- [Victorian LGBTIQ+ Community Organisations unite to address far-right activism](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/victorian-lgbtiq-community-organisations-unite-to-address-far-right-activism/) - On the anniversary of the Stonewall riots, an alliance of 45 Victorian LGBTIQ+ community organisations have united to demand action and voice their deep concerns over the escalating threat posed to the rights of LGBTIQ+ individuals by far-right activism. "We are taking on the responsibility of keeping our communities safe from the rising tide of
- [ORACLE returns to Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/oracle-returns-to-sydney/) - With sell-out Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide seasons, ORACLE returns to Sydney following its first Sydney season in August 2022 at Sydney Opera House, and will bring more intoxicating magic to Roslyn Packer Theatre from 29 June to 8 July 2023. From the creative team behind the award-winning MATADOR and the critically acclaimed MANSION, comes the latest
- [Tasmania's Dark Mofo wraps for 2023](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tasmanias-dark-mofo-wraps-for-2023/) - A decade of darkness concluded in Nipaluna / Hobart on Thursday 22 June, as the midwinter festival Dark Mofo wrapped up for another year. Dark Mofo supporters set new attendance records for the festival this year, which ran over 14 days showcasing a remarkable and diverse array of around 400 artists in 65 events at 35 venues across the city, with a
- [Adelaide Cabaret Festival celebrates one of the biggest and best years yet](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festival-celebrates-one-of-the-biggest-and-best-years-yet/) - Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2023 has ended on a high, celebrating one of the most successful years yet, featuring more than 30 sold-out performances over 12 days and nights of glittering shows by a star-studded line-up of the brightest and boldest performers. There were more than 50,000 attendances at the world’s largest cabaret festival this year,
- [CHICAGO The Musical returns to Australia](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/chicago-returns-to-australia/) - Murder, greed, corruption, exploitation, adultery, treachery … and All That Jazz … so begins the international multi-award-winning musical, CHICAGO. "The sharpest, slickest show on the block" (The Times, UK) is returning to Australia this year featuring a star-studded cast. CHICAGO will play at Crown Theatre, Perth from November, the Lyric Theatre QPAC from January 2024
- [City of Angels to open at the Hayes Theatre Co](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/city-of-angels-to-open-at-the-hayes-theatre-co/) - Capturing the gritty sights and sounds of Hollywood’s classic detective movies and set to a brilliant, jazzy Hollywood score, Joshua Robson Productions presents the Tony Award winning stylish film noir musical, City of Angels at Hayes Theatre Co from 23 June 2023. Winner of six Tony Awards including Best Musical, City of Angels stars Glenn Hill (Matilda),
- [Sydney Opera House announces month-long 50th Birthday Festival for October](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-opera-house-announces-month-long-50th-birthday-festival-for-october/) - A month-long series of free community events, world-premieres, contemporary performance and public art has been announced for the Sydney Opera House’s 50th Birthday Festival in October. Supported by the NSW Government’s Blockbusters Funding initiative, the festival marks the culmination of the year-long 50th anniversary season, and invites everyone to a celebration of the Opera House’s legacy and future.
- [Jeremy Neideck: Queer(y)ing the Australian Way of Life (extract)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/jeremy-neideck-queerying-the-australian-way-of-life-extract/) - ABSTRACT: There is something queer about living in so-called Australia. There are patterns of potential for ‘the Australian way of life’ encoded in the work of queer performing artists who seem to be engaging in a project of nationhood as creative practice. In this paper Jeremy Neideck considers the work of three contemporary queer performance
- [Yarra Trams launches #AllAboard Design Competition 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/yarra-trams-launches-allaboard-design-competition-2024/) - For the fourth consecutive year, Yarra Trams, in partnership with JOY 94.9, Midsumma and the Victorian Pride Centre, are incredibly excited to be wrapping one of their trams to celebrate Melbourne’s diverse communities and welcome those from all walks of life aboard our trams and their network. As the proud operators of the world's largest
- [New immersive theatre LOVE LUST LOST to open in Melbourne](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-immersive-theatre-love-lust-lost-to-open-in-melbourne/) - Broad Encounters have announced its brand new immersive theatrical epic, LOVE LUST LOST, will take up residency from 8 September 2023 at one of Melbourne’s last remaining original picture theatres and dance halls, The Austral in Collingwood. Following on from the success of underground gothic hit A MIDNIGHT VISIT, which attracted more than 67,000 people
- [Backing LGBTIQ+ Arts in Bendigo and across Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/backing-lgbtiq-arts-in-bendigo-and-across-victoria/) - Events celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) communities will continue to drive inclusion in Bendigo and beyond, with more support from the Victorian Government. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing and the Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards today celebrated new funding for the Bendigo Queer Arts Festival delivered via
- [Geraldine Quinn: BROAD](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/geraldine-quinn-broad/) - Fierce rock-cabaret singer-songwriter and comedian Geraldine Quinn returns to Adelaide this June with her original, sold-out, multi-award winning triumph of a cabaret - BROAD. Agnes Moorehead. Rhonda Burchmore. Vivienne Westwood with a tit out. There is something heady about those brassy broads we grew up admiring. Geraldine Quinn grew up idolising fabulous, bold, brassy (mostly
- [Get Out and About with Bilo Rainbows Fun in the Sun!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/get-out-and-about-with-bilo-rainbows-fun-in-the-sun/) - Following a successful Pride Picnic in the Park in 2022, Bilo Rainbow are keen to celebrate Pride month with the LGBTQIA+ community in the Banana Shire. On Saturday 17 June, the LGBTQIA+ community and their Ally’s can get Out and About for Bilo Rainbow’s Fun in the Sun at the Biloela Lions Park. A slightly different
- [Sydney Fringe Festival announces 2023 program highlights](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-fringe-festival-announces-2023-program-highlights/) - Sydney Fringe Festival, New South Wales’ largest independent arts festival, has announced program highlights for 2023. Presented across the city from 1 – 30 September 2023, this year’s Festival marks Kerri Glasscock’s 10th year as Festival Director and CEO, featuring a dynamic program spanning theatre, music, comedy, visual art, film, musical theatre, dance, circus, street
- [Trans-Tasman Badminton Tournament heads to Perth this November](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/trans-tasman-badminton-tournament-heads-to-perth-this-november/) - Ready to witness a sporting spectacle that celebrates diversity? Queer Badminton WA and the Western Swifts is excited to announce the Trans-Tasman Badminton Tournament - the grandest queer badminton event in the Southern Hemisphere will take place in Perth on Saturday 4 November. Let's rally together at the Kingsway Indoor Stadium for an event that
- [International Superstar Matt Gilbertson – Hans awarded Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2023 Icon Award](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/international-superstar-matt-gilbertson-hans-awarded-adelaide-cabaret-festival-2023-icon-award/) - In front of a full house at the Festival Theatre, beloved South Australian entertainer, Matt Gilbertson – Hans, “International superstar” has been announced as the recipient of the Adelaide Cabaret Festival 2023 Icon Award at The Variety Gala. Australia’s favourite Berlin boy-wonder and award-winning performer is a crowd favourite at Adelaide Cabaret Festival and has
- [Celebrating Our Diverse LGBTIQ+ Communities Across Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrating-our-diverse-lgbtiq-communities-across-victoria/) - Community groups, organisations and artists have the chance to be part of Victoria's state-wide celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) communities this summer. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing is encouraging groups and individuals to apply for grants of up to $15,000 to be part of the Victoria's Pride
- [The Culture](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-culture/) - After a successful tour across New Zealand and Australia and debut run in New York, Sydney based theatre company, Powersuit Productions brings their brand-new Australian work, The Culture, to Theatre Works' Explosives Factory in June. Emerging Australian playwright, Laura Jackson has penned a touching and relevant two hander play about a deep and enduring friendship,
- [RISING opens to ignite Melbourne’s Winter with Music, Art, Culture and Food](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rising-opens-to-ignite-melbournes-winter-with-music-art-culture-and-food/) - RISING is here! Over the next 12 nights from today (Wednesday 7 June), the city will surge into life, with music, food, art and culture under moonlight, as RISING unleashes its expansive program of 185 events featuring more than 800 artists, including 35 commissions and 12 world premieres. A festival you do in the city
- [Charter to embed pride in the fabric of Oxford Street](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/charter-to-embed-pride-in-the-fabric-of-oxford-street/) - A new precinct pride business charter has been established to ensure Sydney’s Oxford Street retains its queer character and its rich history continues to be celebrated for years to come. Last night Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore and Alex Greenwich MP came together with representatives from the Oxford Street Pride Steering Committee, local businesses
- [Pride at Play arrives at St Kilda Town Hall for Pride Month](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/pride-at-play-arrives-at-st-kilda-town-hall-for-pride-month/) - Port Phillip Council is taking Pride Month to the next level by hosting an LGBTIQA+ interactive gaming exhibition at the Carlisle Street Arts Space (CSAS) inside St Kilda Town Hall. Pride at Play is a free curated exhibition that celebrates thoughtful videogames and tabletop role-playing games made by the LGBTIQA+ community, with the LGBTIQA+ community
- [MQFF announces Sophie Saville as the Winner of Pitch, Pleez! for Pineapple](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mqff-announces-sophie-saville-as-the-winner-of-pitch-pleez-for-pineapple/) - Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) has announced filmmaker, Sophie Saville as the winner of $10,000 cash funding through their Pitch, Pleez! competition for Pineapple. Proudly supported by VicScreen, the Pitch, Pleez! competition invites the finalists to present their pitch in front of a live audience and panel of industry judges. A diverse selection of finalists
- [Tropical Fruits: The Fur King Ball](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tropical-fruits-the-fur-king-ball/) - Attention all drag kings and furry friends! Tropical Fruits invites you to a night of woofing good fun at The FUR KING BALL - presented at the Lismore Turf Club on Saturday 10 June 2023. Unleash your inner animal and explore your kingly power. Witness the spectacle of our drag king performances, dance the night
- [Sunflower to screen at 70th Sydney Film Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sunflower-to-screen-at-70th-sydney-film-festival/) - Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival proudly participated in the esteemed Goes to Cannes initiative for the first time, bringing a captivating selection of LGBTQIA+ films to the world stage. As the first-ever Australian partner of Goes to Cannes, Queer Screen joined an exclusive line-up of renowned festivals, marking a significant milestone in the organization's
- [13 Years of Ghosting Greatness - Wrestling for Fun Adelaide](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/13-years-of-ghosting-greatness-wrestling-for-fun-adelaide/) - Thirteen might be an unlucky number for some, but it’s a sign of success for a collective of guys who … well, what happens in fight club, stays in fight club. Sunday 28 May 2023 marked the 13th anniversary of Wrestling for Fun - a collective that began as five gay and bi guys who
- [Brisbane Festival and QPAC announce two world premiere stage works for Brisbane Festival 2023](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/brisbane-festival-and-qpac-announce-two-world-premiere-stage-works-for-brisbane-festival-2023/) - Brisbane Festival, in association with Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), is thrilled to announce it will stage the world premiere season of Bananaland – a brand-new musical comedy by two of Australia’s most talented contemporary composers. Created by Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall, Bananaland is equal parts hilarious and uplifting, features a cast of unforgettable characters and makes its
- [Funding to develop Tasmanian LGBTIQ+ Action Plan welcomed](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/funding-to-develop-tasmanian-lgbtiq-action-plan-welcomed/) - Equality Tasmania and Working It Out have welcomed funding announced in the Tasmanian state budget. The Tasmanian Government has allocated $175,000 for Equality Tasmania and Working It Out to help develop the state's LGBTIQ+ Action Plan, with half that amount for each organisation. "We welcome the Government's funding because it will ensure the skills and
- [Principal Cast Members announced for WICKED](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/principal-cast-members-announced-for-wicked/) - On behalf of his co-producers Marc Platt, Universal Pictures, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone, John Frost for Crossroads Live have announced the talented lead cast in the Broadway Blockbuster musical WICKED, which flies into Australia’s Emerald City at the Sydney Lyric from 25 August. Playing the role of the conniving and manipulative
- [How drag as an art form sashayed from the underground and strutted into the mainstream](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/how-drag-as-an-art-form-sashayed-from-the-underground-and-strutted-into-the-mainstream/) - Recent protests against drag queen story hours are the latest in a series of actions targeting the increased prominence of displays of LGBTIQ+ culture in the public arena. But drag artists have been strutting their stuff in speakeasies, cabarets and films for a long time now. The long history of cross-dressing There is a long global history
- [MAMMA MIA! The Musical opens in Sydney tonight!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mamma-mia-the-musical-opens-in-sydney-tonight/) - The global musical phenomenon MAMMA MIA! The Musical opens tonight at the Sydney Lyric Theatre! Featuring 22 of ABBA’s greatest hits, including Dancing Queen, Voulez Vous, S.O.S and Take a Chance On Me, the iconic songs you know and love are guaranteed to have you dancing in the aisles. Starring in this exciting new Australian production as Donna Sheridan is
- [Winter heats up with the return of Open Season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/winter-heats-up-with-the-return-of-open-season/) - There’s no chance of hibernation this winter with the return of Open Season, Brisbane’s premier program of contemporary live music and performance from May to August. Presented by two iconic live music venues - The Tivoli and The Princess Theatre - Open Season’s third outing takes the chill off Brisbane’s winter with more than 30
- [The Chronic Cabaret](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-chronic-cabaret/) - Changing the narrative and showing off what disabled people CAN do, Rosie Roulette presents The Chronic Cabaret at the Kindred Bandroom on Friday 26 May and Saturday 27 May 2023. Showcasing a full cast of disabled and chronically ill performers, all telling their stories through the art of burlesque, song, drag, circus and more. Each has a
- [Rainbow Families host seminar for LGBTQ+ Community to explore pathways to Parenthood.](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/rainbow-families-host-seminar-for-lgbtq-community-to-explore-pathways-to-parenthood/) - LGBTQ+ charity Rainbow Families is on a mission to celebrate, empower and advocate for rainbow families at every stage of their life, and that includes the journey to intended parenthood many will embark on this year. In support, the charity will host their annual Making Rainbow Families Seminar on Sunday 25 June 2023 to assist those in the
- [Building LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Across Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/building-lgbtiq-inclusion-across-victoria/) - The Victorian State Government is backing LGBTIQ+ events across Victoria, as well as supporting hundreds of service organisations across Victoria to become more inclusive for queer communities. Marking IDAHOBIT, Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Equality Harriet Shing announced the Government is investing $1.85 million for Rainbow Health Australia to deliver inclusion training to service
- [Celebrate Pride Month at the Victorian Pride Centre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/celebrate-pride-month-at-the-victorian-pride-centre/) - Experience, create and celebrate at the Victorian Pride Centre this June with a jam-packed program of Pride Month events. Featuring cabaret, comedy, creative workshops, movie screenings, classical music performances, and more. Australia’s purpose-built home for LGBTIQ+ communities is excited to be celebrating Pride Month with a host of events taking place throughout the Victorian Pride
- [Melbourne Cabaret Festival reveals full program for 2023](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-cabaret-festival-reveals-full-program-for-2023/) - The Melbourne Cabaret Festival has announced the full program for its highly anticipated return from Tuesday 4 to Sunday 9 July 2023. Following the announcement of headliners Prinnie Stevens and the Kransky Sisters another 12 shows complete the line-up in that kicks off with a Gala Opening Soiree on Tuesday 4 July hosted by Rachel Berger. Featured
- [Melbourne Queer Film Festival announces new Program Director](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-queer-film-festival-announces-new-program-director/) - Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) has announced the appointment of Cerise Howard as the new Program Director for the festival. Hailing from Aotearoa New Zealand, Cerise is a seasoned film festival professional, having co-founded and directed the Czech and Slovak Film Festival of Australia and co-founded tilde: Melbourne Trans and Gender Diverse Film Festival. Cerise
- [Melbourne Rainbow Band presents Just Dance!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/melbourne-rainbow-band-presents-just-dance/) - The Melbourne Rainbow Band are back with their first major concert of 2023 with Just Dance! at the St Kilda Town Hall on Sunday 21 May. Under the baton of Music Director Tracy Videon, the Melbourne Rainbow Band (MRB) is proud to present Just Dance! - a foot-stomping performance that will have you moving to
- [Thorne Harbour Health calls for action Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia in Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/thorne-harbour-health-calls-for-action-against-homophobia-biphobia-and-transphobia-in-victoria/) - In the lead up to IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia), Victoria’s LGBTIQ+ community-controlled health organisation, Thorne Harbour Health, is calling for swift and collective action to address the recent series of attacks on Victoria’s LGBTIQ+ communities. “While IDAHOBIT is a chance to acknowledge the discrimination faced by our LGBTIQ+ communities internationally, this
- [Adelaide's Feast Festival Calling for Front Cover Program Guide Designs](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaides-feast-festival-calling-for-front-cover-program-guide-designs/) - Dreaming of Front Cover Fame? Adelaide's Feast Festival is shouting out to all artists, photographers, illustrators, designers and all creatives to enter a design that could become the front cover of the 2023 Feast Festival Program Guide. Feast Festival is re-introducing the Front Cover Commission for 2023 and are seeking sketches or an outline of
- [Sisterhood of the Travelling Lighter](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sisterhood-of-the-travelling-lighter/) - Theatrically portraying the unique lens of womanhood and explores a rich tapestry of connection and love, Crash Theatre Company presents Sisterhood of the Travelling Lighter at The Blue Room Theatre from 16 May 2023. Forged by Ana Ferreira Manhoso and Courtney McManus, two young female theatremakers, Crash produces radical and future bound independent theatre that
- [Review: Loaded](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-loaded/) - Adapted from Christos Tsiolkas’ 1995 debut novel, Loaded established him as a “provocative master of the written word” and a lexicon of Australian literature. In 1998 it was released as the much lauded film, Head On, directed by Ana Kokkinos and starring Alex Dimitriades and Paul Capsis. Dividing some in the Greek and the Gay communities for its
- [Queer Screen goes to Cannes](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queer-screen-goes-to-cannes/) - Queer Screen ‘Goes to Cannes’ and will be packing five work-in-progress productions to represent at the acclaimed Marché du Film, occurring in conjunction with the 76th Cannes Film Festival on the French Riviera this month. Each year the Marché du Film offers renowned festivals the chance to showcase their selection of original work-in-progress feature titles
- [Bert LaBonté joins the cast for Moulin Rouge! The Musical return Melbourne season](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/bert-labonte-joins-the-cast-for-moulin-rouge-the-musical-return-melbourne-season/) - Moulin Rouge! The Musical is thrilled to announce Melbourne’s own Bert LaBonté will join the glittering world of bohemians and aristocrats for the production’s much-anticipated return Melbourne season, stepping into the role of Montmartre artiste Toulouse-Lautrec. One of Australia’s leading men, Bert LaBonté’s career spans three decades across theatre, television and film. LaBonté received the coveted
- [Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street/) - With generous servings of greed, lust, and vengeance, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is coming to the Sydney Opera House this winter from 22 July to 27 August. Winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Sweeney Todd has thrilled audiences worldwide with its emotive score and compellingly complex characters. Stephen Sondheim’s celebrated music and lyrics,
- [New Theatre launches Season 2023 July – December](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/new-theatre-launches-season-2023-july-december/) - Sydney’s New Theatre has revealed its quartet of plays for second half of 2023. From a world premiere, two Australian premieres, and the revival of a queer classic, this quartet of plays will continue New Theatre’s tradition of presenting affordable theatre without skimping on quality. “What a wonderful feeling to finally get to launch a
- [The Queer Gaze opens at Victorian Pride Centre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-queer-gaze-opens-at-victorian-pride-centre/) - A thought-provoking and visually stunning showcase of queer history and culture, shedding light on the resilience and creativity of the lesbian community, the Victorian Pride Centre's Visual Arts Panel is thrilled to present The Queer Gaze, curated by Lisa Salmon. The Queer Gaze features a stunning collection of images from the iconic lesbian magazine Wicked
- [Christos Tsiolkas' novel Loaded makes theatrical debut at the Malthouse Theatre](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/christos-tsiolkas-novel-loaded-makes-theatrical-debut-at-the-malthouse-theatre/) - The Malthouse Theatre presents the theatrical debut of Christos Tsiolkas' ground-breaking novel, Loaded, in the Beckett Theatre for a limited season this May. Almost 30 years ago, Tsiolkas’ debut novel Loaded painted a portrait of a young man who is restlessly searching for himself in opposing worlds. To this day, the story resonates with migrant
- [Midsumma's 2024 Cover Art Commission NOW OPEN!](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/midsummas-2024-cover-art-commission-now-open/) - Melbourne's Midsumma Festival is inviting artists, photographers, illustrators, designers and all creatives to enter a design that could become the front cover of the 2024 Midsumma Festival program guide and motif for the festival. Midsumma is inviting you to submit draft sketches, designs, or creative examples of your ideas. We're looking for a piece of
- [GREASE to return to Australia from January 2024](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/grease-to-return-to-australia-from-january-2024/) - You better shape up Australia because a brand-new production of the number one party musical GREASE is set to debut as Melbourne’s summer musical at Her Majesty’s Theatre from January 2024 and the Capitol Theatre, Sydney from March 2024! Packed with explosive energy and a soon-to-be-announced star cast, GREASE returns to Australian stages in a multi-million dollar production that’s
- [David Rosetzky: Air to Atmosphere](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/david-rosetzky-air-to-atmosphere/) - David Rosetzky’s commission, Air to Atmosphere explores the diversity, trauma, resilience, and pride of the LGBTQIA+ community on Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Central Victoria. Presented throughout the Castlemaine Art Museum, commencing with the Terrace Projection screening every evening from dusk, Air to Atmosphere celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community through video, photography, publishing, performance and an extensive website. Renowned
- [MATADOR la experiencia to make Adelaide debut](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/matador-la-experiencia-to-make-adelaide-debut/) - The Queen’s Theatre Adelaide will come alive this Friday with the five-star, award-winning box-office hit show MATADOR la experiencia - a fiery fusion of dance, circus, burlesque and jaw-dropping circus acts. Featuring live music and pre-show entertainment with seductive live vocals MATADOR la experiencia is a celebration of love, friendship and the bonds that hold us together. VIP
- [St Kilda Film Festival launches biggest ever program](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/st-kilda-film-festival-launches-biggest-ever-program/) - St Kilda Film Festival (SKFF) has announced the full 2023 program including Australia’s top short films, which is set to be the biggest ever festival in 39 years. Presented by City of Port Phillip the program features more than 100 films to be shown over 18 screening sessions at venues across St Kilda, and for
- [Mardi Gras Community Awards 2023](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/mardi-gras-community-awards-2023/) - A world-class Festival needs a world-class workforce to bring it to life – and thanks to the time, talent and dedication of thousands of volunteers we brought the first WorldPride in the Southern Hemisphere to our shores earlier this year. Recently, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras gathered to recognise the brightest stars of their
- [Queering the Canon](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/queering-the-canon/) - Queer writing is more vital than ever, but what are the perspective-shifting texts that have inspired and uplifted today’s authors? Presented as part of the Melbourne Writer's Festival, hear from a stellar line-up of local and international queer writers as they share insight into the stories that have shaped how they think and write about
- [Sydney Dance Company’s Ascent to make Adelaide debut](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-dance-companys-ascent-to-make-adelaide-debut/) - Sydney Dance Company takes to the stage direct from sell-out Sydney and Canberra shows with the spellbinding triple-bill Ascent – which is set to premiere in Adelaide at the Dunstan Playhouse in May. In an inspired triple-bill, Ascent features the work of three leading contemporary choreographers, with the world premiere of Spanish choreographer Marina Mascarell’s The Shell, A Ghost, The
- [Telling the Stories of Central Victoria's LGBTIQ+ Communities](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/telling-the-stories-of-central-victorias-lgbtiq-communities/) - The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender diverse, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) communities across central Victoria are being highlighted through a swag of events supported by the Victorian Government. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing is highlighting that the activities in Castlemaine, including an art exhibition, evening with a legendary entertainer and podcast launch,
- [Headline acts announced for return of the Melbourne Cabaret Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/headline-acts-announced-for-return-of-the-melbourne-cabaret-festival/) - The Melbourne Cabaret Festival is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated return from Tuesday 4 to Sunday 9 July 2023. Festival Producer Neville Sice revealed that two of Australia’s favourite acts, RnB songstress Prinnie Stevens and award-winning music comedy trio The Kransky Sisters will headline the festival. “We were determined to mark our return with
- [Moulin Rouge! The Musical gets ready to arrive in Brisbane](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/moulin-rouge-the-musical-gets-ready-to-arrive-in-brisbane/) - Ten-time Tony Award-winning musical Moulin Rouge! The Musical will have its first Brisbane performance in the Lyric Theatre at Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) on Tuesday 16 May 2023 when Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary film comes to life onstage remixed in a musical mash-up extravaganza. Since lifting its curtain around Australia, the production has welcomed nearly one million
- [Adelaide's Feast Festival appoints Tish Naughton as new CEO](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaides-feast-festival-appoints-tish-naughton-as-new-ceo/) - Adelaide’s Feast Festival has announced the appointment of entrepreneur and community member Tish Naughton as its new CEO. This announcement is serendipitous with international Lesbian Visability Week this week! Feast Festival is Adelaide’s not-for-profit Queer Arts and Cultural Festival, bringing together LGBTQIA+ artists and community members to celebrate all things Pride. Naughton is a visionary
- [The Hatchery: 2nd Public Sector LGBTQIA+ Leadership and Allyship Summit](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-hatchery-2nd-public-sector-lgbtqia-leadership-and-allyship-summit/) - Inspiring, celebrating and supporting our community of communities to become great leaders, The Hatchery presents the 2nd Public Sector LGBTQIA+ Leadership and Allyship Summit in Melbourne and Online this May. The Summit will provide current and emerging public sector LGBTQIA+ leaders and allies an open, safe and engaging space to come together, share advice & lessons
- [Inaugural LGBTQIA+ Leadership & Allyship Summit to take place in Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/inaugural-lgbtqia-leadership-allyship-summit-to-take-place-in-sydney/) - The first ever summit for LGBTQIA+ leaders AND allies in Australia, The Hatchery presents the LGBTQIA+ Leadership and Allyship Summit in Sydney and Online from 31 May - 1 June 2023. From showing up as your authentic self, to having challenging conversations, calling out bias and identifying opportunities to better support future LGBTQIA+ leaders, this summit
- [Sydney pride of place on the global LGBTIQA+ stage](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/sydney-pride-of-place-on-the-global-lgbtiqa-stage/) - Sydney can take pride in the successes of the last few weeks with rainbows, street parties, art installations, concerts, and good times that attracted hundreds of thousands of people. The biggest pride festival in the world and the return of Mardi Gras to Oxford Street presented the opportunity to showcase Sydney in all its glory
- [Review: Jordan Gray - Is it a Bird?](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-jordan-gray-is-it-a-bird/) - Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a pun. It’s a good one, but it’s one that UK artist Jordan Gray still explains in her show Is it a Bird? because it’s easy to go with the superhero theme and miss it. Is IT a bird. It’s the “it”. Jordan - who
- [Review: Andy Balloch - Am I the Drama?](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-andy-balloch-am-i-the-drama/) - Am I the Drama? the eternal question that we can’t help but ask ourselves after an anxiety induced spiral. But not Andy Balloch, he not only asks the question, but he barrels in head first to find the answer. Reviews will often say that the performer “took the audience on a ride” – but in the case of Balloch’s Am I
- [THE GIANTS](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-giants/) - THE GIANTS explores the intertwined fates of trees and humans in this cinematic portrait of environmental folk hero and gay icon Bob Brown who took green politics to the centre of power. From a seedling to forest elder THE GIANTS interweaves Bob’s story with the life cycle of the ancient trees he is fighting for. Drawing on Bob’s lifetime of
- [Public spaces provide canvas for graffiti-busting Mural Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/public-spaces-provide-canvas-for-graffiti-busting-mural-festival/) - Six Melbourne inner-city councils are joining together to deter unsightly illegal graffiti by commissioning a series of vibrant street art murals on public spaces. The Urban Canvas Mural Festival will see 30 artists each create a large-scale mural on some of Melbourne’s most graffiti prone areas over 14 days. The participating councils, Bayside, Boroondara, Glen Eira, Kingston,
- [Jennifer Coolidge and White Lotus Creator Mike White to headline VIVID Sydney's largest festival yet](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/jennifer-coolidge-and-white-lotus-creator-mike-white-to-headline-vivid-sydneys-largest-festival-yet/) - In one of the biggest announcements in its 13-year history, Vivid Sydney has today revealed that creator, writer and director of The White Lotus, Mike White, and star of the series, Jennifer Coolidge, have been added to the festival’s program for 2023. The two global megastars will join forces for Mike White & Jennifer Coolidge
- [Catherine Opie: Binding Ties](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/catherine-opie-binding-ties/) - Heide Museum of Modern Art has unveiled the first survey exhibition in Australia of renowned American photographer Catherine Opie. On display at Heide until 9 July 2023, the exhibition Catherine Opie: Binding Ties brings together more than fifty key works traversing the artist’s historic and recent practice. Since the 1990s, Catherine Opie’s photographs have challenged
- [Andy Balloch: Am I the Drama?](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/andy-balloch-am-i-the-drama/) - Join multi-award nominated comedy writer and performer, Andy Balloch as he presents, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, his "quick witted and cheeky" Am I the Drama? at Campari House this April. A new ride has opened up at Warner Bros’ Movie World, Hollywood on the Gold Coast, and you’ve got VIP access,
- [Tropical Fruits: Resurrection](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tropical-fruits-resurrection/) - Come one, come all! Bunnies, chicks and cherubs, preachers & dance floor therapy seekers - Hose off your dancing shoes and don your best party finery. Like a glorious rainbow phoenix, Tropical Fruits is rising from the ashes to bring your Easter weekend some much needed LGBTQIA+ love. Resurrect your favourite Easter Fruits outfit and
- [Maryellen: Anecdotal Evidence](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/maryellen-anecdotal-evidence/) - Winning an Adelaide Fringe Artist’s Grant and receiving 5 star reviews and high praise at the 2023 Adelaide Fringe, Anecdotal Evidence is a show you should not miss at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival this April. With PCOS, PMDD, Anxiety, Arthritis, Neuro-divergent, Late diagnosis ADHD, and even later diagnosis narcolepsy, invisible illness, Maryellen has a lot
- [Anthony Callea: Behind The Voice (Dietro La Voce)](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/anthony-callea-behind-the-voice-dietro-la-voce/) - An honest and candid memoir from one of Australia’s most phenomenal voices. A story of determination, humility and self-discovery. All Anthony Callea wanted was to sing. From his first memories of singing for his family, Anthony knew that he wanted to share his voice with the world. He had a strongly held dream but was
- [Standing with Victoria's Gender Diverse Communities](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/standing-with-victorias-gender-diverse-communities/) - The Victorian Government is standing with transgender and gender diverse Victorians, their families and carers, with funding to expand access to vital mental health and support services. The Government will deliver a $900,000 package to eight organisations to help respond to the additional demand these services are seeing following the events of the last week.
- [Review: John Glover Must Die](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-john-glover-must-die/) - Let’s be clear up front: this show is not about suicide in any form. Instead, the death in the title is the death many of us want. The death of the worst self so the best self can emerge. Regrets? Die and leave them in the past as you’re reborn. Glover’s starting point is his
- [Review: Mel & Sam - High Pony](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-mel-sam-high-pony/) - Right in the middle, in the sweet spot if you will, of the cabaret Venn diagram, between high concept and high art, sits Mel and Sam's hilariously unhinged High Pony. After peeling back the curtain on the secrets of primary school and celebrating the Spirit of Tasmania, Mel O'Brien and Samantha Andrew invite the audience
- [ACMI to celebrate Women on Screen in Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/acmi-to-celebrate-women-on-screen-in-goddess-power-glamour-rebellion/) - This April, ACMI is set to pay tribute to the formidable women of the screen in the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces blockbuster: Goddess: Power, Glamour, Rebellion. Featuring never-before-seen costumes, cinematic treasures, interactive experiences and large-scale projections, this landmark ACMI-curated exhibition will unveil, examine and celebrate the changing representation of femininity across film history through provocative on-screen moments.
- [Grey Arias](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/grey-arias/) - In a multifaceted face-off, the Malthouse Theatre presents Grey Arias by Le Gateau Chocolat and Adrienne Truscott, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival from 30 March 2023. Le Gateau Chocolat (Black Rider: The Casting of the Magic Bullets) is a man. Adrienne Truscott (Wild Bore) is a woman. Le Gateau Chocolat is a gay, black, English-Nigerian man and drag
- [Review: Holding the Man](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-holding-the-man/) - It has taken quite a long time for a production of Queanbeyan playwright Tommy Murphy’s break-out play Holding the Man to be given a Canberra production. However, the timing could hardly have been better given the attention on gay relationships as a result of the recent World Pride celebrations in Sydney, and the current streaming by the
- [The Rocky Horror Show heads to Canberra as part of 50th Anniversary Tour](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/the-rocky-horror-show-heads-to-canberra-as-part-of-50th-anniversary-tour/) - The 50th Anniversary production of legendary Rock ‘N’ Roll musical The Rocky Horror Show has added Canberra to its national tour. Playing at the Canberra Theatre Centre for a limited season from 29 September 2023, The Rocky Horror Show has been playing to sell out audiences at Theatre Royal Sydney, and will play seasons in Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.
- [Adelaide Cabaret Festival unleashes brightest program ever](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/adelaide-cabaret-festival-unleashes-brightest-program-ever/) - Adelaide Cabaret Festival has gone all out, with the biggest and brightest performers announced today, as Adelaide’s favourite winter festival gets set to sizzle when it celebrates Adelaide Festival Centre’s 50th Anniversary in June. Adelaide Cabaret Festival presents its 23rd program, featuring 342 artists and musicians across 91 performances including 13 world premieres and 20
- [‘A place to dance and a place to cry’: Pride (R)evolution is an authentic exhibition for queer communities](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-place-to-dance-and-a-place-to-cry-pride-revolution-is-an-authentic-exhibition-for-queer-communities/) - Sydney World Pride and Mardi Gras 2023 were a huge success. Sydney was activated in a way rarely seen – block and street parties, cultural festivals and dance parties for all tastes. Now that the beats have diminished and the glitter has settled, viewing Pride (R)evolution at the State Library of New South Wales made
- [Church of the Clitori](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/church-of-the-clitori/) - Following a dishonourable mention at Darwin Fringe, the Church of the Clitori heads to the 2023 Adelaide Fringe this March at The Garage International @ Adelaide Town Hall. An uplifting, song-filled comedy cabaret that celebrates the Clitoris as the one true path to Salvation – Clitoral salvation. Expect thought provoking sermons from the mound, clit hits, her-story
- [Review: Church of the Clitori](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/review-church-of-the-clitori/) - Does this church require a large audience of excited members or will it get there on its own? Does member size even matter? Or do you just like to watch? Either way, you will only get out of this show what you put in. The forecourt fore play outside the church tucked behind the Adelaide
- [A Clear Day You Can See Forever](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/a-clear-day-you-can-see-forever/) - As part of the 2023 Seymour Season, Squabbalogic and Seymour Centre are proud to present On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, in the Reginald Theatre from 17 March 2023. In an effort to quit nicotine, David Gamble enlists the services of psychiatrist and hypnosis researcher, Dr Mark Bruckner.- But what begins as a
- [Regional LGBTIQ+ Pride on show at Chillout Festival](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regional-lgbtiq-pride-on-show-at-chillout-festival/) - A colourful pride march has filled the main street of Daylesford on Sunday 12 March to celebrate and promote inclusion for LGBTIQ+ communities as part of the annual ChillOut Festival. Minister for Equality Harriet Shing attended the ChillOut Festival's Street Parade, a nationally celebrated LGBTIQ+ event that is Australia's largest and longest-running regional pride festival.
- [La Cage Aux Folles returns to Sydney](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/la-cage-aux-folles-returns-to-sydney-2/) - Winner of 11 Tony Awards, the hit Broadway musical La Cage Aux Folles returns to Sydney at the State Theatre from 19 April for one week only. This acclaimed production, which had a brief preview season earlier this year, stars one of Australia’s most versatile stage and screen performers, five-time Helpmann Award winner Paul Capsis in
- [In Our Blood to screen on ABC TV](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/in-our-blood-to-screen-on-abc-tv/) - As the glitter settles on Sydney WorldPride and the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, the ABC, Screen Australia and Screen Queensland are proud to announce In Our Blood - four-part musical drama series inspired by Australia’s radical response to AIDS in the early 1980’s, screens on ABC TV on Sunday 19 March 2023. Starring
- [They Came From Uranus](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/they-came-from-uranus/) - An outrageous, eye-popping puppet feast for grownups, Murray Raine presents They Came From Uranus at the Empire Cabaret Theatre, as part of the 2023 Adelaide Fringe: 10 -19 March. A decadent story of love bombs going awry in an outrageous fifty five minute “adults only’’ sci-fi cabaret burlesque. It's a sexy, sassy, hilarious puppet feast

## Pages

- [HOME](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/) - 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.
- [Queensland](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiq-festivals/queensland/) - Moreton Bay PrideFest: April 2027 (date to be confirmed) Welcome to Moreton Bay’s biggest LGBTIQAP+ celebration boasting a star-studded line-up. Pine Rivers Park will come alive with rainbow flags, glitter, and all things fabulous. More details to come... Brisbane Comedy Festival: April - May 2027** (dates to be confimed) Comic musings, side-splitting stories and tear-inducing
- [New South Wales](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiq-festivals/new-south-wales/) - Sydney Festival: 7 - 25 January 2027** Sydney Festival is a city-wide celebration of culture, creativity and the questioning mind. From the streets to the beach, in stately theatres and in secret basements, it animates locations across Greater Sydney with a trailblazing free and ticketed program of theatre, music, dance, visual art and all the
- [Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiq-festivals/victoria/) - VicBears - BearFest: January 2027 (dates to be confirmed) This Summer join VicBears for a series of events across Melbourne that makes up BearFest: BearWatch Beach Day, Midsumma Carnival, Bears Banquet, The Bearaoke, UnderBear, Pool Party, Mr VicBears Competition, HUNK Dance Party and Pride March. Midsumma Festival: 17 January - 7 February 2027 Midsumma Festival
- [South Australia](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiq-festivals/south-australia/) - The Garden of Unearthly Delights: February - March 2027** (dates to be confirmed) Each year, The Garden of Unearthly Delights creates a unique festival playground including multiple performance venues, bars, carnival rides, an array of world foods, market stalls, and the most unexpected sideshow surprises. For more that two decades it has evolved into one
- [Tasmania](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiq-festivals/tasmania/) - TasPride Festival: February 2027 (dates to be confirmed) For over two decades, TasPride has provided a voice and close knit community for LGBTQI Tasmanians and their friends. They're here to support, unite, champion and celebrate our lives, goals, achievements and love. Every February TasPride host a Festival as well as several other events throughout the
- [Northern Territory](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiq-festivals/northern-territory/) - FABalice Festival (Alice Springs): March 2027 (dates to be confirmed) A unique showcase of Drag, Family and Cabaret events, celebrating the inclusivity and diversity of the Red Centre. Across four glitter-filled days, the town transforms into a stage for dazzling performances, disco dance floors, drag queen bingo, film nights, cabaret shows, and a sparkling street
- [Western Australia](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiq-festivals/western-australia/) - Fringe World: 20 January - 14 February 2027** Fringe World is the largest annual event in Western Australia and the third-largest Fringe in the world. With more than 2,700 artists participating in 500+ events, the festival features everything from theatre, comedy, cabaret, circus and more in venues all over Perth and Regional WA. Perth Festival:
- [Australian Capital Territory](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiq-festivals/australian-capital-territory/) - Enlighten Festival: February - March 2027** (dates to be confirmed) Now in its 17th year, 2027 will see the Enlighten Festival take over the city with a program packed with diverse and exciting events including City Illuminations, Lights! Canberra! Action!, and Fresh Out Fair Day. Brighten your morning and see the sky taken over by
- [Giveaways](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/giveaways/)
- [About Us](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/about-2/) - 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. Mission: The mission of the Australian Pride Network is to increase awareness of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
- [Media Kit](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/media-kit/) - The Australian Pride Network (APN) 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. The mission of the Australian Pride Network is to increase awareness of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and
- [LGBTIQ Festivals and Events](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/lgbtiq-festivals/) - LGBTIQ festivals and events provide the community to celebrate and reflect on gay and lesbian life. Across Australia, a diverse selection of festivals and events take place throughout the year. Events are listed by State / Territory in chronological order - confirmed dates will be updated - once known! Australian Capital Territory New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland South
- [Contact Us](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/contact-us/) - You can contact the Australian Pride Network by the following methods: Australian Pride Network PO Box 7120 Karingal Centre VIC 3199 General enquiries: reception@australianpridenetwork.com.au Facebook: www.facebook.com/australianpridenetwork Website: www.australianpridenetwork.com.au Store: www.australian-pride-network-store.spiffystores.com
- [Queensland](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regions/queensland/) - There's something to suit every budget and plenty to lure gay and lesbian travellers to Queensland - breathtaking natural attractions, gay and lesbian accommodation and thriving club scenes and festivals. As Queensland’s thriving capital city, Brisbane offers the very best in food, wine, arts, entertainment, shopping, and sporting events, all celebrating the city’s outdoor lifestyle.
- [Western Australia](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regions/western-australia/) - Western Australia is adored for its brilliant blue skies, warm sunny climate and white sandy beaches. Built on the banks of the Swan River, Perth is known for its friendly spirited people and stunning natural setting. Combine the splendour of the city’s great outdoors with the sophistication of fine wines, and a vibrant nightlife. Surrounding
- [Tasmania](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regions/tasmania/) - Tasmania is a place of wild and beautiful landscapes, friendly, helpful people with a relaxed island lifestyle, wonderful wine and food and a haunting history evoked by spectacular convict-era ruins. It's also Australia's smallest state and the most geographically diverse with over 40 per cent of Tasmania reserved as national park and world heritage area. Hobart
- [South Australia](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regions/south-australia/) - South Australia is home to long summers, stunning beaches and award-winning wine, events and festivals. It’s the gateway to the Barossa, Flinders Ranges and outback and Kangaroo Island, and is considered the wine and seafood capital of Australia; where the Murray meets the sea. Often called the city of churches, Adelaide is framed by verdant parks and
- [Victoria](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regions/victoria/) - Set along the picturesque banks of the Yarra River, Melbourne is the capital city of Victoria and Australia's second-largest city. It is considered one of Australia’s most artistic, fashionable and elegant destinations known for its trams, tree-lined boulevards, boutique hotels, great bars and restaurants. Melbourne's LGBTI population is demographically diverse - enjoying a massive array of
- [Northern Territory](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regions/northern-territory/) - The Northern Territory is vast. Occupying about one sixth of Australia’s total land mass, its boundaries encompass a variety of contrasting landscapes and experiences, best tackled by exploring a few key destinations – each with their own distinct personality. The Top End of the Northern Territory is known for its tropical weather, crocodiles, rich indigenous
- [Australian Capital Territory](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regions/act/) - Canberra is one of the world’s few planned cities, a city in a park, with a kaleidoscope of colours and experiences turned by the changing seasons. The city’s national museums and attractions hold and share the treasures of our nation, including the Australian War Memorial, the National Museum of Australia and what is arguably Australia's most
- [New South Wales](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regions/new-south-wales/) - New South Wales (NSW) lies on the east coast of Australia. The state capital, Sydney, is Australia’s premier gateway and the largest city in Australia. Offering a world of astonishing natural attractions, NSW has plenty to offer - stunning wine regions in the Hunter Valley and Southern Highlands, beaches on the Central Coast and around Wollongong,
- [Regions](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/regions/)
- [Australian Pride Network](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/australian-pride-network/)

## Categories

- [Books](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/category/arts-culture/books/)
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## Tags

- [Adriano Zumbo](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/adriano-zumbo/)
- [AIDS 2014](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/aids-2014/)
- [Angela Bailey](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/angela-bailey/)
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- [Sexy Galexy](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/sexy-galexy/)
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- [Farrah Tomazin](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/farrah-tomazin/)
- [Emma Page Campbell](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/emma-page-campbell/)
- [The Hon Michael Kirby](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/the-hon-michael-kirby/)
- [GLOBE Community Awards](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/globe-community-awards/)
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- [Alice Hoagland](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/alice-hoagland/)
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- [Bingham Cup](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/bingham-cup/)
- [Tropical Fruits Inc.](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/tropical-fruits-inc/)
- [Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/sydney-gay-and-lesbian-mardi-gras/)
- [Gretel Killeen](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/gretel-killeen/)
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- [#RainbowLaces](https://australianpridenetwork.com.au/tag/rainbowlaces/)