The Australian Musical Theatre Festival has unveiled its 2026 program, with Artistic Director Tyran Parke announcing a spectacular line-up of artists, performances and special events set to transform Launceston from 20 to 24 May 2026.
Following an electrifying debut in 2025, the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra will return for another showstopping collaboration – joining a stellar ensemble of local and visiting talent performing across the newly refurbished Albert Hall and surrounding venues.
Parke said, “The Australian Musical Theatre Festival continues to evolve and expand, and, in 2026, we take up residence in the Albert Hall, fresh from a $20 million refurbishment. Brilliantly located and offering multiple spaces for unexpected performances, it’s the perfect place to welcome so many stars to Launceston in May. International leading lady Delia Hannah, much-loved screen and stage star Nadine Garner, rising talent Annie Aitken, local favourite Rob Mallett, the irrepressible Jack Lark and many more join us for concerts, cabaret, conversations and musical theatre delights set against the beauty of Tasmania.”
In a major announcement, Parke also revealed that Australia’s leading lady, Nancye Hayes AM, has been appointed Patron of the festival. When accepting Hayes said, “The 2025 Festival reminded me why I fell in love with musical theatre… I left feeling inspired, uplifted and deeply proud. It is a privilege to be Patron of a Festival that champions excellence while nurturing emerging talent, and I am delighted to be part of its future.”
The 2026 Australian Musical Theatre Festival in Launceston opens with Carmel Dean’s acclaimed new musical Well Behaved Women, a roof-raising 75-minute opening-night celebration of history’s fiercest trailblazers, performed by a powerhouse ensemble and live band. The opening night celebration continues at the magnificently restored Albert Hall with a glittering Opening Night Gala, an hour-long showcase starring the festival’s stellar guests and setting the tone for five unforgettable days.
Each evening spills into the sparkling late-night hub The Diva Den, where spontaneous encores, brand-new songs and unexpected magic unfold between artists and audiences. Meanwhile, Launceston’s beloved piano man Travis Hennessy once again leads the riotous Choir in the Pub, turning every punter into a star for one joyfully unrestrained night.
Intimate highlights include Seeing is Believing, Delia Hannah and Tyran Parke’s heartfelt cabaret tracing mentorship and lifelong inspiration; Festival Patron Nancye Hayes AM streaming live from her Melbourne dressing room in Anastasia for A Musical Theatre Mix-Up, an irresistible storytelling-and-listening-party about the recordings that shaped a legend; and Nadine Garner’s masterful solo Pride and Prejudice amid the grandeur of Clarendon Estate, weaving Jane Austen’s words with Carl Davis’s sweeping score.
Emerging artists shine in the free high-energy Foyer Door Concert showcasing tomorrow’s Broadway hits today, while Buskers Alley returns for its sixth year, transforming a laneway into a bustling street stage led by Rod Anderson and the festival’s brightest new voices. Young performers storm the mic at Youth Karaoke in The Diva Den, and home-grown hero Rob Mallett shares the songs and stories behind his global career in the uplifting Made in Tasmania.
The festival also serves up Sondheim’s splashiest comedy The Frogs, a witty underworld romp complete with battling playwrights and opinionated amphibians; a one-night-only symphonic spectacular as the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra joins forces again for Broadway Showstoppers, and the perfect Tasmanian finale: Jack ‘N’ Gin at Clarendon Estate, pairing Jack Lark’s soaring vocals with the state’s finest gins in a toast to song, flavour and storytelling.
From dawn till long after dark, the 2026 Australian Musical Theatre Festival promises connection, discovery and pure musical-theatre joy.
For full program and bookings, visit https://www.amtf.org.au/
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