Following the news of its 2026 Melbourne encore season, Melbourne Theatre Company has announced that the joyous, smash-hit musical My Brilliant Career will embark on a national tour.
This acclaimed reimagining of Miles Franklin’s beloved novel – created by Sheridan Harbridge, Dean Bryant and Mathew Frank, and directed by Anne-Louise Sarks – will tour Eastern Australia, with seasons in Canberra, Sydney and Wollongong, following its return to Southbank Theatre in Melbourne.
Premiering in 2024 to sold-out houses, My Brilliant Career received extraordinary audience response and critical acclaim, including multiple five-star reviews and five Green Room Awards – among them Outstanding Production – competing alongside some of the year’s biggest commercial musicals.
News of the Melbourne encore season has already sparked anticipation after its August announcement; with both returning audiences and first-timers being given the chance to experience this unmissable production.
“Creating My Brilliant Career and going on tour is a defining moment for us. It is a bold new version of an Australian classic – taking its place in Australian theatre history,” says Anne-Louise Sarks, Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Melbourne Theatre Company.
“We’re so proud to be making theatre of this scale and ambition here in Melbourne, and after the incredible response from Melbourne audiences, we are excited to take it to people right across Australia.”
This announcement is just the beginning – a glimpse ahead of Melbourne Theatre Company’s full Season 2026 launch on Tuesday 21 October 2025.
On the tour making its way to Sydney, Mitchell Butel, Sydney Theatre Company Artistic Director says “I have loved My Brilliant Career since I saw an early development,” he said.
“The hard work, detail and casting magic that has gone into the production in the intervening years led to one of my favourite nights ever in a theatre when I saw the knockout Melbourne Theatre Company production.”
“The way it rocks a literary classic – a story full of wit, charm, heartbreak and hope – into a punk period piece is pure perfection. I know Sydney audiences will fall in love with this new Australian musical as much as I have,” said Butel.
The 2026 tour will feature powerhouse performer Kala Gare reprising her role as Sybylla Melvyn, alongside much of
the original actor-musician ensemble including Raj Labade, Ana Mitsikas, Christina O’Neill, Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward, Victoria Falconer and Jarrad Payne
The tour also promises the same exhilarating production values as the award-winning premiere season, stunning design by Tony Award-winner Marg Horwell and a powerhouse score blending contemporary pop, bush ballad, and raucous pub rock.
Tour Dates & Locations:
- Melbourne: 23 January – 28 February 2026 | Southbank Theatre, The Sumner
- Canberra: March to 15 March | Canberra Theatre – Canberra Theatre Centre
- Sydney: 21 March to 26 April | Roslyn Packer Theatre – Sydney Theatre Company
- Wollongong: 8 May to 17 May | IMB Theatre – Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (Merrigong Theatre Company)
For more information about My Brilliant Career, including ticketing and updates on the tour, visit: www.mtc.com.au for details.
Image: The Cast of My Brilliant Career (Melbourne, 2024) – photo by Pia Johnson