Sydney Theatre Company, Michael Cassel and Gaynor Wheatley have revealed the full cast for the world premiere season of Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical, playing Roslyn Packer Theatre from 15 November 2026.
Under the direction of STC Artistic Director Mitchell Butel and written by Jack Yabsley, Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical will bring to life the extraordinary story behind the album that made John Farnham a household name, as Australia celebrates the 40th anniversary of the record-breaking 1986 release of Whispering Jack.
Joining Michael Paynter (John Farnham), Bonnie Anderson (Gaynor Wheatley) and Ben Hall (Glenn Wheatley) will be musical theatre dynamo Laura Murphy performing the role of John’s wife, Jill Farnham.
Charting John’s career from gigging in RSL clubs in the late 1970s and touring with the Little River Band in the early 1980s to the recording and release of Whispering Jack in 1986 will be: Oliver Lacey as Ross Fraser, Ariyan Sharma as David Hirschfelder, Elenoa Rokobaro as Venetta Fields, Tom Sharah as Darryl Sambell, Stephen Anderson as Graeham Goble and Trent Owers will play both Beeb Birtles and Brett Garsed.
Madeleine Jones will play Cherie Romaro, the 2Day FM radio executive whose instruction to play Farnham’s comeback single You’re the Voice “on the hour, every hour” helped propel Whispering Jack to become the highest-selling album of all time by an Australian artist in the local charts.
Completing the cast will be Calista Nelmes, Chaya Ocampo, Anusha Thomas and onstage swings Shewit Belay, Clay Roberts and Andrew Waldin. Throughout the season, Harry Targett will be alternate performer for the role of John Farnham.
Acclaimed scriptwriter Jack Yabsley, Choreographer Fabian Aloise and Music Supervisor Carmel Dean will bring Farnham’s life, mischief and musical genius to the stage, with orchestrations by Kris Kukul.
Whispering Jack is the story of an overnight sensation twenty years in the making and the incredible creative team bringing the 1970s and ’80s Australian pop rock eras, infamous mullets and double denim to vivid life on the stage will be Set Designer Jeremy Allen, Costume Designer Renée Mulder, Lighting Designer Matt Scott, Sound Designer Julian Spink and Music Director Zara Stanton.
Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical plays a strictly limited season at Sydney Theatre Company’s Roslyn Packer Theatre from 15 November 2026 – 3 January 2027. For more information, visit: www.sydneytheatre.com.au for details.
Image: Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical (supplied)