Queensland Theatre Company has just dropped its 2026 season and honestly? It’s a knockout. We were there at the launch and you could feel it: this program is going to be big, bold and deeply moving. It’s also Daniel Evans’ very first season as Artistic Director—and if this line-up is anything to go by, he’s come out swinging.
Daniel calls it “A season that takes bold risks”. And he’s not exaggerating. There’s Gatsby-level glitz, raw new writing, powerhouse collaborations, and a finale that will send us into the woods with the full force of Queensland’s major arts companies behind it. He tells us, “Season 2026 invites you to sit in your ‘big feelings’, not only to entertain and inspire, but hold you as you experience the full gamut of human emotion.
“This is a season that takes bold risks—we’re reimagining classics, setting the agenda with unmissable premieres and collaborating on ambitious and heart-thumping productions.”
Criena Gehrke, QTC’s Chief Executive, is just as fired up. “This season is daring and dazzling,” she says, “grounded in humanity and diversity to present a true reflection of the community we serve.” And standing in that launch event, listening to what’s coming, I believe her. There’s a freshness, a crackle in the air—like theatre is about to get under our skin in the very best way.
So what are we in for? Let’s take a peek.
The Great Gatsby
5–6 February | The Empire Theatre, Toowoomba
12 February–8 March | Playhouse, QPAC
We start with sparkle. The Great Gatsby opens the season in a lavish new staging, created with Shake & Stir Theatre Company. This opulent reimagining of Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age novel is all excess, aspiration and escape. And in a move that makes my heart sing, it debuts at Toowoomba’s historic Empire Theatre before hitting Brisbane—because theatre this good should be shared across the state.
Torch the Place
10–29 March | Bille Brown Theatre
Next up, Benjamin Law makes his playwriting debut with Torch the Place. It’s funny, sharp and painfully relatable, diving into family, identity and intergenerational baggage with Benjamin’s trademark wit. Expect whip-smart dialogue, heartfelt moments, and characters you can’t help but love—even as they make you wince in recognition.
The Sapphires
28 April–24 May | Bille Brown Theatre
Immortalised on film, the real-life story of four Yorta Yorta women who sang for troops during the Vietnam War returns to the stage in a knockout new production of The Sapphires. Former QTC Artistic Director Wesley Enoch returns to direct the stellar and soulful musical, which features a talented cast of First Nations artists.
Pride & Prejudice
10–26 July | Playhouse, QPAC
Back by popular demand! After selling out in 2025 (and then having Cyclone Alfred force the cancellation of the final run of performances), the Regency rom-com romp Pride & Prejudice returns. Colourful, contemporary and utterly charming, this modern spin on Austen’s classic is the encore we all secretly hoped for. Time to fall in love with Lizzie and Darcy all over again.
Do Not Go Gentle
11–30 August | Bille Brown Theatre
A star-studded cast of Australian theatre veterans rally and rage against silence, diminishing spirits and the slow fade of age in Patricia Cornelius’s Do Not Go Gentle. The Bille Brown Theatre stage transforms into the icy expanse of Antarctica in the haunting, unflinching and ultimately heartening metaphor for old age.
Strong is the New Pretty
1–19 September | Playhouse, QPAC
World premiere alert! Suzie Miller (yes, Prima Facie Suzie Miller) gives us Strong is the New Pretty, the untold story of the fight that willed AFLW into existence. Featuring a powerhouse cast of women and staged in collaboration with Brisbane Festival, Sydney Theatre Company and Trish Wadley Productions, this one is set to be huge.
Small Mouth Sounds
13 October–1 November | Bille Brown Theatre
This one is quietly groundbreaking. Small Mouth Sounds takes us on a silent retreat with a mismatched bunch of characters. Hardly a word is spoken, yet thanks to Counterpilot’s audio wizardry, we’ll hear every gasp, shuffle and suppressed giggle. It’s part play, part soundscape, and guaranteed to be unlike anything else you’ll see next year.
Into the Woods
11–21 November | Glasshouse Theatre, QPAC
And then—the crescendo. Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods in the brand-new Glasshouse Theatre at QPAC. Not just QTC, but also Opera Queensland and Queensland Symphony Orchestra joining forces for a truly epic staging. Forget your childhood fairy tales—this is darker, deeper, richer. The kind of musical that leaves your heart a little bruised, and your mind wide awake.
As Daniel puts it, “Every work is programmed as an event in its own right. The kind of productions where you have to be there, the kind that remind us why theatre matters.” And honestly, after hearing what’s ahead, I’m already clearing my calendar.
This is a season that’s stylish, brave, deeply human—and it wants you to feel it all. Loudly. Together. Season 2026 is all feeling. No filter. And I, for one, cannot wait.
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
