As Sydney’s theatre industry reels from three failed productions in quick succession, these smaller venues are proving more resilient.
It’s been a difficult year for Sydney’s musical theatre scene. In January, the planned Australian tour of Back to the Future: The Musical was cancelled before it reached Sydney, while the city’s season was cut short. More recently, Beetlejuice the Musical and Waitress were both abruptly cancelled within a week of each other, fuelling concerns about the industry’s health.
Meanwhile, some ticket holders for Anastasia: The Musical have reported receiving emails advising that their booked performances have been cancelled due to “scheduling changes”, raising further questions about the stability of upcoming productions.
It’s a worrying trend that producer John Frost, the producer of Waitress, has attributed to mounting economic pressures.
“Cost-of-living pressures, interest rate rises and domestic and international economic uncertainty have contributed to softer box office performance,” Frost said.
As Sydney’s big-budget international productions struggle to fill seats, many of the city’s smaller theatres are bucking the trend. With bold programming, homegrown talent and loyal audiences, these independent venues are proving you don’t need Broadway buzz to deliver a standout performance.
Here are the Sydney theatres quietly stealing the spotlight.
The Hayes Theatre
Tucked away on Greenknowe Avenue in Potts Point, the Hayes Theatre has quietly built a reputation as one of Sydney’s most exciting stages.
The Hayes has recently delivered a string of successful productions, following the success of last year’s Phar Lap: The Musical, an original work by one of Australia’s most successful musical directors, Steven Kramer. The production sold out most performances and earned glowing reviews, including a five-star rating from the Sydney Morning Herald.
More recently, the theatre hosted the Australian premiere of Gutenberg! The Musical, which enjoyed a similarly successful run.
Founded in 2012 by a group of independent music theatre producers, the Hayes Theatre Co. was established to create a permanent home for musical theatre and cabaret in Sydney. Today, it plays a vital role in Australia’s theatre landscape, giving emerging and established artists a place to develop new work, take creative risks and advance their careers.
For Kramer, the Hayes is unlike any other venue in the country. He describes it as “a little jewel in the Australian arts scene” and says “there’s not really another space like it.”
“They produce really interesting, different works, things you’re not going to see on a commercial stage. It’s a space for emerging artists, emerging writers and emerging producers. It’s just this little creative hub of art and imagination, and I really love the things you’re able to do there in a way you can’t do anywhere else in the country.”
What’s next at the Hayes?
- 2026 Winter Cabaret Season: June 23-July 4.
- The Addams Family: July 11-August 9.
- How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying: August 28-September 27.
- The Rink: Performances from September 30.
- We Are The Tigers: October 9-November 8.
- Silver Tongue: November 13-December 12.
Belvoir St Theatre
Established in 1984, Belvoir St Theatre has continued to build momentum recently with a season centred on original Australian work, bold storytelling and critically acclaimed productions.
The Surry Hills institution has earned praise this year for shows including Dear Son, Birds and A Mirror, reinforcing its reputation as one of the country’s leading homes for contemporary theatre.
Much like the Hayes, rather than relying on big-budget international imports, Belvoir’s program has focused on new writing, literary adaptations and First Nations stories, offering audiences a distinctly Australian perspective.
Its intimate theatre and carefully curated seasons have cultivated a loyal audience, demonstrating that compelling storytelling and original work continue to resonate even as the wider industry faces mounting financial pressures. By investing in Australian stories and artistic risk-taking, the company has continued to attract audiences and critical acclaim, proving there is still strong demand for innovative, locally made theatre.
What’s next at Belvoir St Theatre?
- Afterglow: July 9-25.
- The Jungle And The Sea: July 11-August 2.
- The Book Of Everything: August 22-September 20.
- A Room With A View: October 3-November 1.
- The Coconut Children: November 21-December 20.
The Grand Electric
While it isn’t a traditional theatre company, The Grand Electric has quietly established itself as one of Sydney’s most exciting live performance venues. The live performance venue and bar is hidden down the laneway at 199 Cleveland Street, but it’s always a fun night out, especially if you’re grabbing a pre-show wine in their Parisian-style courtyard.
The Grand Electric specialises in cabaret, circus and immersive entertainment, with the occasional theatre production adding to its eclectic program. Its latest hit, La Ronde, is a fusion of circus, music and comedy, described as an intoxicating spectacle by critics.
Despite its busy calendar of cabaret and circus, the venue has also demonstrated it can stage theatre with broad appeal. In 2024, it hosted the record-breaking Sydney season of Titanique, the irreverent Off-Broadway parody of Titanic narrated by Céline Dion. Among the cast was Georgina Hopson as Rose DeWitt Bukater, who is currently playing the titular role in Anastasia.
While The Grand Electric’s current focus is La Ronde, which runs until September, its ever-changing program means there’s always the potential for another standout theatre production. Alongside its performances, the venue regularly hosts concerts, comedy and special events – last August, I even went to a Tim Minchin Album Launch there!
What’s next at the Grand Electric?
- La Ronde: Now until September 20.
- Mad Hatter’s Tea Party: July 4-19.
- Late Night Vice: July 10-August 29.
- Les Femmes: June 28, August 9, October 18 and November 29.
