You can see award-winning Broadway shows in Sydney for a fraction of the price

Some of Broadway’s biggest hits are setting their sights on the Harbour City, and there are now several theatre shows you can watch for less right here in Sydney.

While Broadway and the West End may steal the spotlight on the global theatre stage, Sydney is quietly becoming a serious contender, offering world-class productions in equally iconic venues, minus the eye-watering price tags. From the grandeur of the Capitol Theatre to the sleek intimacy of Theatre Royal and the vibrant energy of the Lyric, Sydney’s theatre scene is thriving, bold and increasingly accessible.

And right now, a growing trend is gaining pace: some of Broadway’s biggest hits are gracing Sydney’s stages for a fraction of the cost. For Sydneysiders, it’s a golden opportunity to experience award-winning international productions without boarding a flight to New York or London. For visitors, it’s a chance to add something unforgettable to your Sydney itinerary – between beach days and skyline dinners, why not catch a Tony Award-winning show?

READ MORE: Sydney Theatre Company wins big – here’s what to see this year

MJ the Musical

Set during two days before the start of Michael Jackson’s Dangerous World Tour, this multi-award-winning production has picked up four Tony Awards, an Olivier Award and a Grammy nomination for the Best Musical Theatre Album. It’ll set you back the equivalent of A$137 to watch it on Broadway, but from just $70 per person, you can watch Broadway sensation Roman Banks moonwalking across the stage at the Lyric Theatre as the King of Pop.

Looking back at his rise to fame, from The Jacksons to global superstar, his most popular hits, including Thriller, Beat It and Billie Jean get the audience dancing in their seats and cheering out. It’s a fantastic show that will surprise you. Its Sydney run ends on August 23 though, so get there while you can.

Where: Sydney Lyric Theatre, 55 Pirrama Rd, Pyrmont NSW 2009.
Show times: Wednesdays 1pm & 7pm; Thursdays 7pm; Fridays 7:30pm; Saturdays 2pm & 7:30pm; Sundays 1pm & 6:30pm. Subject to change, and additional dates. Closes Saturday, August 23.
Price: From $70 per person.

READ MORE: MJ Musical Review – It’s a Thriller!

Where to eat

There are many restaurants to choose from at The Star, the nearby hotel, restaurant and late-night hub. Eat Ozzo is perfect for a pre- or post-show bite, serving Neapolitan pizzas, ozzos (an Italian deli sandwich-pizza hybrid) and pizzinos, an Aussie take on Neapolitan pocket-size pizzas.

Cucina Porto is another great Italian option at The Star, and offers offers a two-course pre-theatre set menu for just $39.90 per person (5pm-6:30pm). Entrées include oysters, calamari or cauliflower crisp, while mains include seafood linguine, beef and lamb ragu with schiaffoni or spinach and ricotta raviolacci. Go back after the show for tiramisu and a tea, coffee or dessert wine for $9.90.

Not in the mood for Italian food? Rumble offers Thai sharing menus from $58 per person and a pre-theatre set menu for $62 per person, or head to Hay St in Haymarket for the ultimate selection for all tastes, before walking through Darling Harbour to the theatre.

Get your tickets here.

The Book of Mormon

The nine-time Tony Award, four-time Olivier Award and Grammy Award-winning production, The Book of Mormon, is making a long-awaited return to Sydney this winter. It played at Sydney Lyric Theatre in 2018 but is set to run at Capitol Theatre from July, for at least 15 weeks this time.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, co-creators of the darkly humorous animated series South Park, wrote the book with Robert Lopez, who is one of the few people to have won an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award). It’s no surprise that this talented trio have created a provocative production that is filled with side-splitting laughs along with gasp-inducing moments.

The story follows two missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Kevin Price and Elder Arnold Cunningham. They are sent on their two-year mission to Uganda, not Florida, as they hoped. A rollercoaster ride of a mission ensues with an endless stream of tricky topics tackled. Prepare for the unexpected, that’s all we’ll say.

In Broadway, a ticket will set you back at least US$65.75 while Sydney starts from just A$69 per person. At the current rate of exchange, that’s a saving of A$31 per person.

Where: Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket NSW 2000.
Show times: From July 15: Tuesdays–Thursdays 7pm; Sundays 6:30pm.
Price: From $69 per person.

Book your tickets at thebookofmormon.com.au

Where to eat

The Capitol Theatre is perfectly placed in Haymarket, between Chinatown, Thai Town, Surry Hills, and Central Station, so travel from further afield couldn’t be easier. Chat Thai is directly opposite the theatre and serves Thai classics fast. The menu is huge, with everything from spicy salads, noodles, and wok-fried dishes to desserts. Afterwards, just stroll across the road, ready for curtain up.

Nearby Haymarket Hotel serves weekly specials, including a burger and beer night (Tuesdays), steak with chips and salad (Wednesdays) or schnittys with chips and salad (Thursdays), each for $20 per person. Pumphouse Sydney also offers weekly specials starting from $24 per person, with classic pub grub like burgers, pie and BBQ baby back pork ribs available.

The Play That Goes Wrong

This award-winning disaster of a play is a theatrical triumph in absolute chaos. After picking up the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in London, The Play That Goes Wrong went on to entertain Broadway crowds with its laugh-out-loud physical humour, perfectly timed mishaps and a cast of characters who just can’t seem to keep it together.

From collapsing sets to forgotten lines and missed cues, this play-within-a-play is exactly what it says on the tin: everything that can go wrong, will go wrong — and that’s exactly what makes it so right. Think Monty Python meets Fawlty Towers, but even more disastrous.

Best of all? You don’t need Broadway prices to belly-laugh at this farcical gem. While a ticket in NYC will set you back upwards of US$79 (about A$120), you can watch the mayhem unfold in Sydney from just $69 per person.

Where: Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King St, Sydney NSW 2000
Show times: Tuesdays–Fridays 7pm; Saturdays 2pm & 7pm; Sundays 1pm & 6pm.
Price: From $69 per person.

Book tickets at theplaythatgoeswrong.com.au

Where to eat

You’re spoiled for choice in the heart of the city. Head to Bar Totti’s on George Street for their famous wood-fired bread, small plates (don’t skip the burrata), crab pasta or wagyu schnitzel. For something speedy, go to Morena Sydney. The vibrant Latin American spot serves a three-course express menu (entrée, main and side) for $65 pp, perfect if you’re tight on time.

If you’re after a pre-show spritz and snack, Cabana Bar in Martin Place is perfect for sunset rooftop views. Or go all-out at AALIA, where the share-style pre-theatre menu showcases Middle Eastern and North African flavours (snack + two courses; $70pp) or book a table at Restaurant Hubert for French city chicness. The moody bistro serves escargots, steak frites and maybe even a cheeky martini before curtain call.

The Lion King

The pride of Broadway is roaring back into Sydney. Over 100 million people have seen it worldwide, making The Lion King is one of the most beloved and visually breathtaking musicals of all time. From its award-winning costumes and puppetry to a soundtrack filled with Elton John and Tim Rice classics like Circle of Life and Can You Feel the Love Tonight, it is a true theatrical spectacle.

In New York, seeing Simba’s journey on stage costs up to US$165 (around A$246) — and that’s for a standard seat. While Sydney prices are still TBC, they’re expected to come in comfortably lower, making it an ideal option for families or first-time theatre-goers looking to be wowed without breaking the bank.

Where: Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell St, Haymarket NSW 2000.
Show times: April 2026.
Price: TBC — but as long as it’s less than $246 per person (yikes), it’ll be cheaper to see it in Sydney than Broadway.

Sign up for the waiting list to be first to get tickets at thelionkingmusical.com.au

Where to eat

If you’re looking for kid-friendly restaurants near the Capitol Theatre, go to Goros, a fun and casual Japanese izakaya with neon lights, karaoke booths and fried chicken to die for — and fried ice cream, if that’s your kind of thing.

You’ll also be just steps away from Sydney’s best Asian food scene. Spice Alley offers an open-air hawker-style setup with affordable Southeast Asian foods to choose from; Mamak is the place to go for crispy roti and rich Malaysian curries, or go to XOPP by Golden Century for a fancier pre-show feast of modern Cantonese dishes.

READ MORE: 20 CATS facts as the musical returns to Sydney for its 40th anniversary

You can’t beat a winter night at the theatre, and whether you’re looking for a jukebox musical, some big laughs or a nostalgic show for the whole family, these Broadway shows in Sydney promise big-stage magic with a much smaller price tag.