The Shawshank Redemption stage play is coming to Sydney next year – is this the production set to bail out our troubled theatre scene?
It became a cinema classic and now the story of the strength of the human spirit will hit the Theatre Royal in Sydney next year when The Shawshank Redemption stage play premieres.
And now we know who will lead the cast.
In a coup for the production, Rodger Corser will return to the stage after a 20-year absence to take on the part of the Warden, the deeply hypocritical, religious and cruel prison boss. Fellow Aussie David Berry is also making a comeback to the stage to star as Andy Dufresne, the quiet, smart former banker wrongly sentenced to life for murdering his wife and her lover.
Rounding out the trio of main players is prolific stage and television actor Bert LaBonté, another well-known Australian face, who has landed the role of “Red” Redding, a long-term inmate known for smuggling contraband items into the prison who strikes up a close friendship with Andy.
The Shawshank Redemption stage play is an adaptation by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, and is based on the original novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by best-selling author Stephen King rather than the 1994 movie it also inspired which starred Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins and Bob Gunton.
Berry, who has been making audiences swoon as Lord John Grey in Outlander for nearly 10 years, said he was thrilled to be returning to the stage.
“The magic of the movie is something that’s universally agreed upon as just an excellent story and of course has the original source material from the Stephen King novella,” Berry told the West Australian.
“It’s one of those seminal stories. Now bringing it to the stage just gives it another breath of fresh air, another way of telling the story we all love about hope and redemption. I’m really curious and fascinated to see how we bring that to life.”
Corser said he couldn’t resist the opportunity to return to the stage for such a powerful story. “Its themes of hope, resilience and friendship resonate just as strongly today as they did when the film was released more than 30 years ago,” he shared.
For LaBonté, he simply couldn’t say no to the chance to tell this “iconic story and to take on a role as rich and loved as Red”.
“I can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room and begin exploring him,” the Book of Mormon star added.
When is The Shawshank Redemption stage play opening in Sydney?
The Australian tour opens at Theatre Royal Sydney on January 2, 2027, making it one of the first big theatrical events of the new year and throughout the summer. It’s hoped the production will kickstart a strong year for Sydney’s theatre industry after suffering several blows in 2026, including the cancellation of Beetlejuice the Musical and Waitress.
Theatre Royal sits in the heart of the CBD on King Street and is an easy walk from Town Hall and Martin Place stations. And there’s no shortage of dinner or a drink options nearby for a proper night out.
After the Sydney premiere, the stage play will travel to Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide with more cities tipped to be announced.
What is The Shawshank Redemption about?
The Shawshank Redemption stage play is based on the the King of Horror Stephen King’s novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, first published in 1982. It follows innocent man Andy Dufresne, who is sentenced to life imprisonment in the notorious Shawshank prison for the murder of his wife.
As he tries to survive the brutal realities of life behind bars, he forms an unlikely friendship with fellow inmate Red, learnig that even in the darkest of places, hope can endure. When the corrupt Warden seeks to exploit Andy’s talents for his own gain, a quiet and daring plan begins to emerge, one that will challenge the very walls of Shawshank itself.
How to get tickets
There is a presale for tickets for The Shawshank Redemption stage play at Theatre Royal beginning at 12pm on Tuesday, August 11. To join the waitlist for the presale, click here.
Tickets will then go on sale to the general public at 12pm on Thursday, August 13. Head to ShawshankLive.com.au to buy tickets.
