With regard to the children’s programming block in recent years, the Brisbane-produced cartoon series Bluey tops the crowd, with three seasons and approximately 150 episodes captivating audiences both young and old. But catering to the younger demographic, and well timed for the summer school holiday period is Bluey’s Big Play: The Stage Show, which will be returning to the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) for an encore season. Presented by BBC Studios, Andrew Kay and Windmill Theatre Co, the show will be back in the QPAC Playhouse from 30 December 2023 until 20th January 2024.
Bluey’s Big Play: The Stage Show, the first-ever theatrical adaptation of the series, which first toured in 2020. It boasts an original story penned by Joe Brumm, the creator of Bluey, and new music by the Brisbane-based composer of the series, Joff Bush. It brings the characters of Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli to the stage, complemented by puppetry and iconic sets reminiscent of the TV show.
Rosemary Myers, the Director of Bluey’s Big Play and Artistic Director of Windmill Theatre Co. has shared her excitement about the return of the popular live show
This is very much a homecoming for the show which had its world premiere in QPAC’s Playhouse in December 2020. Bluey’s birthplace is Brisbane, with many of its incredible creative team from Queensland. It was very fitting that we co presented Bluey’s Big Play with Queensland’s performing arts centre and opened its premiere season there.
After a sell-out QPAC season the show went on to break children’s entertainment box office records across Australia performing 447 times across 65 venues. I am sure fans are aware Bluey has taken America by storm both on and off screen, with Bluey making a debut appearance in Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, Bluey’s Big Play premiering at Madison Square Garden in New York, and where we have been delighted to the reaction this home-grown show continues to receive as it continues to tour all over the U.S. and Canada.
We know how much love there is out there for Bluey. It was both thrilling and an honour to translate these brilliant characters into the three-dimensional and we can’t wait to share this special experience with new and returning audiences in Queensland again.
John Kotzas, QPAC’s Chief Executive, also expressed his pleasure at welcoming the Heeler family back to their hometown:
Brisbane has an extra special connection to Bluey having hosted the world premiere of the stage show and being Bluey’s hometown, there’s no doubt our audiences feel that when they experience this production.
Bluey is an incredible Brisbane creative success story and we’re very proud to have been part of the creation and presentation of this theatrical work that brought the beloved Bluey characters and stories from the screen to the stage.
It reflects our longstanding commitment to children’s participation in the arts and to collaborating with local companies to create new works and share unique Australian stories on stage
Keen to get your hands on tickets? Tickets for all performances will be available for sale from 9:00 am on Friday, 4th August. Bookings can be made online via the QPAC website by calling their box office during business hours at 136 246.
Also, the producers are offering both an Auslan Interpreted Performance on Thursday 11 January 2024 and a Relaxed Performance on Monday 15 January 2024. Kudos to the producers for opting to offer both of these to help neurodiverse patrons and others who need a little extra support to enjoy a fulfilling day at the theatre.
