The Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) is once again set to bring a colourful and creative assortment of performances aimed at youth and family audiences this summer school holiday season, through to the 2024 school year commencing 22 January 2024. A special highlight of their school holiday programming, featuring one of Brisbane’s most popular exports, has seen QPAC in association with BBC Studios, Andrew Kay, and Windmill Theatre Co bring back Bluey’s Big Play: The Stage Show. This marks the show’s return to Brisbane since its 2020/2021 production and Australian debut, which faced some uncertainty due to lockdown restrictions at the time.
Starting from tomorrow and continuing until 20 January 2024, the QPAC Playhouse will be home to the beloved characters of Bluey – including Bluey, her sister Bingo, and their parents, Bandit and Chilli. Audiences can look forward to a new adventure, specially crafted by the show’s creator and Brisbane’s own Joe Brumm, complemented by music by composer Joff Bush, and brought to life by puppetry which aims to bring the world of Bluey to life.
Since Bluey’s Big Play: The Stage Show‘s original world premiere at QPAC, the production has toured to 65 venues and been performed 447 times, with this encore season set to add a whopping 43 performances to that count.
Commenting on the production’s return to Brisbane, Rosemary Myers, Director of Bluey’s Big Play: The Stage Show and Artistic Director of Windmill Theatre Co shared the following:
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 its incredible creative team all from the Sunshine State. It was very fitting that we co presented Bluey’s Big Play with QPAC 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. Bluey’s Big Play has since completed an extensive tour across North America with a U.K. and Ireland tour starting this month.
The returning show features the same story audiences know and love but is now even more interactive. We expect that there will be a whole new generation who will be delighted to see it for the first time.
We know how much love there is out there for Bluey. It is both thrilling and an honour to transform these brilliant characters into a three-dimensional world and to share this special experience with audiences in Queensland again.
Adding to this, QPAC Chief Executive John Kotzas AM, in what will be his final school holiday season as CEO before departing in late-2024, added:
Bluey is a phenomenal Brisbane success story. We are proud to have been a creative and presenting partner for this theatrical work that brought the beloved Bluey characters and stories from the screen to the stage winning the hearts of Australian and international audiences.
This partnership reflects our longstanding commitment to developing and programming productions that encourage children’s participation in the arts and to collaborating with local companies to create new works and share Australian stories on stage.
The set of Bluey’s Big Play reflects Brisbane’s iconic architecture, scenery and even some of our flora and fauna, with an endearing story that also includes local references. It’s wonderful that families can feel a sense of connection and pride in seeing their city and culture reflected on stage.
Tickets to Bluey’s Big Play: The Stage Show are now available to purchase via the QPAC website, in-person, or by calling their box office team on 136 246. Tickets are priced between $44.00 and $84.00 excluding transaction fees, with higher prices being indicative of better seating reserves and/or VIP post-show meet and greet perks.
This is only the latest offering surrounding Bluey in the city of Brisbane with the recent announcement of an immersive experience dubbed Bluey’s World scheduled to open at Northshore Pavillion next year.
