If the start to the summer school holiday period has been anything in Queensland, I would argue that it has been hot, humid and wet. If you find yourself in Brisbane during the period and fancy cooling off in a theatre enjoying one of the many performing arts offerings on offer across the city – the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) have a range of QPAC Presents/Co-Presents and external hire performances over the period – including Christmas classics, two musicals, and a range of family-friendly offerings.
Scroll down to see if anything captures your eyes, and if so, direct links to ticket booking information:
Shake & Stir’s A Christmas Carol
12 – 24 December | Concert Hall
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, returns to QPAC. Expect live music, yuletide carolling, innovative video design, lavish costumes, and even snow.
Queensland Ballet’s The Nutcracker
13 – 21 December | Lyric Theatre
Step into a sparkling winter wonderland with this beloved holiday ballet. Snowflakes flutter, fireplaces crackle, and midnight dreams come alive in this enchanting Christmas Eve tale.
A Cracker Kransky Christmas
17 – 22 December | Cremorne Theatre
From Britney Spears to The Spice Girls, M to AC/DC, and unique takes on carols, The Kransky Sisters return with their quirky festive comedy after a sell-out 2023 season, continuing to be a staple of QPAC’s Christmas programming.
Spirit of Christmas
20 – 21 December | Concert Hall
QPAC’s longest-running event, Spirit of Christmas, features a line-up including Rachael Beck, Alinta Chidzey, and Josh Piterman, supported by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Queensland Youth Orchestra. Stream the concert for free on QPAC’s Digital Stage from 24 December, 4pm, to 26 December, 5pm (AEST).
Blush – Circus for Grown Ups
From 28 December | Cremorne Theatre
The adult circus sensation returns with a non-stop celebration of the bold, the surprising, and the supremely sexy.
Qld Pops Orchestra 40th Anniversary NYE Gala Concert
31 December | Concert Hall
Celebrate the New Year with the Qld Pops Orchestra, featuring works by local talents, Canada’s Borealis String Quartet, traditional Scottish Piper Bruce Grice, and concertmaster Warwick Adeney.
SIX The Musical
2 January – 9 February 2025 | Playhouse
The pop phenomenon returns, reimagining the lives of the six Tudor queens in an 80-minute high-energy musical experience that boldly rewrites history.
GREASE The Musical
3 January – 1 February 2025 | Lyric Theatre
This all-new production of GREASE promises to be slicker and more electrifying than ever before.
OPERATION OUCH LIVE: Quest for the Jurassic Fart!
6 – 8 January 2025 | Concert Hall
Join Dr Chris and Dr Xand for a hilarious and educational dino-mite adventure to discover the most important fart in history – the Jurassic Fart!
360 ALLSTARS
10 – 19 January 2025 | Concert Hall
This supercharged urban circus combines street style and elite performance in an exploration of all things rotation.
The Others
17 January 2025 | Concert Hall
Enjoy a totally improvised musical performance by composer and pianist Paul Grabowsky, legendary trumpeter James Morrison, and Spiderbait’s drummer Kram.
and if you need some entertainment to get yourselves (or your family) looking forward to returning to school/work following the summer school holidays period, a special week-and-a-bit long run of performances by acclaimed magic duo Penn and Teller is also taking place shortly after school returns:
Penn & Teller
29 January – 7 February 2025 | Concert Hall
The legendary duo returns to QPAC with a suite of brand-new tricks to celebrate their 50th anniversary together.
