Producers John Frost for Crossroads Live and Opera Australia have confirmed that the Broadway musical Anastasia will extend its Australian tour to Queensland later this year. Following its current season in Melbourne and other legs of its national tour, the production is scheduled to open at Brisbane’s Lyric Theatre, QPAC from September 2026.
Ticket sales for the Brisbane engagement have been scheduled for early next month. A pre-sale will be accessible to those on the official waitlist starting Monday 2 March, while sales for the general public will commence on Friday 6 March.
Based on the 1997 animated film and the historical rumors surrounding Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov, the musical features a book by Terrence McNally and a score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.
The production features Queensland native Georgina Hopson in the title role of Anya. She is joined on stage by Robert Tripolino as the con artist Dmitry, Joshua Robson as the antagonist Gleb, and Rodney Dobson as Vlad. The cast also features well-known Australian performers Rhonda Burchmore as Countess Lily and Nancye Hayes AM as the Dowager Empress.
Georgina Hopson, who trained at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, commented on the opportunity to perform the role in her home state and the themes present in the production:
As a very proud Queenslander, I just can’t wait to share the magic of ANASTASIA with Brisbane audiences. It’s a beautiful story to be immersed in, accompanied by iconic songs that invoke a nostalgic feeling of our shared childhood including Once Upon a December and Journey to the Past. ANASTASIA’s message is the importance of home, love and family, and to me Queensland represents all of this so I can’t wait to share the story with local audiences.
Supporting the principal cast is an ensemble including Sophia Bae, Elliot Baker, Billy Bourchier, Nicholas Cunningham, Davis Giotopoulos Moore, Todd Goddard, Stephanie Kurlow, Keian Langdon, Bella Minniti, Nathan Stafford, Alexis Van Maanen, Annie Wilson, Deone Zanotto and Andrea Zappacosta. The company also includes swings Manon Gunderson-Briggs, Iosefa Laga’aia, Nathan Pinnell and Emma Russell.
The Australian tour is currently finishing its run at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, which concludes on 20 February 2026. The production will then travel to the Crown Theatre in Perth in March 2026, the Lyric Theatre in Sydney in April 2026, and the Festival Theatre in Adelaide in August 2026 prior to the Brisbane season.
