From Meddling Maids to My Brilliant Career: Merrigong Theatre Co’s Season 2026

Merrigong Theatre Company has announced their 2026 season, revealing the 10 mainstage productions coming to Wollongong over the course of next year, as well as 4 MerrigongX presentations and a bustling Kids & Families program. The Tert was lucky enough to be invited to the season launch and hear about each show in depth from Artistic Director Simon Hinton along with a selection of the shows’ creative teams. Read on to find out which shows I’m most looking forward to seeing when they grace the IPAC stage (and beyond) next year.

The theme for 2026’s season is Dressed for Success, highlighting the long process of collaboration and the many, many hands that go into bringing a theatrical production to life. In particular, Merrigong is shouting out costume designers, whose work is key in breathing life into each character. You can get a peek behind the curtain – and read more about all the brilliant shows we’re about to discuss – by picking up a season brochure from the IPAC.

Launching in 2026 is a new annual event in collaboration with UOW, called Theatre Under the Stars. Following on from the success of 2023’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Wollongong Botanic Gardens, Merrigong is establishing a yearly open-air production presented on Kooloobong Oval. In 2026, the inaugural Theatre Under the Stars production will be Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors: a riotously funny tale of mistaken identity, presented by nationally acclaimed company Sport for Jove. Bring a picnic and some comfy cushions (or book yourself a spot on the seating banks, if that’s not your style), and get ready for a unique and magical theatrical experience.

Another exciting, immersive experience coming at the beginning of next year is Garabari, created by Joel Bray and produced by BlakDance. Garabari brings its audience and performers together in a collective gathering, sharing the Giilang (story and song) of the making of the Murrumbidgee River through light, sound, and movement, culminating in an all-out dance party. With Garabari, Bray invites Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants alike to experience culture as a living, breathing connection. At the season launch, he spoke about challenging the notion that Indigenous culture stopped growing and evolving at a certain point in history, and creating a corroboree that blends ancient practices with contemporary flair. Garabari can be experienced at the Wollongong Town Hall or the Dapto Ribbonwood Centre in early February.

2026 also promises two exciting – but very different – musicals transferring from overseas: Heartbreak Hotel and Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of). The first, Heartbreak Hotel, playing in August, is a deep dive into the all-too-common experience of lost love, blending together memoir, storytelling, and science, plus a soundtrack featuring all the classic breakup songs. Originating in New Zealand, it received stunning reviews earlier this year at RISING Festival Melbourne, Edinburgh Festival, and Soho Theatre London, and will land at the IPAC in August.

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) takes over in September, promising Jane Austen’s classic as you’ve never seen it before: irreverently retold from the perspective of the servants. They’ve been keeping things running from behind the scenes, but now they’re taking centre stage in a “karaoke-fuelled” pop extravaganza. Fresh from the UK, where it won an Olivier award for best comedy, Pride and Prejudice* is embarking on an Australian tour next year, bringing a ridiculously fun night out wherever it goes.

The season also includes Balloon Dog, a fresh New Zealander adaptation of a beloved Indian story; Noni Hazelhurst starring in The Lark, fresh from the Arts Centre Melbourne; a new Bangarra Dance Theatre piece entitled FuturesPast; and Runt from Belvoir St Theatre, a heartwarming tale for all ages based on the novel of the same name. Plus, Yandha Djanbay (Go Slowly) by Kirli Saunders transfers to the mainstage after its debut this year as part of the MerrigongX artists’ program. 4 new works have been chosen for this year’s MerrigongX presentations: Arrawarra, Two Weeks, Cicada, and Service. You can find more information about all of these exciting new shows, as well as the mainstage season, in a physical or virtual season brochure.

Out of all these outstanding works, new and old, traditional and subversive, local and international, my personal top pick of the season is My Brilliant Career. a joyous new Australian musical adapted from the seminal 1901 book by Miles Franklin. I was lucky enough to see it in its original Melbourne production late last year, and I’m thrilled to hear that it’s returning to Melbourne in 2026, this time with the addition of tour stops in Canberra, Sydney, and Wollongong. The musical imagines its main character Sybylla, an ambitious young Australian woman determined to forge her own path in life, as a singer-songwriter, telling her story through pop belters, pub rock, and bush tunes accompanied by an all-star actor-musician cast. Playing the lead role is the incomparable Kala Gare (SIX the Musical, Calamity Jane), who simply has to be seen to be believed. You will not regret heading to the IPAC in May to catch this big-hearted, visually stunning feminist adventure.

Don’t let my clear favouritism deter you, though: every single show in this year’s season is intriguing and exciting in its own right. This year’s season champions female-fronted works and First Nations creators, and brings in the best of brand-new theatre from around the nation as well as works grown right here in the Gong. Plus, international hits coming right to our doorstep, and fresh ways to experience the classics.

You can buy season tickets right now from the Merrigong website, to lock in the best seats at the best prices, as well as individual tickets to a few shows, with the remainder going on sale closer to their performance dates. Either way, you can look forward to a great year of theatre here in Wollongong, and keep your eye on The Tert all year as we continue to bring you reviews, exclusive chats, and more!