If you're hankering for a culture hit, we've got you sorted with plenty of theatre in Perth in 2024 (and early-2025). From toe-tapping musicals to gripping plays, here – in chronological order – are our picks of the best live theatre shows gracing WA stages this year.

The Seed

Celebrated Australian actress and playwright Kate Mulvany dives into family history and war in this semi-biographical play inspired by Mulvany’s father. The play centres on young writer Rose’s conversations with her father, a Vietnam vet, and grandfather, an old IRA soldier. Drama and black comedy both abound as Rose’s questions draw out stories of war trauma and family secrets in equal measure.

The Seed runs November 2 to 17 at the Subiaco Arts Centre. Tickets are available online from August 7.

Never miss a Perth moment. Make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter today.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Wicked

You might already be familiar with Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion, but the musical goes back even further, telling the story of Elphaba (the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda the Good Witch – their rivalry, friendship and how they changed each other for good. Courtney Monsma (2012’s Dorothy) plays Glinda, the bubbly popular girl who goes on to become the famous “good witch”, while Sheridan Adams (Tick, Tick… Boom!, Cruel Intentions) plays the emerald-green Elphaba, who, as the hue of her skin would suggest, goes onto becomes the Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked comes to Brisbane as the final stop of its Australian tour after seasons in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Wicked is running from December at the Crown Theatre. The waitlist for tickets is now open.

Jesus Christ Superstar

A rock opera by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award winners Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar is a tale of friendship and betrayal told from the perspective of history’s most famous antagonist, Judas Iscariot. This musical explores the final weeks of the life of Jesus Christ and the relationship between Jesus, Judas and Mary Magdalene through rock ballads. It’s the Bible, but not as you know it.

Jesus Christ Superstar runs from February 13 to March 2, 2025 at Crown Theatre. Tickets available here.

August: Osage County

This Pulitzer-winning play by Tracy Letts tells the story of a family marred by addiction, personal failure and complex relationships. The three Weston daughters return home to find their alcoholic former poet father, Beverly, missing and their mother, Violet, in the grips of an opioid addiction. Once there, tensions reach a boiling point in the darkly comic play. The production stars Caroline Brazier (Packed to the Rafters, Rake) and television director Bee Cruse.

August: Osage County at Heath Ledger Theatre runs from February 27 to March 16, 2025.

Sister Act

Based on the 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, the musical version of Sister Act stars Casey Donovan of Australian Idol fame. The musical follows the tale of Deloris, who sees a murder and is forced into witness protect in a convent, where she assists the nuns with their struggling choir group. Sister Act features original music from Tony and Oscar award-winner Alan Menken (Disney’s Aladdin, Enchanted, The Little Mermaid), whose soundtrack draws on Motown, soul and disco.

Sister Act will play at Crown Theatre from April 2025 onwards. Sign up for the waitlist here

Blue

Written by and starring Heartbreak High star Thomas Weatherall, Blue is a tender and deeply personal monologue that Weatherall began writing as a teenager. The one-man play tells the story of Mark, a young man who, after moving out of home, communicates with his mum through a series of letters – then one letter changes everything. The play comes to Perth after a debut season in Sydney and a subsequent run in Brisbane.

Blue at Studio Underground runs from May 23 to June 8, 2025.

Never Have I Ever

Host of The Guilty Feminist Deborah Frances-White’s debut play opens with couple Jacq and Kas, whose restaurant has gone bust – taking their friends’ investments along with it. The couple host one last hurrah to break the bad news but, as the wine begins to flow, untold secrets start to slip that will change their relationships forever. The play will be directed by Black Swan’s Kate Champion.

Never Have I Ever at Heath Ledger Theatre runs from June 14 to July 6, 2025.

The Gospel According to Paul

Of all the Australian prime ministers, Paul Keating has the most memorable quips. Considering his verbosity, it’s only natural that this acerbic and complex politician has been immortalised by Jonathan Biggins in a poignant and insightful depiction of the boy from Bankstown.

The Gospel According to Paul at Heath Ledger Theatre runs from July 23 to August 3, 2025.

Speaking in Tongues

People connect in moving and messy ways. This play by Andrew Bovell explores the lives of nine interconnected people and themes of love, desire, suspicion and betrayal. This includes two couples who go home with each other’s spouses; a man pining for a lost love who has long since moved on; and a woman who has disappeared, leaving a neighbour as a suspect while her husband won’t pick up the phone.

Speaking in Tongues will run at Heath Ledger Theatre from August 23 to September 14, 2025.

Carol

For Carol (born on Christmas Day), Christmas is a religion. She decks the halls, wraps the gifts and dishes out pav. But when a particularly gloomy year threatens to rob Carol of her Christmas cheer, she does everything in her power to keep the magic of the season alive in this heartfelt play by Andrea Gibbs.

Carol will run at Heath Ledger Theatre from November 22 to December 14, 2025.

Additional reporting by Caitlin Hall, Kai Page and Shabnam Sidhu.

This article was originally published on March 21, 2024 but was update on October 24, 2024 to include more theatre coming to Perth in 2024 and 2024 and delete shows whose seasons have since ended.