The new musical The Lucky Country, about what it means to be Australian, today announced an impressive ensemble cast for the upcoming Melbourne and Brisbane seasons.
Garret Lyon (Tina – A Tropical Love Story, The Sunshine Club, The Voice) will take on the role of Boy; Naarah Barnes(Deadloch, The Sunshine Club, Our Country’s Good) as Teacher, Vidya Makan (Hamilton, SIX) as Cindy; Phoenix Jackson Mendoza (SIX, The Cruise, Australian EPIC) as Sexy Australia, Jeffrey Liu (Miss Peony, K-Box) as Waiter and Karlis Zaid(Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, Cats, My Fair Lady) as Veteran.
Rounding out the cast are Anusha Thomas (Hamilton, Aurat Raj, City of Angels) and Tainga Toa (Hamilton) who join the company in swing and understudy roles.
The production will preview from Monday 13 October as part of the 2025 Melbourne Fringe Festival “Guarantee” program – meaning audiences who don’t love it can see another Guarantee Fringe show for free. It then heads to Brisbane Powerhouse as part of MELT Festival.
With an original score that pays homage to some of Australia’s greatest musicians, this 60-minute musical takes audiences on a joyful and moving ride through a patchwork of Aussie stories. Digging deep into themes of identity and belonging, it is a heartfelt and wildly entertaining celebration of who we can be as Australians.
Meet Boy, a 13-year-old Thiithaarr Warra kid, whose youthful optimism is dashed when he clashes with his teacher’s notion of ‘our shared history’. It sparks a journey that leads him back to Country and a moment of truth.
While Boy grapples with the fault lines in our national story, we encounter a collection of all-Aussie characters including grey nomads who find love on Contiki tour, a Chinese Australian restauranteur who dreams of life as a Byron Bay nudist, a young refugee in Mingoola, a WW2 veteran, an aspiring actress, a fake Russian choir along with plenty of other unforgettable characters.
Created by two of Australia’s most exciting theatre-makers — composer and lyricist Vidya Makan (Hamilton, SIX) and director Sonya Suares (Into the Woods, Sunday in the Park with George) — The Lucky Country reclaims and reimagines the national songbook with a thrilling soundtrack, performed live by a five-piece band (including a yidaki – didgeridoo) alongside this outstanding ensemble of performers.
Dates: Monday 13 – Saturday 18 October
Preview: Monday 13 October
Time: 7pm Monday – Wednesday, 5pm Thursday, 8pm Friday & Saturday (2.30pm matinees Wednesday
& Saturday)
Venue: Southbank Theatre, The Lawler, 140 Southbank Boulevard
Booking: mtc.com.au
Tickets: Preview $44.50; Adults $65-69; Conc $55-59 (Student, Equity, Pension); Group 6+ $55; Blaktix
$44.50
