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The Lovers - A new era of musical theatre premieres in Brisbane

Mon 28 Apr 2025

This spring, Shakespeare gets a fierce new remix.

Shake & Stir Theatre Co and Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), in association with Brisbane Festival, today announced the premiere of a brand-new production of the breakout Australian pop musical The Lovers, running in QPAC’s Playhouse from 13 September to 5 October 2025.

Written and composed by the wildly talented Laura Murphy, The Lovers is a fresh, high-energy reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with an electrifying pop score, a dynamic live band, and a whole lot of heart.

Romantic, rebellious, and irresistibly fun, this contemporary take on Shakespeare’s tangled tale of love and mischief is set to captivate Brisbane audiences in a whole new way.

This thrilling new production of The Lovers from the creative powerhouse at Shake & Stir Theatre Co makes its Queensland debut, following the musical’s premiere sold-out season at the Sydney Opera House in 2023.

Directed by Shake & Stir’s Artistic Director Nick Skubij (Frankenstein, Fourteen), the show promises to be a must-see theatrical event.

“We are beyond excited to bring a new interpretation of this stellar work by the incredibly talented Laura Murphy to QPAC’s stage as part of Brisbane Festival,” said Nick.

“Shake & Stir is known for creating bold, high-impact theatre and touring it across the country, and while we’re best known for our dramatic works, musical theatre has always been part of our creative DNA. It’s been a while since our national tour of Green Day’s American Idiot, and we’ve been waiting for the right moment — and the right show — to return to the genre. Though we’ve toured Shakespeare extensively to schools nationwide, The Lovers marks our first mainstage dive into one of his classics. We couldn’t be more excited to bring it to life in spectacular, musical form.

“Imagine a bold, genre-defying production that combines sharp wit, vibrant energy, and powerful storytelling - The Lovers is all that and more! Literally love and pop and Shakespeare pouring off the stage," he said.

Working alongside Skubij is a phenomenal team of the country’s most revered creatives including Choreographer Yvette Lee (Follies), Music Director Heidi Maguire (SIX the Musical), Designer Isabel Hudson (Dear Evan Hansen), Video and Sound Designer David Bergman (The Picture of Dorian Gray) and Lighting Designer Trent Suidgeest (Frankenstein).

“To support Laura’s incredible music and book, we have assembled a stunning team of creatives and a true who’s who of the best Australian talent in musical theatre today who we can’t wait to announce in coming weeks. I can promise musical theatre lovers will be over the moon with the casting,” said Skubij.

QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy said the collaboration with Brisbane Festival and Shake & Stir was part of QPAC’s commitment to supporting Queensland companies to develop and present new works for the stage.

“New productions co-produced by QPAC and Brisbane Festival have become a joint priority in recent years – both organisations are always looking for work that can be both a highlight of the Festival program and a work with the touring potential to reach wider audiences,” she said.

“I was lucky enough to see GRIMM at Brisbane Festival last year and so when this project was pitched to us as a new production with our friends at Shake & Stir, we jumped at the opportunity.

“Under Shake & Stir’s creative leadership, I have no doubt this adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic will win a whole new legion of fans.

“You couldn’t get a ticket once The Lovers opened its national premiere at the Sydney Opera House; it was the talk of the town and I anticipate it will be a similarly hot ticket within this year’s Brisbane Festival”, Ms Healy said.

Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek commended the artistic partnership between Shake & Stir, QPAC and Brisbane Festival - which has already provided Festival audiences with world premiere seasons of Fourteen and GRIMM.

“Brisbane Festival is an exciting time of the year for arts lovers and the Crisafulli Government is proud to support the presentation of this all-new production of The Lovers, enhancing our state’s reputation as a leading cultural destination,” Minister Langbroek said.

“With the eyes of the world soon to be upon us for Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, significant productions like this showcase the incredible creative talent we have in Queensland.”

Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Louise Bezzina said she was absolutely delighted to be bringing The Lovers to Brisbane Festival - a bold, high-octane musical from Festival favourites, Shake & Stir Theatre Co.

“Laura Murphy’s razor-sharp writing and irresistible pop score had me hooked from the first beat when I saw it at the Sydney Opera House. It’s fresh, funny and wildly entertaining.

“With Shake & Stir at the helm, I know it’s going to raise the roof,” Ms Bezzina said.

Get ready to fall head over heels. The Lovers is a wild ride through love, lust, and lunacy – where nothing goes as planned, but everything happens for a reason.

Tickets go on sale at 9.00am on Wednesday 30 April at qpac.com.au or phone 136 246.