Must-see theatre and stage productions hitting the stages of Perth this winter

The winter weather is rolling in, and there's no better way to spend the season than seeing some of the finest theatre on the stages of Perth. Here are our picks for shows you can't miss, coming up soon.

Mack and Mabel

WAAPA, Jun 10 – Jun 16 WAAPA, alongside Edith Cowan University proudly present Mack and Mabel. Jerry Herman, award-winning theatre director, takes the tumultuous real-life relationship between Hollywood silent movie director Mack Sennett and his star Mabel Normand transforms the story into a classic musical studded with brilliant songs such as Time Heals Everything, I Won’t Send Roses, Wherever He Ain’t and Look What Happened to Mabel. With 40 triple-threat musical theatre performers, a 30-piece live orchestra, and all backed up by over 60 Production and Design students, Mack and Mabel is the biggest show in Perth in 2022. Don't miss this fabulous companion piece to this year's smash-hit, Crazy For You!

Cicada

Barking Gecko, Jul 9 – Jul 16 Cicada tell story. Story Good. Story simple. Story even human can understand. Tok! Tok! Tok! This is the story of a dutiful cicada who works away in a grey office year after year. Overlooked and unappreciated by his co-workers, Cicada weaves a dream of escape, keeping his secrets hidden until the day something truly extraordinary begins to happen... Winner of the Children’s Book Council Award for Best Picture Book in 2019,this new adaptation brings master-storyteller Shaun Tan’s much-loved Cicada to life on the stage, aided by some of WA's finest puppet makers and puppeteers. A small story of epic proportions, Cicada is an enchanting tale of difference, resilience and the light we all have inside ourselves.

The Glass Menagerie

Black Swan Theatre Co, Aug 2 – Aug 21 Amanda Wingfield only wants the best for her two children, Tom and Laura. With her socialite adolescence behind her, Amanda puts all her energies into pushing her children up the social and financial ladder from which she has fallen. Shadowed by the absence of a father, they struggle to break free from their mother’s imposing ways. Tennessee Williams’ most vulnerable and semi-autobiographical play, The Glass Menagerie, is expertly directed by Claire Watson. This is the tumultuous story of one of the most heartbreakingly real families, on stage.

Frozen the Musical

Crown Theatre, Aug 25 – Oct 2 From the producers of Aladdin, The Lion King and Mary Poppins, Disney’s new hit musical Frozen opens in Perth this August. Adapted from the much loved and Oscar-winning film, this story is brought to life on stage in an unforgettable theatrical experience. An inspiring tale of sisterhood and true love, it features the songs you know and love from the original film plus a brand-new score with a dozen new musical numbers. With expertly crafted sets and costumes as well as sensational special effects, Frozen is everything a Broadway musical should be – moving, spectacular and pure joy. This is a theatrical experience the whole family will enjoy.

13-Storey Treehouse

CDP Theatre Producers, July 6 - July 10 Authorial icons Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton are going to bring their stories to life in their first ever play – except they forgot to write it! Where will they find flying cats, a mermaid, a sea monster, an invasion of monkeys, and a giant gorilla? Here is your chance to see the first show in the award-winning ‘Treehouse’ series, based on Andy Griffiths’ and Terry Denton’s best-selling book, which has been a mainstay on Aussie childrens' bookshelves. After sold-out seasons across the country, the one and only, super-famous, ultra-brilliant, runaway success, The 13-Storey Treehouse returns to the stage. Adapted by Richard Tulloch (The Book of Everything, Bananas in Pyjamas), this hugely successful play is brought to life by a seriously funny cast, with magical moments of theatrical wizardry and a truckload of imagination!

Check out more performing arts around Perth here!