This is a collection of plays set to inspire and delight, with stories that range from the Australian outback to the Italian Riviera, from a picnic at Hanging Rock to a karaoke club at closing time. In 2025 we will transport you into new worlds, introduce you to extraordinary characters and share with you original stories that will make you laugh and break your hearts. This season features a raft of new Australian writing, some of the best new plays from the international stage and a sprinkling of thrilling reinterpretations of classics from some of our most acclaimed theatremakers. It’s all been curated just for you, and I can’t wait for you to see it!
Australian stories have been at the centre of my programming at STC, and I’m thrilled that of the 12 shows in the 2025 Season, eight of them are by Australian writers. Amongst these plays are a number of brand-new works, two of which feature the return of two of our most treasured playwrights: Kate Mulvany and Joanna Murray-Smith. We are thrilled that Kate, following her sublime adaptations of Ruth Park’s The Harp in the South and Playing Beatie Bow, will be completing her trilogy of sorts by bringing to life another beloved Australian classic, The Shiralee by D’Arcy Niland (Ruth’s husband). It’s bound to be a magical night of theatre and we are so lucky that Kate will also be acting in the work.
Following the triumphs of Julia and Switzerland, the phenomenal Joanna Murray-Smith returns to the engrossing world of Patricia Highsmith with an insightful adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley. Joanna reunites with one of our great directors, Sarah Goodes, to bring this iconic tale to thrilling new life.
The 2025 Season is also marked by a number of brilliant comic and musical works. I’m so pleased to announce the Sydney premiere of Bloom, a captivating musical with lyrics and book by Working Dog’s Tom Gleisner, music by Katie Weston and direction from STC favourite Dean Bryant. This show, which had a sold-out premiere run in Melbourne, is a fabulous representation of Working Dog’s irreverent and big-hearted sense of humour.
Over in The Wharf we will present Congratulations, Get Rich! by Merlynn Tong, directed by our former Resident Artist Courtney Stewart. This vibrant musical comedy is a truly exciting three-way co-production with La Boite Theatre and Singapore Repertory Theatre, and an absorbing tale of mothers and daughters.
2025 also showcases some of the best contemporary plays from the world stage, including the heartwarming and poignant 4000 Miles by Amy Herzog, featuring the return of the great Nancye Hayes directed by Resident Director Kenneth Moraleda, as well as Circle Mirror Transformation by Pulitzer Prize-winner, Annie Baker, featuring the beloved Rebecca Gibney in her STC debut. This play is equal parts hilarious and moving, in a captivating exploration of personal transformation and human connection.
Thrilling reinterpretations of classic works are also a hallmark of this season; with the great Kat Stewart headlining Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, a team of the most innovative young storytellers delving into the mystery and majesty of Picnic at Hanging Rock led by Resident Director Ian Michael, and two of our industry’s greatest theatremakers, Pamela Rabe and Nick Schlieper, taking on Samuel Beckett’s titanic work Happy Days.
STC continues our much valued relationship with Griffin Theatre Company in 2025, and I can’t wait for you to see their exquisite and profound production Whitefella Yella Tree by Palawa writer Dylan Van Den Berg, co-directed by Griffin’s Artistic Director Declan Greene and Wiradjuri and Worimi theatremaker Amy Sole, when it comes to The Wharf later in the year.
I’m also excited to share that we will be bringing back two smash-hit productions for encore seasons. After delighting audiences across the country, The Dictionary of Lost Words, adapted by Verity Laughton from Pip Williams’ best-selling novel, returns to our stages. And rounding out the year, the one and only Heather Mitchell is back due to popular demand in her now legendary performance in RBG: Of Many, One by the incredible Suzie Miller and directed by the brilliant Priscilla Jackman.
As you all know, 2025 is my final season as Artistic Director. As I prepare to step away from this role that I have loved so much and to hand over to my wonderful colleague and dear friend, the phenomenally talented Mitchell Butel, it is with immense pride that I share this final season with you. Each of these productions represents a culmination of our shared passion for theatre and the enduring power of live storytelling.
I am deeply thankful to you all for the opportunity to program and present eight seasons of theatre in my time as Artistic Director. This is by no means the end of my connection with you or this remarkable Company I love so much, but for now, please accept my heartfelt gratitude for this special time we have shared in the theatre together.
Kip Williams
Artistic Director & Co-CEO