Heralded as “a brilliant new landmark in Australian musicals” (The Australian), HIT Productions and Glen Street Theatre are proud to be presenting this important Australian work to the Northern Beaches community.

The original Queensland Theatre Company production opened at QPAC in 1999 after a season in Cairns, Townsville, and Mackay, and then in 2000 it played at the Sydney Opera House for the Sydney Theatre Company.

Receiving numerous awards including a 1999 Matilda for its book, lyrics, and direction, and a 2000 Deadly Award for Excellence – Theatrical Score for Enoch and John Rodgers. A Queensland Theatre revival at QPAC in 2022 preceded HIT’s new production of the show tailored to touring.

With Wesley Enoch at the helm, the 2023 tour is taking his play further than ever before with almost all the locations, including Glen Street Theatre, presenting the work for the first time.  

“I initially wrote this as a way of bringing people together, especially in the reconciliation movement, this notion of Black and white dancing together and the stories of our history, especially post World War II… in this post or living with COVID world, it’ll be even more important to see that cultural bonds can be formed by gathering as groups and dealing with social issues together.” –  Wesley Enoch, AM

These secret dance clubs in the post-WWII-era played a significant role in the lead-up to the 1967 Referendum that changed Australia and the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. It is very meaningful that The Sunshine Club is now touring at the same time as Australia considers the upcoming Referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

ABOUT THE PLAY

Set in a 1940s Brisbane dance club and with an underpinning theme of life affirmation, the play revolves around Aboriginal serviceman Frank Doyle, who has come home from war to find that although the wider world may have changed, attitudes back home haven’t.

Fuelled by a passion to create a better life, Frank opens The Sunshine Club, a place for Black and white to socialise and dance. It is here Frank dreams of a bright future with the beautiful girl next door, Rose. Featuring a live five-piece band and more than twenty original songs, this joyful, reflective musical is unmissable.  

"Humorous, thought-provoking and realistic, The Sunshine Club explores Australia’s sometimes shameful past relations with its Indigenous people by revealing the little-known existence of mixed-race dance clubs that sprung up around the nation post WWII.” – Variety

The exciting cast includes five performers from the 2022 QPAC Season, alongside experienced veterans and up and coming performers including exciting First Nations artists.

The Sunshine Club plays at Glen Street Theatre from 9 to 13 August and its principal actors are Garret Lyon, Claire Warrillow, Naarah & Trent Owers.

For more information about The Sunshine Club, please visit Glen Street Theatre's website.