The iconic story which made audiences laugh, cry, and fall in love with six extraordinary women is back – live on stage in a dazzling new Australian production.
’Steel Magnolias’ is a timeless tale written by Robert Harling, coming alive under the direction of Lee Lewis, and six powerhouse actors. The show will hit Brisbane first, before travelling to Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra, Perth, and Melbourne.
The show originally opened in Australia at the York Theatre in Sydney in 1988. It featured a cast including Maggie Dence, Nancye Hayes, Melissa Jaffer, Genevieve Lemon, Pat McDonald and Nicole Kidman, making her professional stage debut.
Step inside Truvy’s beauty salon, in the heart of a small Southern town, where local women share their joys, struggles and a little neighbourly gossip. Weddings, babies, divorces, funerals. . . They face life’s highs and lows with humour, courage and impeccably-styled hair.
When tragedy strikes, it’s in the salon walls that they find comfort, support, and unbreakable bonds of friendship.
“Following our recent tours of ‘The Woman In Black’, ‘Shirley Valentine’ and ‘The 39 Steps’, we’re thrilled to bring ‘Steel Magnolias’ to Australian audiences,” producers Neil Gooding and Alex Woodward say.
“The fierce, funny and resilient friendships in the story have always inspired us. It’s a privilege to work with Lee Lewis again, whose direction of ‘Shirley Valentine’ we so admired, and to bring the heart, humour and spirit of ‘Steel Magnolias’ to the stage with a stellar ensemble of Australia’s most exceptional talent.”
Steel Magnolias Australia 2026 Tour Dates
30 April-10 May – Playhouse Theatre (QPAC)
13-31 May – Theatre Royal Sydney
3-11 June – Illawarra Performing Arts Centre
17-21 June – Canberra Theatre Centre
7-18 July – His Majesty’s Theatre (Perth)
23 July-9 August – Athenaeum Theatre (Melbourne)
