Silverchair and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are at the centre of stage shows for May

The stage has never looked better as classics, award-winning productions, and rock operas make their mark.

This May, regional Victoria bursts with stories brought to life on stage and screen, offering an eclectic mix of romance, comedy, music, and drama. Audiences can expect intimate explorations of love and identity, high-energy musical spectacles, witty and irreverent comedy, and thought-provoking reflections on family and community. From dazzling visual experiences to heartfelt performances, the month promises creativity, connection, and a celebration of the diverse voices shaping the region’s cultural landscape.

Geelong Pride Film Festival Screening: Portrait of a Lady on Fire

WHEN: WED 6 MAY

WHERE; BELLARINE ARTS CENTRE, DRYSDALE

Geelong Pride Film Festival presents a special screening of Portrait of a Lady on Fire, alongside a curated selection of short films. Set in 18th-century France, the story follows Marianne, a young painter, as she secretly captures Héloïse’s likeness. Their shared moments blossom into a profound intimacy, transforming the portrait into a luminous testament to love, desire, and quiet rebellion.

 

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AUTO-TUNE

WHEN: SAT 9 MAY

WHERE: HER MAJESTY”S THEATRE, BALLARAT

Re:group performance collective brings AUTO-TUNE, a raucous auto-tune rock opera, to Her Majesty’s Theatre Ballarat. Set in early-2000s Wagga Wagga, it follows Michael, a teenage Silverchair fan with a peculiar superpower: time-travelling to auto-tune life’s awkward moments. With 17 electrifying songs, live video captions, and a cheeky ode to millennial missteps, this high-energy spectacle celebrates the chaos—and charm—of growing up.

 

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RBG: Of Many, One

WHEN: 6 – 9 MAY

WHERE: GEELONG ARTS CENTRE, GEELONG

Suzie Miller’s RBG: Of Many, One makes its Geelong debut, starring the brilliant Heather Mitchell in a lauded, virtuoso portrayal of Supreme Court icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Directed by Priscilla Jackman, this riveting production traces Ginsburg’s groundbreaking legal triumphs, fierce advocacy, and enduring legacy, offering an intimate, powerful encounter with one of history’s most extraordinary trailblazers in a performance celebrated as “magnificent from start to finish.”

 

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Bendigo Theatre Company: Priscilla Queen of the Desert

WHEN 14 – 17 MAY

WHERE: ULUMBARRA THEATRE, BENDIGO

Bendigo welcomes Priscilla Queen of the Desert on the Ulumbarra stage for the first time. This sparkling musical follows Tick, Bernadette and Adam on a riotous outback road trip, celebrating friendship, identity and finding your tribe. With dazzling costumes by Polly Filla and an irresistible disco soundtrack, the show promises laughter, glamour, and joyous celebration of diversity in every glittering moment.

 

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Red Sky Morning

WHEN: THU 28 MAY

WHERE: LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE, WARRNAMBOOL

Theatre Works presents Red Sky Morning, a lyrical exploration of family, silence, and resilience in regional Australia. Over a single day, three lives unravel through poetic monologues that reveal love, regret, and quiet hope. Tom Holloway’s award-winning script, brought to life by Lyall Brooks and a compelling cast, captures the tender, unspoken connections that define small-town life with haunting honesty.

 

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Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow

WHEN: SAT 30 MAY

WHERE: RIVERLINK EASTBANK, SHEPPARTON

Australia’s premier comedy festival hits Shepparton with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow. Savour a handpicked mix of seasoned legends and rising stars from near and far, delivering an evening of laughter, wit, and clever observation. For nearly three decades, this touring spectacle has brought joy to communities nationwide and now it’s Shepparton’s turn to experience world-class comedy close to home.

 

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