Newcastle theatre talent takes the stage in Civic Playhouse’s 2026 Upstage season

newy.com.au – Local theatre makers will take centre stage at Newcastle’s Civic Playhouse next year, with four homegrown productions selected for City of Newcastle’s 2026 Upstage at the Playhouse season.

Now in its third year, the Civic Theatre program is designed to give Newcastle writers and companies a professional platform while highlighting the city’s growing reputation as a hub for original Australian theatre. The 2026 line-up features two debut works and four distinct stories rooted in local settings, family dynamics and historical drama.

Chair of City of Newcastle’s Community and Culture Advisory Committee, Councillor Jenny Barrie, said backing grassroots theatre was essential to building a thriving creative city.

“Newcastle is alive with talent that we are proud to showcase through this program, which provides a platform to tell local stories that resonate with our community, while offering visitors a new way to connect with Newcastle’s theatre culture,” Cr Barrie said.

“City of Newcastle is proud to support each of these production companies through this program, which has been embraced by the local community, with over two and a half thousand tickets sold across the four productions delivered during 2025.”

Upstage at the Playhouse was developed by the Civic Theatre to deepen engagement with local theatre makers by co-presenting and supporting works that reflect the talent, creativity and diversity of the Newcastle region. Each selected show is given a two-week season in the intimate 195-seat Playhouse, which sits within the same building as the historic Civic Theatre in Newcastle’s city centre.

Local writer Mikaela Corrigan will debut her play She, Her and I with Cats in the Cupboard Productions, a company established in 2023. The work follows three sisters who reunite at their family home in Bar Beach after 20 years to care for their sick mother, using visual media and Newcastle beach scenes to explore memory, belonging and the complexities of family relationships.

Daniel Cottier Productions, formed in 2024, will launch its first production with Occasional Combustible Disaster. Set in Karuah, the play centres on a teenager facing a life-changing decision days before completing his HSC, combining humour and heartbreak in an examination of the nuclear family.

The season also features The Whisper, a dark comedy drama by Newcastle playwright Carl Caulfield, premiering with Stray Dogs Theatre Company. The story follows a family whose new lodger bears an unsettling resemblance to their deceased son, with rising household tensions as similarities between the two emerge.

Rounding out the program is The Libertine by British playwright Stephen Jeffreys, staged by HER Productions. The play is described as a provocative portrait of notorious poet John Wilmot, the second Earl of Rochester, tracing a life of genius, excess, hypocrisy and the search for authenticity.

Civic Theatre Executive Manager Leonie Wallace said the curated season reflected the breadth of talent emerging from Newcastle and the Hunter.

“The Upstage program aims to amplify the work of both emerging and established creatives, giving them visibility within our community and beyond,” Ms Wallace said.

“By supporting works from emerging theatre companies alongside seasoned theatre practitioners, Civic Theatre is creating a platform that strengthens our city’s cultural identity and positions Newcastle as a hub for original Australian theatre.”

Occasional Combustible Disaster will open the 2026 season in March, followed by The Libertine in July, The Whisper in August and She, Her and I in November. Tickets and further information are available via the Civic Theatre website.