Michael Paynter To Play John Farnham In Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical

Sydney Theatre Company Announces World Premiere Casting For Landmark Australian Musical

by Paul Cashmere

Michael Paynter has been cast to portray Australian music icon John Farnham in Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical, the world premiere production set to open at Sydney Theatre Company’s Roslyn Packer Theatre in November 2026. The announcement confirms one of the most anticipated casting decisions in recent Australian theatre, placing a contemporary powerhouse vocalist at the centre of a story that reshaped the nation’s musical identity.

The Michael Cassel Group production arrives forty years after the release of Whispering Jack, the 1986 album that transformed Farnham from a respected veteran performer into a cultural institution. Remains the highest-selling Australian album of all time, Whispering Jack was a commercial phenomenon and a turning point in local music history, anchored by songs that continue to resonate across generations.

Paynter’s appointment follows his acclaimed 2025 performance as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, a role famously played by Farnham three decades earlier. That production earned Paynter a Sydney Theatre Award and positioned him as one of Australia’s most formidable contemporary vocalists. His connection to Farnham’s legacy is not only artistic but historical, drawing a clear line between two eras of Australian performance.

At the time Farnham recorded Whispering Jack, his career was at a crossroads. Despite earlier success as a teen idol and respected session vocalist, he was financially strained and working largely outside the commercial mainstream. Recording from a suburban garage in Melbourne with a new band and manager Glenn Wheatley, Farnham created an album that defied expectations. Led by You’re The Voice, the record became a cultural landmark, redefining what Australian pop and rock could achieve both commercially and emotionally.

Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical focuses on that transformative period, tracing the personal, professional and creative forces that converged to produce an album that became part of the national fabric. The production is directed by Sydney Theatre Company Artistic Director Mitchell Butel and produced in association with Michael Cassel and Gaynor Wheatley, alongside collaborators TalentWorks and writer Jack Yabsley.

Butel has identified Paynter’s vocal authority and emotional intelligence as central to the casting decision. Beyond technical ability, the role requires an artist capable of conveying Farnham’s generosity as a performer and his rare capacity to connect with audiences at scale. Those qualities have long defined Farnham’s reputation, not just as a singer but as a storyteller.

Michael Cassel has described the casting as a significant responsibility, noting the immediate impact Paynter made during auditions through both vocal command and emotional engagement with the material. Gaynor Wheatley has echoed that sentiment, emphasising the care and respect Paynter brings to telling Farnham’s story, qualities essential to honouring a legacy so deeply embedded in Australian culture.

The announcement coincides with a major period of activity for Paynter outside the theatre. His The Great Australian Songbook national tour has expanded rapidly due to demand, growing from an initial run of dates to more than twenty shows across the country, many already sold out. The tour sees Paynter interpreting songs that have shaped Australia’s musical consciousness, including works closely associated with Farnham.

Alongside the tour, Paynter is releasing The Great Australian Songbook LIVE Vol. 1, a new EP recorded at Somerville Mechanics Hall near his hometown of Frankston. Captured live with minimal instrumentation, the EP includes performances of Working Class Man, Crazy, Chandelier, Age Of Reason and Burn For You, offering a preview of the musical terrain he will inhabit on stage as Farnham.

Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical will play at Roslyn Packer Theatre from 15 November 2026. Tickets are on sale now via sydneytheatre.com.au.

The Great Australian Songbook Tour Dates
Sunday 8 February, Perth, Lyric’s Underground
Wednesday 4 March, Adelaide, Garden of Unearthly Delights
Wednesday 4 March, Adelaide, Garden of Unearthly Delights
Saturday 7 March, Frankston, Frankston Arts Centre
Sunday 8 March, Frankston, Frankston Arts Centre
Friday 20 March, Gold Coast, Sopo Southport
Saturday 11 April, Sydney, The Foundry
Saturday 11 April, Sydney, The Foundry
Sunday 12 April, Avoca Beach, Avoca Beach Theatre
Wednesday 22 April, Sydney, The Foundry
Thursday 23 April, Sydney, The Foundry
Friday 24 April, Sydney, The Regent Theatre Richmond
Saturday 2 May, Brisbane, Lefty’s Music Hall
Sunday 3 May, Brisbane, Lefty’s Music Hall
Friday 8 May, Canberra, Playhouse Theatre
Friday 15 May, Melbourne, Athenaeum Theatre
Saturday 16 May, Melbourne, Athenaeum Theatre
Sunday 17 May, Melbourne, Athenaeum Theatre
Friday 29 May, Melbourne, Athenaeum Theatre
Wednesday 3 June, Perth, Astor Theatre
Saturday 13 June, Geelong, The Story Theatre
Friday 10 July, Hobart, Festival Of Voices