Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias, a cornerstone of American theatre since the late 1980s, will return to Australian stages in 2026 in a new national tour directed by Lee Lewis. Producers Neil Gooding and Alex Woodward will present the production with a cast of six actors, who will be revealed in the coming months. This new staging will bring Harling’s tale of friendship, resilience and emotional strength to audiences in Brisbane, Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra, Perth and Melbourne.
Harling wrote Steel Magnolias in 1987, drawing from the experience of losing his sister Susan Harling-Robinson to complications from Type 1 diabetes. He created the play to preserve her story for his young nephew, then found that it spoke to a much broader audience. The play premiered at New York’s WPA Theatre, transferred to the Lucille Lortel Theatre and ran for more than 1,100 performances. It later inspired the 1989 film adaptation, which became a global success.
The title reflects Harling’s intention to portray women who are gentle yet unbreakable. Set entirely in Truvy’s beauty salon in a fictional Louisiana parish, the story uses humour and everyday conversation to navigate love, hardship and loss. The narrative follows six women, bound by loyalty and community, who share their lives in one intimate space from the late 1980s onward.
Australia first staged Steel Magnolias in 1988 at the York Theatre at Sydney’s Seymour Centre. The production included Maggie Dence, Nancye Hayes, Melissa Jaffer, Genevieve Lemon and Pat McDonald, and marked Nicole Kidman’s professional stage debut as Shelby. It later toured to the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne, where the play became a favourite with local audiences.
This new 2026 production continues that history, with Lewis returning after her acclaimed work on Shirley Valentine. Gooding and Woodward note that the story’s bond between women remains compelling for contemporary audiences. Their recent tours of The Woman In Black, Shirley Valentine and The 39 Steps continue their commitment to presenting iconic international works to Australian theatre-goers.
The stage version unfolds across acts that begin with the arrival of Annelle Dupuy at Truvy Jones’s in-home salon. She meets Shelby Eatenton and her mother M’Lynn, along with Clairee Belcher and Ouiser Boudreaux. The six women share stories while preparing for Shelby’s wedding. Their laughs and conflicts echo the realities of their Southern town, where friendship forms the backbone of survival.
As seasons shift, Shelby’s health challenges intensify, her pregnancy places her life at risk and M’Lynn becomes her donor in a desperate attempt to save her daughter. The final scene, which unfolds after Shelby’s passing, shows the women confronting grief with equal parts honesty, anger and compassion. The closing moments affirm the endurance of community, even when tested by tragedy.
The 2026 Australian Tour
Brisbane
Playhouse Theatre, QPAC
Season 30 April to 10 May
Tue to Thurs 7pm
Fri to Sat 7.30pm
Wed, Thurs and Sat 2pm
Sun 1pm and 6pm
Tickets from $89
Sydney
Theatre Royal Sydney
Season 13 to 31 May
Tue to Thurs 7pm
Fri to Sat 7.30pm
Wed, Thurs and Sat 2pm
Sun 1pm, 3pm and 6pm
Tickets from $59
Wollongong
Illawarra Performing Arts Centre
Season 3 to 11 June
Tues 6.30pm
Wed 11am or 1.30pm, 6.30pm or 7.30pm
Thurs 1.30pm and 6.30pm
Fri to Sat 7.30pm
Sat and Sun 1.30pm
Tickets from $89
Canberra
Canberra Theatre Centre
Season 17 to 21 June
Wed 6.30pm
Thurs 7pm and 2pm
Fri to Sat 7.30pm
Sat to Sun 1pm
Sun 6pm
Tickets from $55
Perth
His Majesty’s Theatre
Season 7 to 18 July
Tue to Thurs 7pm
Fri to Sat 7.30pm
Wed and Sat 2pm
Tickets from $59
Melbourne
Athenaeum Theatre
Season 23 July to 9 August
Tues to Thurs 7pm
Fri to Sat 7.30pm
Wed and Sat 2pm
Sun 3pm
Tickets from $55
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