Expanded queer festival scours globe for headliners

The world's largest centre for queer history and culture looks to grow its centrepiece event as it prepares to host hundreds of artists for a month-long program of events and workshops.
Expanding the festival, nearly tripling the number of events, is a task that has kept Qtopia Pride Fest curator Carly Fisher busy since 2024's inaugural festival finished.
"The dreams from last year became the blueprint for this year," she told AAP ahead of the 2025 festival's launch on Sunday.
Expansion efforts have involved scouring the globe for artists and opportunities.
"Looking for what I think will best suit our Sydney audiences and what I know people will love," Ms Fisher said.
One of them is Jens Radda's award-winning drag cabaret show Skank Sinatra, among three headliners for the 2025 festival.
"When she asked me if I wanted to headline it was an obvious 'yes' straight away and definitely an honour and a privilege to do," Radda told AAP.
Skank Sinatra is "a heightened version of me", he said.
"The show is slightly political but in a very camp and joyous kind of vein.
"If you can bring people together rather than separate people I think that's important."
Skank Sinatra is on at Qtopia's Loading Dock Theatre from June 14-22, a schedule which had to change after the original run clashed with new commitments.
"Funny enough, years of auditioning for acting gigs ... getting some small things, and then finally when I'm in my full cabaret career-blossoming I get a feature film," Radda said.
Ms Fisher said this year's growing festival also features more workshop opportunities in a bid to prioritise conversations and artistic development.
"We want to spark discussions and we hope that in doing that we foster community and we start to drop the little seedlings of change."
The world's largest centre for queer history and culture looks to grow its centrepiece event as it prepares to host hundreds of artists for a month-long program of events and workshops.
Expanding the festival, nearly tripling the number of events, is a task that has kept Qtopia Pride Fest curator Carly Fisher busy since 2024's inaugural festival finished.
"The dreams from last year became the blueprint for this year," she told AAP ahead of the 2025 festival's launch on Sunday.
Expansion efforts have involved scouring the globe for artists and opportunities.
"Looking for what I think will best suit our Sydney audiences and what I know people will love," Ms Fisher said.
One of them is Jens Radda's award-winning drag cabaret show Skank Sinatra, among three headliners for the 2025 festival.
"When she asked me if I wanted to headline it was an obvious 'yes' straight away and definitely an honour and a privilege to do," Radda told AAP.
Skank Sinatra is "a heightened version of me", he said.
"The show is slightly political but in a very camp and joyous kind of vein.
"If you can bring people together rather than separate people I think that's important."
Skank Sinatra is on at Qtopia's Loading Dock Theatre from June 14-22, a schedule which had to change after the original run clashed with new commitments.
"Funny enough, years of auditioning for acting gigs ... getting some small things, and then finally when I'm in my full cabaret career-blossoming I get a feature film," Radda said.
Ms Fisher said this year's growing festival also features more workshop opportunities in a bid to prioritise conversations and artistic development.
"We want to spark discussions and we hope that in doing that we foster community and we start to drop the little seedlings of change."
The world's largest centre for queer history and culture looks to grow its centrepiece event as it prepares to host hundreds of artists for a month-long program of events and workshops.
Expanding the festival, nearly tripling the number of events, is a task that has kept Qtopia Pride Fest curator Carly Fisher busy since 2024's inaugural festival finished.
"The dreams from last year became the blueprint for this year," she told AAP ahead of the 2025 festival's launch on Sunday.
Expansion efforts have involved scouring the globe for artists and opportunities.
"Looking for what I think will best suit our Sydney audiences and what I know people will love," Ms Fisher said.
One of them is Jens Radda's award-winning drag cabaret show Skank Sinatra, among three headliners for the 2025 festival.
"When she asked me if I wanted to headline it was an obvious 'yes' straight away and definitely an honour and a privilege to do," Radda told AAP.
Skank Sinatra is "a heightened version of me", he said.
"The show is slightly political but in a very camp and joyous kind of vein.
"If you can bring people together rather than separate people I think that's important."
Skank Sinatra is on at Qtopia's Loading Dock Theatre from June 14-22, a schedule which had to change after the original run clashed with new commitments.
"Funny enough, years of auditioning for acting gigs ... getting some small things, and then finally when I'm in my full cabaret career-blossoming I get a feature film," Radda said.
Ms Fisher said this year's growing festival also features more workshop opportunities in a bid to prioritise conversations and artistic development.
"We want to spark discussions and we hope that in doing that we foster community and we start to drop the little seedlings of change."
The world's largest centre for queer history and culture looks to grow its centrepiece event as it prepares to host hundreds of artists for a month-long program of events and workshops.
Expanding the festival, nearly tripling the number of events, is a task that has kept Qtopia Pride Fest curator Carly Fisher busy since 2024's inaugural festival finished.
"The dreams from last year became the blueprint for this year," she told AAP ahead of the 2025 festival's launch on Sunday.
Expansion efforts have involved scouring the globe for artists and opportunities.
"Looking for what I think will best suit our Sydney audiences and what I know people will love," Ms Fisher said.
One of them is Jens Radda's award-winning drag cabaret show Skank Sinatra, among three headliners for the 2025 festival.
"When she asked me if I wanted to headline it was an obvious 'yes' straight away and definitely an honour and a privilege to do," Radda told AAP.
Skank Sinatra is "a heightened version of me", he said.
"The show is slightly political but in a very camp and joyous kind of vein.
"If you can bring people together rather than separate people I think that's important."
Skank Sinatra is on at Qtopia's Loading Dock Theatre from June 14-22, a schedule which had to change after the original run clashed with new commitments.
"Funny enough, years of auditioning for acting gigs ... getting some small things, and then finally when I'm in my full cabaret career-blossoming I get a feature film," Radda said.
Ms Fisher said this year's growing festival also features more workshop opportunities in a bid to prioritise conversations and artistic development.
"We want to spark discussions and we hope that in doing that we foster community and we start to drop the little seedlings of change."

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Iconic Australian migrant story returns to the stage

The Advertiser

18 hours ago

The Advertiser

Iconic Australian migrant story returns to the stage

Stephen Nicolazzo felt like throwing away his culture as a kid but is now using it to bring an Aussie classic to the national stage. Born of Melina Marchetta's iconic 1992 book and award-winning film starring Pia Miranda, Looking for Alibrandi the stage show has embarked on a first national tour. The story follows feisty protagonist Josie Alibrandi as she navigates her final year at a prestigious Catholic girls' school in Sydney. Along the way she finds her father, falls in love and grapples with her identity as a third-generation Italian growing up in Australia. It's an experience Nicolazzo shared as the grandson of Italian migrants. In primary school, the now 38-year-old was embarrassed to pronounce Italian words his classmates struggled with. "You want to throw away your culture and your ethnicity when you're younger because of all of the pressures of being discriminated against," he told AAP. "That's a really strange feeling because you lock away a part of yourself as a result of the pressures of expectation." The lived experience of young Australians from Italian cultures has improved over the past 30 years. "But there are many other migrants who have come to this country since the book was written," Nicolazzo said. "They're experiencing the same discrimination and tensions that Josie faced." The production highlights important issues of acceptance and tolerance, and is relatable to a wide audience. Nicolazzo points to the story's universal recognition of concepts like having to deal with over-bearing family members or being spoken to in a certain way. "The people that watch it are sobbing and laughing because there's a familiarity to it that goes beyond nostalgia," he said. The show first graced Sydney and Melbourne stages in 2022 and has since undergone script changes to enrich one of Jose's love interests, John Barton. "The audience is getting the best version of the show, which is five years in the making," Nicolazzo said. Three new cast members have also joined the fold, including 23-year-old graduate Riley Warner, who plays Josie's knockabout boyfriend Jacob Cootes. The rising star is debuting in his first stage show, having met Nicolazzo as a student. "There's something about him that feels like a national audience needs to see him right away," Nicolazzo said. The show next appears in Sydney on June 11 before heading across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. Nicolazzo hopes audience members take one key message from his production. "It's about finding freedom from the shackles of a culture that doesn't want you to be a part of It," he said. "That's a hard thing to do but we can only do it by making art and talking to people." Stephen Nicolazzo felt like throwing away his culture as a kid but is now using it to bring an Aussie classic to the national stage. Born of Melina Marchetta's iconic 1992 book and award-winning film starring Pia Miranda, Looking for Alibrandi the stage show has embarked on a first national tour. The story follows feisty protagonist Josie Alibrandi as she navigates her final year at a prestigious Catholic girls' school in Sydney. Along the way she finds her father, falls in love and grapples with her identity as a third-generation Italian growing up in Australia. It's an experience Nicolazzo shared as the grandson of Italian migrants. In primary school, the now 38-year-old was embarrassed to pronounce Italian words his classmates struggled with. "You want to throw away your culture and your ethnicity when you're younger because of all of the pressures of being discriminated against," he told AAP. "That's a really strange feeling because you lock away a part of yourself as a result of the pressures of expectation." The lived experience of young Australians from Italian cultures has improved over the past 30 years. "But there are many other migrants who have come to this country since the book was written," Nicolazzo said. "They're experiencing the same discrimination and tensions that Josie faced." The production highlights important issues of acceptance and tolerance, and is relatable to a wide audience. Nicolazzo points to the story's universal recognition of concepts like having to deal with over-bearing family members or being spoken to in a certain way. "The people that watch it are sobbing and laughing because there's a familiarity to it that goes beyond nostalgia," he said. The show first graced Sydney and Melbourne stages in 2022 and has since undergone script changes to enrich one of Jose's love interests, John Barton. "The audience is getting the best version of the show, which is five years in the making," Nicolazzo said. Three new cast members have also joined the fold, including 23-year-old graduate Riley Warner, who plays Josie's knockabout boyfriend Jacob Cootes. The rising star is debuting in his first stage show, having met Nicolazzo as a student. "There's something about him that feels like a national audience needs to see him right away," Nicolazzo said. The show next appears in Sydney on June 11 before heading across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. Nicolazzo hopes audience members take one key message from his production. "It's about finding freedom from the shackles of a culture that doesn't want you to be a part of It," he said. "That's a hard thing to do but we can only do it by making art and talking to people." Stephen Nicolazzo felt like throwing away his culture as a kid but is now using it to bring an Aussie classic to the national stage. Born of Melina Marchetta's iconic 1992 book and award-winning film starring Pia Miranda, Looking for Alibrandi the stage show has embarked on a first national tour. The story follows feisty protagonist Josie Alibrandi as she navigates her final year at a prestigious Catholic girls' school in Sydney. Along the way she finds her father, falls in love and grapples with her identity as a third-generation Italian growing up in Australia. It's an experience Nicolazzo shared as the grandson of Italian migrants. In primary school, the now 38-year-old was embarrassed to pronounce Italian words his classmates struggled with. "You want to throw away your culture and your ethnicity when you're younger because of all of the pressures of being discriminated against," he told AAP. "That's a really strange feeling because you lock away a part of yourself as a result of the pressures of expectation." The lived experience of young Australians from Italian cultures has improved over the past 30 years. "But there are many other migrants who have come to this country since the book was written," Nicolazzo said. "They're experiencing the same discrimination and tensions that Josie faced." The production highlights important issues of acceptance and tolerance, and is relatable to a wide audience. Nicolazzo points to the story's universal recognition of concepts like having to deal with over-bearing family members or being spoken to in a certain way. "The people that watch it are sobbing and laughing because there's a familiarity to it that goes beyond nostalgia," he said. The show first graced Sydney and Melbourne stages in 2022 and has since undergone script changes to enrich one of Jose's love interests, John Barton. "The audience is getting the best version of the show, which is five years in the making," Nicolazzo said. Three new cast members have also joined the fold, including 23-year-old graduate Riley Warner, who plays Josie's knockabout boyfriend Jacob Cootes. The rising star is debuting in his first stage show, having met Nicolazzo as a student. "There's something about him that feels like a national audience needs to see him right away," Nicolazzo said. The show next appears in Sydney on June 11 before heading across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. Nicolazzo hopes audience members take one key message from his production. "It's about finding freedom from the shackles of a culture that doesn't want you to be a part of It," he said. "That's a hard thing to do but we can only do it by making art and talking to people." Stephen Nicolazzo felt like throwing away his culture as a kid but is now using it to bring an Aussie classic to the national stage. Born of Melina Marchetta's iconic 1992 book and award-winning film starring Pia Miranda, Looking for Alibrandi the stage show has embarked on a first national tour. The story follows feisty protagonist Josie Alibrandi as she navigates her final year at a prestigious Catholic girls' school in Sydney. Along the way she finds her father, falls in love and grapples with her identity as a third-generation Italian growing up in Australia. It's an experience Nicolazzo shared as the grandson of Italian migrants. In primary school, the now 38-year-old was embarrassed to pronounce Italian words his classmates struggled with. "You want to throw away your culture and your ethnicity when you're younger because of all of the pressures of being discriminated against," he told AAP. "That's a really strange feeling because you lock away a part of yourself as a result of the pressures of expectation." The lived experience of young Australians from Italian cultures has improved over the past 30 years. "But there are many other migrants who have come to this country since the book was written," Nicolazzo said. "They're experiencing the same discrimination and tensions that Josie faced." The production highlights important issues of acceptance and tolerance, and is relatable to a wide audience. Nicolazzo points to the story's universal recognition of concepts like having to deal with over-bearing family members or being spoken to in a certain way. "The people that watch it are sobbing and laughing because there's a familiarity to it that goes beyond nostalgia," he said. The show first graced Sydney and Melbourne stages in 2022 and has since undergone script changes to enrich one of Jose's love interests, John Barton. "The audience is getting the best version of the show, which is five years in the making," Nicolazzo said. Three new cast members have also joined the fold, including 23-year-old graduate Riley Warner, who plays Josie's knockabout boyfriend Jacob Cootes. The rising star is debuting in his first stage show, having met Nicolazzo as a student. "There's something about him that feels like a national audience needs to see him right away," Nicolazzo said. The show next appears in Sydney on June 11 before heading across NSW, Victoria and South Australia. Nicolazzo hopes audience members take one key message from his production. "It's about finding freedom from the shackles of a culture that doesn't want you to be a part of It," he said. "That's a hard thing to do but we can only do it by making art and talking to people."