Live on stage / Touring
Press Release
Sydney
The lead cast for the Australian tour of the stage adaptation of one of the most popular and enduring films of all time, The Shawshank Redemption, was announced today. Direct from its acclaimed UK tour, The Shawshank Redemption will play in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide from January next year, with other venues to be announced. Tickets are on sale from Thursday with presales starting today. Head to ShawshankLive.com.au to buy tickets.
Acclaimed television, film and theatre actor David Berry (Outlander, A Place To Call Home, Home and Away) will play Andy Dufresne, the quiet, smart former banker wrongly sentenced to life for murdering his wife and her lover. Cast as “Red” Redding, a long-term inmate known for smuggling contraband items into the prison who develops a friendship with Andy, is prolific stage and television actor Bert LaBonté (The Book of Mormon, Colin From Accounts, Cloudstreet). Returning to the stage after 20 years as the Warden, the deeply hypocritical, religious and cruel prison boss, will be one of Australia’s most recognised screen actors Rodger Corser (Doctor Doctor, Rush, Channel 9’s The Floor).
David Berry said, “I’m thrilled to be returning to the stage in such a timeless and deeply human story, alongside two extraordinary actors like Bert and Rodger.” Bert LaBonté claimed, “The opportunity to tell this iconic story – and to take on a role as rich and loved as Red was impossible to say no to. I can’t wait to get into the rehearsal room and begin exploring him.” Rodger Corser added, “After 20 years in film and television, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to return to the stage for a story as powerful as The Shawshank Redemption. Its themes of hope, resilience and friendship resonate just as strongly today as they did when the film was released more than 30 years ago.”
The Shawshank Redemption is a powerful stage production that places you just metres from the action. Raw, intimate and deeply moving, this is theatre at its most compelling – where every moment unfolds live before your eyes. Based on Stephen King’s celebrated novella, this gripping adaptation tells an unforgettable story of hope, friendship and the resilience of the human spirit.
Wrongly convicted of the brutal murders of his wife and her lover, Andy Dufresne is sentenced to life imprisonment in the notorious Shawshank prison. As he navigates the harsh realities of incarceration, he forms an unlikely friendship with fellow inmate Red, discovering that even in the darkest of places, hope can endure. But when the corrupt Warden seeks to exploit Andy’s talents for his own gain, a quiet and daring plan begins to emerge, one that will challenge the very walls of Shawshank itself.
“Electrifying – it truly is a must see show” – The Observer
“This production has nailed it … Gripping live theatre” – Broadway World
Adapted for the stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, and directed by David Esbjornson who directed Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones in the Australian tour of Driving Miss Daisy, this acclaimed production captures the emotional power and humanity that have made The Shawshank Redemption one of the world’s most enduring stories.
The 1994 film adaptation, nominated for seven Academy Awards, has become one of cinema’s most beloved classics. Now, experience a story of hope, friendship and redemption brought vividly to life in an unforgettable live theatrical event.
SEASON DETAILS
SYDNEY
Venue Theatre Royal Sydney
Season From 2 January 2027
Performance Times Tues-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7.30pm, Wed 1pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 1pm
Prices: From $89.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ShawshankLive.com.au or 1300 163 808
MELBOURNE
Venue Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne
Season From 3 February 2027
Prices: From $89.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: ShawshankLive.com.au or call 1300 182 183
