This January, something genuinely historic is happening on Australian stages. For the first time ever, Australia is hosting a Trans Theatre Festival – a bold, joyful and unapologetic celebration of trans and gender diverse artistry – landing in Sydney and Melbourne across January 2026.
“This festival is about radical visibility and imagination,” says Artistic Director Dino Dimitriadis, and that spirit runs through every element of the program. In a moment when trans lives are increasingly politicised and arts infrastructure is under pressure, the Trans Theatre Festival invites audiences to sit together, listen deeply.
When is it?
The festival runs from 7–18 January at Carriageworks in Sydney and 21–31 January at Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne.
Who is running the festival?
Co-presented by Green Door Theatre Company alongside Carriageworks and Malthouse Theatre, and led by Artistic Director Dino Dimitriadis.
What's on the program?
At the heart of the program is international icon Travis Alabanza, bringing their acclaimed solo work BURGERZ to Australia for the first time. Since premiering in 2018, BURGERZ has sold out theatres across the world and won the Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The show is as funny as it is devastating, tracing Alabanza’s response to a real-life act of transphobic violence – someone throwing a burger at them in public – and transforming it into a fiercely imaginative exploration of survival, embodiment and resistance. 2026 also marks ten years since that moment on London’s Waterloo Bridge, giving this Australian debut even greater resonance.
But BURGERZ is just the beginning. The festival also features Daley Rangi’s Takatāpui, alongside staged readings of two exciting new works: Hermaphroditus by Zoe Terakes and Gull by Glace Chase. Together, the program showcases a rich range of voices, forms and perspectives from across the trans theatre landscape.
Beyond the performances, the festival opens up into an expansive wrap-around program designed to build long-term impact. There are masterclasses connecting emerging and established artists, major new play developments in both states, symposium days packed with panels and showcases, late-night gatherings, and a strong commitment to accessible pricing and community ticketing. It’s about creating space not just on stage, but across the entire ecosystem of Australian theatre.
Where and when can I buy tickets?
Tickets are available now via the Carriageworks website.
