Theatre-goers in Perth are spoiled for choice this June, with a smorgasbord of delectable offerings that cater to every taste. You can meet the king of pop, get footloose, and fight fascism if you plan your month carefully enough. If you’d rather attend an internationally-acclaimed play exploring identity, that can be arranged, too.
So whether you’re up for a musical at the Crown, some Shakespeare in the city, or a microdose of magical realism in the Perth Hills, keep reading to check out our top Perth picks for June.
Perth theatre guide June 2026 – quick links
MJ The Musical
MJ The Musical has entertained over 6 million since its Broadway debut in 2022, and now it’s Perth’s turn to learn about the man behind the hits and the history behind the man.
Australian producer Michael Cassel says: ‘Perth audiences are in for a truly special experience when MJ arrives at Crown Theatre. This show has captivated crowds around the world and now, as the final stop on the Australian tour, it is Western Australia’s turn to witness this global hit that has connected audiences across generations thanks to all the music we know and love.’
MJ The Musical tells the story of Michael Jackson’s life, revealing his relentless pursuit of perfection and the struggles that shaped him. Featuring an unforgettable setlist of enduring classics, every song evokes Jackson’s signature style and captures the artistry that made this man a legend.
Perth audiences are set to witness the electrifying performance of Ilario Grant as Michael Jackson, alongside Australian performer Liam Damons, who plays Michael in his teenage years.
Bonus fact: Perth’s own Kyle Lamar Mitchell and Sarah Morrison will be joining the Perth season, alongside Albany’s Tim Wright and Subiaco resident G Madison IV.
MJ The Musical plays at Perth’s Crown Theatre from 6 June.
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a romantic comedy that descends into tragedy over the four-day passage of a death-mark’d love. This star-crossed reimagining combines timeless Shakespearean complexity with contemporary emotional resonance, adapting this centuries-old story into a modern theatrical treat.
Director Tom Healy promises a bold departure from tradition, with no tights, sword fights or codpieces. ‘It is for a 21st century audience – sophisticated in taste, contemporary in approach and fearless in intensity,’ he says.
He describes this production as being set ‘in a world dominated by reactionary conservatives, where bullies run the streets and love is contingent on family loyalty’.
This production is performed by WAAPA third year acting students, and speaks to a new generation of theatre-goers by questioning the perpetuation of intergenerational value systems, implicitly condoning the triumph of love over hate.
Romeo and Juliet shows at the Heath Ledger Theatre at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia from 12 to 17 June.
21 Hearts
21 Hearts: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke is a compelling second world war story that honours the bravery of Australian Army nurses. Described by Canberra Critics Circle as being, ‘absolutely top-class’ and by ArtsHub as ‘an unforgettable true story’, this uplifting production is both a celebration of the human spirit and a warning against the futility of war.
The story centres Vivian Bullwinkel, an Australian Army nurse who survives being bombed and stranded at sea, only to be taken prisoner upon reaching dry land. She spends the rest of the war in a prison camp, and later dedicates her remaining years to achieving recognition for the incredible bravery of the nurses she befriended along the way.
This production breathes respectful life into Vivian’s story, authentically encapsulating the remarkable resilience and heartbreaking humour of six Australian Army nurses. The playwright, Jenny Davis OAM, was also commissioned by Fremantle Press to write a YA novel based on the script, which went on to be shortlisted for the 2025 WA Premier’s Book Awards.
21 Hearts shows at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre on 12 June and the Albany Entertainment Centre on 20 June.
The Almighty Sometimes
Written by Kendall Feaver and directed by Emily McLean, The Almighty Sometimes asks audiences how much they would risk for the people they love.
For most of her life, 18-year-old Anna (‘Ana Ika) has been medicated for a serious mental illness. Now, Anna wants to find out who she is without the pills that have kept her from spiralling up as well as down. She wants to know whether she could fall in love, go to uni or write something brilliant. More than anything, she wants to know what it feels like to be herself.
Anna’s mother, Renee (Alison van Reeken), sees this as a dangerous experiment, and is reluctant for Anna to forgo the relative calm of a medicated mind. But where is the line between care and control?
The Almighty Sometimes includes depictions of (and references to) suicide, mental illness and prescription drug use, and there is some coarse language. Despite the heavy subject matter, there are moments of lightness and even hilarity in this moving exploration of care and identity.
Internationally acclaimed, the multi-award-winning The Almighty Sometimes is considered to be one of the most powerful Australian plays of the last decade. On 30 June, there will be a Q&A with the creatives after the show.
Black Swan State Theatre Company’s The Almighty Sometimes plays at Subiaco Arts Centre from 19 June to 5 July.
A Magical Guide to Fighting Fascism
Written, produced, and directed by Asha Cornelia Cluer, A Magical Guide to Fighting Fascism is an epic musical journey based on historical events. It follows a trio of women across three regimes as tyrannical forces try to keep them apart.
‘This is a show about what happens to ordinary people when truth is suppressed – by governments, by families and by history itself,’ says Cluer. ‘It looks at the stories we create to survive, about the quiet magic of cultural memory, and what it means to fight for truth when the official record has been lost.’
The play combines live music, magical realism and multilingual storytelling with angry mermaids, wise trees and buried secrets. A multicultural voyage, it invites audiences to traverse three interwoven worlds to examine the effects of suppression and how language can become a tool of survival.
A Magical Guide to Fighting Fascism leverages Pierre Ulric’s magical illusion design and Keshet’s masterful musical direction to underline a sense of wonder, taking audiences on a revelatory journey of discovery.
A Magical Guide to Fighting Fascism plays at Kalamunda Performing Arts Centre on 13 June.
More Perth highlights for the calendar
Footloose: The Musical
Based on the 1984 film Footloose, this beloved musical about a rebel with a cause is finally coming to Perth. If you like your nostalgia 80s flavoured, you’ll adore the atmosphere, choreography, and heart of this feel-good story. Footloose: The Musical plays at Perth’s The Regal Theatre until 14 June.
- OZ: The Cirque Experience at Regal Theatre
- Murders at The Maj – Murder to a Tee at His Majesty’s Theatre
- Ride or Die at The Blue Room Theatre
- Dirty Talk at The Blue Room Theatre
- CORE at Perth Cultural Centre
- KOAL at Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
- Company at State Theatre Centre of Western Australia
