Sydney Theatre Company has announced the second part of its 2021 Season, Act 2, which includes the world premiere of the new Australian musical The Dismissal and the return of Kip Williams’ smash-hit production of The Picture of Dorian Gray starring Eryn Jean Norvill.

The announcement by Artistic Director Kip Williams follows in the wake of news that the company has been granted an exemption to return to 100 percent capacity at its Walsh Bay venues, and at the Sydney Opera House. So finally, it feels as if things are returning to something close to normal for STC, after the cancellations and reduced seating capacities forced by COVID.

The Dismissal at the Seymour CentreMatthew Whittet as Norman Gunston in the 2019 Squabbalogic workshop production of The Dismissal at the Seymour Centre. Photograph © Clare Hawley

The Dismissal – which will have its world premiere at the Canberra Theatre Centre, followed by a season in the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre in November – is a co-production with independent music theatre company Squabbalogic, which commissioned and developed the show.

Dubbed “An Extremely Serious Musical Comedy”, The Dismissal features...