Sydney Theatre Company has announced that it has cancelled the premiere season of the new Australian musical The Dismissal. The production was due to begin rehearsals in Sydney later this month before opening in October at Canberra Theatre Centre, followed by a season at Sydney Opera House in November.

The Dismisssal

Matthew Whittet in a promotional image for The Dismissal

STC Artistic Director Kip Williams said, “We are devastated to be losing this exceptional production. Staging a musical is a huge undertaking at the best of times but with the current restrictions in Greater Sydney and the inevitability of ongoing capacity limits for NSW venues, it is a particularly difficult time to mount a brand new Australian production. The incredibly talented team at Squabbalogic have put an immense amount of work into creating this hilarious, sharp-witted and nuanced take on Australian politics and this sensational production deserves to perform to full houses”.

A co-production with independent music theatre company Squabbalogic, which commissioned and developed the show, and Canberra Theatre Centre, The Dismissal features music and lyrics by Laura Murphy, and a book by Blake Erickson and Jay James-Moody.

James-Moody, who is the...