Darlinghurst Theatre Company Announces Cast of ONCE

Darlinghurst Theatre Company has announced the cast of the smash-hit musical Once, which makes its long-awaited return to the Eternity Playhouse from 24 June following its season in Perth with BLACK SWAN State Theatre Company.

12 of Australia's most talented actor-musicians play their own instruments live on stage as they bring to life this tender love story of a struggling Irish musician and the Czech piano player who restores his faith in the power of music to unite us.

Based on the movie of the same name by John Carney, and featuring a book by Enda Walsh, this critically acclaimed production by director Richard Carroll (Calamity Jane) has been warming hearts around the country since it first opened in 2019. It features musical direction by Victoria Falconer (Lizzie), breathtaking movement sequences by Amy Campbell (A Chorus Line), and the Oscar, Grammy, Olivier and Tony Award-winning songs of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová.

Reprising their critically acclaimed roles are Toby Francis (Guy), Stefanie Caccamo (Girl) and Jay Laga'aia (Da). Other returning cast members include Deirdre Khoo (ex-girlfriend), Drew Livingston (Bank Manager), Abe Mitchell (Andrej), Rupert Reid (Billy), Patrick Schnur (Emcee) and Alec Steedman (Eamon). They are accompanied by Pavan Kumar Hari (Švec), who joined the production in Perth, and newcomers to the show Ruby Clark (Reza) and Emma Price (Baruška).

Following an extended, sold-out season in 2019, and a return season that was cut short by the pandemic last year, this is the third opportunity for Sydney audiences to fall in love with one of the most romantic, joyous and uplifting musicals of all time.

"Audiences fell in love with Once and we were inundated with requests to bring it back," says Artistic Director, Amylia Harris. "After being impacted by the second lockdown, it is incredibly rewarding to finally be able to remount this beautiful, life-affirming work. It's a win for our audiences and artists alike, at a time when we all need to come together to share stories that celebrate community and strike a chord of joy and hope within us."