Stage
Comedy
Is nothing sacred? Comedian Tommy Tiernan goes walking on the wild side
STEPHANIE BUNBURY 11:45pm The Irish funny man is used to being at the centre of some unholy rows.
Comedian Garry Shandling dead at 66
Comedian Garry Shandling has died in a Los Angeles hospital at the age of 66, according to reports.
Sami Shah's second life as a comedian
John Bailey Comedian Sami Shah honed his act in the virtual world of Second Life before moving to Australia.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival takes you around the world
Eight acts to catch at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival: polite Canadian Mae Martin changes minds through comedy
STEPHANIE BUNBURY Canadian comedian Mae Martin finds humour can change people's minds in ways she didn't expect.
Dance
Malthouse Theatre's I Am A Miracle snares five gongs at Green Room Awards
John Bailey In the theatre companies awards division, the biggest winner was Malthouse Theatre's I Am a Miracle.
US dance critic Deborah Jowitt a special guest of Keir Choreographic Award
John Bailey The Keir Choreographic Award jury includes Deborah Jowitt, a renowned New York dance critic.
Sandra Parker returns to Melbourne to premiere new dance work Small Details
John Bailey Choreographer Sandra Parker brings together dance and kinetic sculpture as performers engage with mechanical creations.
Dance Review: Australian Ballet's Vitesse finds leap of faith falls just short
Jordan Beth Vincent A new triple bill from The Australian Ballet offers a mixed bag of concepts and styles.
Australian Ballet: dance in the domain of skill, risk and speed
PHILIPPA HAWKER Choreographer William Forsythe created a work almost 30 years ago that still provides a challenge for the dancers who tackle it
Musicals
How Cyndi Lauper found her voice and wrote the Tony-winning music for Kinky Boots
MICHAEL LALLO 2:46pm Six years before she swept the world with Girls Just Want to Have Fun, the larger-than-life pop star was told she'd never sing again.
Rent revival: Why millennials relate to show's 20-somethings
ELISSA BLAKE It isn't easy to ensure a successful show gets a second life in Sydney's competitive theatre scene. Director Shaun Rennie's production of the rock musical Rent is an exception.
Musical theatre review
Ghost the Musical at Theatre Royal, Sydney: lacking a bit of spirit
RON CERABONA This musical adaptation of the hit movie is well produced but doesn't quite justify the need for its existence.
Centre stage: What does it take to be a child musical theatre star?
Dewi Cooke Sing, dance, act. Talk just enough but not too much. Be confident but not arrogant, enthusiastic but not weird. Be the right height. Have the right look. Concentrate for hours at a time and, above all, just act natural.
Opera
Meet the Megadeth, battleaxe-loving star of Turandot on Sydney Harbour
ELISSA BLAKE 12:00am From being an axe-wielding extra in Gangs of New York to singing one of opera's most famous arias, Nessum Dorma, on Sydney Harbour, tenor Riccardo Massi takes it all in his very long stride.
Opera Australia battles cockatoos, wind and rain to get Turandot on stage
ELISSA BLAKE This time last year, Sydney's cockatoos were already making a meal of the colossal head of Nefertiti, the scenic centerpiece of the Handa Opera on the Harbour production of Verdi's Aida.
Voyage to the Moon at Llewellyn Hall had balance problems
Jennifer Gall Some balance and staging issues marred an impressive production of this fusion of material from eight Baroque composers.
Green Room Awards: Melbourne Theatre Company leads nominations
DEBBIE CUTHBERTSON Melbourne's independent performing arts scene is in rude good health, if the nominations for the Green Room Awards recognising excellence on the city's stages is anything to go by.
Tragedy mirrors the domestic
Luisa Miller review: Nicole Car stars as psychology elevates a troubled drama
Peter McCallum A lesser known Verdi opera is given a dark but engaging setting to showcase a star on the rise.
Theatre
Alas, poor William Shakespeare. Where does his skull rest?
Christopher D. Shea and Dennis Overbye Researchers have uncovered evidence they say indicates William Shakespeare's skull was stolen from his grave by a local doctor in 1794.
Velvet review: Artistry, boggling circus spectacle and Marcia Hines as a disco diva. What's not to love?
Cameron Woodhead Velvet, Malthouse Theatre, Until April 17
Philanthropy award winner Peter Wilson says people shouldn't wait until they are rich to start giving
ANDREW TAYLOR The winner of the Emerging Philanthropy Leadership Award, Peter Wilson wants to persuade people to donate to the arts ahead of spending money on a car or their children.
Red Stitch Actors Theatre collaborates with Patricia Piccinini, Mick Turner, Julia deVille
John Bailey This year's Red Stitch Actors Theatre's PLAYlist program adds visual art to the mix.
