Location: TEATRO at the Italian Forum, 30A Norton St, Leichhardt, Sydney, NSW 2040
Dates: 12 November, 2025
Cost:$69 Buy Tickets
A match made in musical theatre heaven, Rachael Beck and Michael Cormick reunite onstage for You and I, a celebration of friendship, artistry, and timeless song. Best friends and constant stage companions since their breakout roles in the original Australian cast of Beauty and the Beast, the duo share an unmistakable chemistry that makes every performance sparkle.
Rachael Beck is one of Australia’s most beloved leading ladies. She captured national attention as Belle opposite Hugh Jackman in Beauty and the Beast, which won the 1996 ARIA Award for Best Australian Cast Recording. Her stage credits include Fantine in Les Misérables and Rumpleteazer in Cats, Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain (MO Award nomination), Maria in The Sound of Music, Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. For the Sydney Theatre Company, she appeared in Henry IV, and as a professional vocalist, she starred in Channel 7’s It Takes Two for three seasons. She has performed with the National Symphony Orchestra in Broadway to Hollywood and in QPAC’s Strictly Gershwin (Helpmann nomination). As head judge of Wakakirri, a National Story Sharing Arts Festival for primary schools, she continues to champion young performers through The Lionhearted Theatre and Arts Program, supporting student wellbeing through creativity. Beck is also a proud Ambassador for the Australian Children’s Music Foundation.
Her longtime friend and stage partner, Michael Cormick, acclaimed for his performances in The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, and Mamma Mia!, and recipient of the Australian MO Award for Beauty and the Beast joins her once again to weave music, memory, and heart into a spellbinding evening.
With charm, humour, and soaring vocals, You and I promises a rare chance to experience two of Australia’s most celebrated performers together sharing songs, stories, and the enduring friendship that has defined their extraordinary careers.
(Read more about Michael Cormick’s career in the 9 November section above.)
CABARET COMES TO TEATRO SYDNEY’S NEWEST PERFORMANCE HUB LAUNCHES WITH A STAR-STUDDED SEASON
Sydney’s newest theatre, TEATRO at the Italian Forum, will swing open its doors this November with a glittering new series, Cabaret at TEATRO, an unmissable celebration of song, storytelling, and Australia’s top musical talent.
Presented by Gale Edwards AM and Max Lambert AM in association with On Your Feet Productions and Teatro will see some of Australia’s most acclaimed performers take to the stage in a series of one-night-only concerts.
The season builds on the growing success of Teatro at the Italian Forum, cementing its place as one of Sydney’s most exciting new venues for performing arts.
This strictly limited season promises to be a standout addition to Sydney’s theatre calendar. Book early atwww.teatroitalianforum.com.au to avoid missing out.
At the helm of the season are two icons of Australian theatre:
Gale Edwards AM – Director
Gale Edwards is one of Australia’s most acclaimed and internationally recognised theatre directors, with a career spanning more than four decades across theatre, musical theatre, and opera.
She has served as Associate Director for both the State Theatre Company of South Australia and the Melbourne Theatre Company, and has directed extensively for the Royal Shakespeare Company (UK), Opera Australia, and the Shakespeare Theatre Company (Washington D.C.).
A trailblazer in her field, Gale is the first and only Australian to direct on the main stage of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon, and the first Australian director to open a musical on both London’s West End and Broadway. Her work on the 1996 London revival of Jesus Christ Superstar which later opened at Broadway’s Ford Center for the Performing Arts earned her an Emmy Award for the televised production. She also directed the West End premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Whistle Down the Wind and the world premiere of The Boy From Oz.
For Opera Australia, she has directed acclaimed productions of Aida (2015), La Bohème (2016–2023), Carmen (2017), and Salome (2019).
Among her many honours, Gale has received three Sydney Critics’ Circle Awards, four Green Room Awards (including Best Direction of a Musical for Chess), two Helpmann Awards (The Boy from Oz and Sweeney Todd), two Mo Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre, and two Helen Hayes Award nominations (Washington D.C.). In 2000 she received the Centenary Medal for Service to Australian Society, and in 2017 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her contributions to the performing arts.
Among her many honours, Gale has received three Sydney Critics’ Circle Awards, four Green Room Awards (including Best Direction of a Musical for Chess), two Helpmann Awards (The Boy from Oz and Sweeney Todd), two Mo Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre, and two Helen Hayes Award nominations (Washington D.C.). In 2000 she received the Centenary Medal for Service to Australian Society, and in 2017 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her contributions to the performing arts.
Max Lambert AM – Musical Director & Composer
Max Lambert is one of Australia’s most accomplished composers, arrangers, and musical directors, with a distinguished career spanning theatre, dance, film, and large-scale international events.
He has worked extensively with leading Australian companies, including the Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare, Sydney Dance Company, and The Australian Ballet.
Max was the Musical Director for the original production of The Boy from Oz, earning the Helpmann Award for Best Musical Direction in 2001. He has since served as Musical Supervisor for major stage productions such as Hairspray, Fame, King Kong Live, and Strictly Ballroom The Musical. As a composer, his acclaimed works include Berlin (with Iva Davies, for Sydney Dance Company), Miracle City (Sydney Theatre Company), Darlinghurst Nights, Ladies Day, Letters to Lindy, The Literati, Diving for Pearls, and Hot Shoe Shuffle, the latter of which he co-wrote.
In addition to his theatrical work, Max has contributed to film and large-scale live events, serving as Musical Director for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the 2002 Commonwealth Games (Manchester), and the 2006 Asian Games (Doha), as well as Music Supervisor for Expo 2020 Dubai (UAE). His film credits include Happy Feet and The Last Days of Chez Nous.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to Australian music and the performing arts, Max Lambert was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2024 Australia Day Honours.
About the Performers:
The Cabaret at Teatro season features a hand-picked lineup of Australia’s most celebrated stage talents, each bringing their unique artistry, voice, and story to the Teatro stage.
Related posts:
Cabaret at TEATRO Launches 3 Week Long With A Star-Studded Season – Leichhardt, Sydney | 4 – 22 November, 2025 
iOTA – iOTA in the Dark – At The Italian Forum – Leichhardt, Sydney | 4 – 5 November, 2025 
Ursula Yovich – All the Stars We Let Go – At the Italian Forum – Leichhardt, Sydney | 6 – 7 November, 2025 
Genevieve Lemon – The Jimmy Webb Song Book – At the Italian Forum – Leichhardt, Sydney | 8 November, 2025 
A Night with Michael Cormick – At the Italian Forum – Leichhardt, Sydney | 9 November, 2025 
John O’Hara – That’s Not Your Light, John! At the Italian Forum – Leichhardt, Sydney | 11 November, 2025 
Fairies Anonymous – Eternity Playhouse – Darlinghurst, Sydney | 18 – 27 September, 2025 
Oktoberfest In The Gardens 2025 – The Domain, Phillip Precinct – Sydney | 25 October, 2025
