2020 Event Calendar – Client Engagement

As we start the New Year and we start planning our client engagement throughout 2020, we have compiled some of the highlight scheduled events that can be incorporated into your company program.

JANUARY 

BOOK OF MORMON – QPAC, BRISBANE 3 JANUARY – 14 FEBRUARY 2020
The Book of Mormon returns to Brisbane! After a sold out season in 2019, the “funniest musical of all time” (Entertainment Weekly) is coming back due to popular demand, this January for a limited season.

This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent on a mission to a place that’s about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get.

Now with sold out productions in London, on Broadway, North America, and around Australia, The Book of Mormon has truly become an international sensation.

AUSTRALIAN OPEN – ROD LAVER ARENA – 20 JANUARY – 2 FEBRUARY 2020
Head to Melbourne and get ready for the most thrilling and highly anticipated Grand Slam at Australian Open.  Over two adrenaline-charged weeks, see the world’s best tennis players hit the global stage at Melbourne Park to battle it out for the ultimate glory.

Every year the Australian Open gets bigger, better, more intense and more breathtaking as these stunning athletes leave nothing to chance in their quest for the championship trophy. With more entertainment, food and family friendly options than ever before, there is something for everyone at the Australian Open.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S KURIOS – UNDER THE BIG TOP NORTSHORE HAMILTON, BRISBANE – 10 JANUARY – 23 FEBRUARY 2020
Kurios written and directed by Michel Laprise, is a tale in which time comes to a complete stop, transporting the audience inside a fantasy world where everything is possible. In this realm, set in the latter half of the 19th century, reality is quite relative indeed as your perception of it is utterly transformed.

FEBRUARY

ARTEXPRESS – ART GALLERY OF NSW –  6 FEBRUARY – 26 APRIL 2020
ARTEXPRESS is an annual exhibition featuring a selection of outstanding student artworks developed for the artmaking component of the HSC examination in Visual Arts in NSW. It includes a broad range of approaches and expressive forms, including ceramics, collection of works, documented forms, drawing, graphic design, painting, photomedia, printmaking, sculpture, textiles and fibre, and time-based forms.

Inside ARTEXPRESS lets you explore artists and works back to 2005. It includes process diaries for some students and related artworks in the Gallery’s collection to consider.

GLADYS KNIGHT THE EMPRESS OF SOUL – QPAC, BRISBANE – 11 FEBRUARY 2020
After nearly 20 years, the award-winning soul star, Gladys Knight, returns to Australia to perform her greatest hits!

The seven-time Grammy Award winner boasts over 50 years of experience on stage and in songwriting, film, and television, spanning pop, gospel, and RnB, and continues to deliver show-stopping performances around the globe.

The decorated singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and author, has numerous hit singles to her name, including three further Grammy Awards for her solo work, a James Bond theme for License To Kill, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a Golden Globe nomination for her acting work. She’s been inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, taken home a BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and was listed as one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time. Her most recent album is Where My Heart Belongs (2014).

Truly one of the greatest musical voices to ever grace our shores, Gladys Knight is not to be missed. Grab your tickets now to see the Empress Of Soul live!

MARCH 

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY – 6 MARCH 2020
Marie Claire presents International Women’s Day Breakfast, Zinc at Federation Square

A morning of laughter and life lessons from a group of legendary women at the International Women’s Day Breakfast presented by marie claire.

Hosted by marie claire Australia Editor, Nicky Briger, and featuring a stellar line-up of powerhouse women, this event will deliver a hit of inspiration and an important conversation about equality.

An annual highlight of the Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival, you’ll walk away from the breakfast feeling supported, celebrated and well-caffeinated.

International Women’s Day Runway Lunch presented by City of Stonnington, supported by Australian Women’s Weekly
Set in the stunning surrounds of the Malvern Town Hall, the International Women’s Day Runway Lunch, hosted by the City of Stonnington, is your invitation to join us for lunch, admire a selection of contemporary collections as they grace the runway, and hear from inspiring women of fashion.

Hosted by Nicole Byers, Editor of Australian Women’s Weekly, the afternoon brings together an enticing fusion of fashion, food and powerful women in an event that is not to be missed.

Iconic designers will present their latest designs from current season collections that you can later shop in the nearby streets of Stonnington after the runway.

Designer line-up:
Husk
Feathers
Banded Together
Diida
Lisa Barron
Luxe Deluxe
Mastani
Megan Park
The Ark
Torannce
Vivienna Lorikeet

Whether you are a motor sport fan after full throttle, or want to soak in the glamour of this star-studded event, the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix presents something for everyone as it takes excitement and opulence to the next level.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL’S KURIOS – UNDER THE BIG FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE – 12 MARCH – 26 APRIL 2020
Kurios written and directed by Michel Laprise, is a tale in which time comes to a complete stop, transporting the audience inside a fantasy world where everything is possible. In this realm, set in the latter half of the 19th century, reality is quite relative indeed as your perception of it is utterly transformed.

LA TRAVIATA ON SYDNEY HARBOUR – 27 MARCH – 26 APRIL 2020
Violetta is the life of every party. A courtesan with a heart of gold, she’s free and free-spirited. Could a little love change everything?

Experience the joy and heartache of the world’s most popular opera at Sydney’s best night out. Fireworks light up the sky at every performance. A giant chandelier shimmers over the harbour stage. Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is “the ultimate Sydney experience” (Yahoo! Travel).

In 2020, Opera Australia presents La Traviata: the story that inspired Moulin Rouge.  Arrive early to enjoy drinks or dinner at one of the five pop-up bars and restaurants on site. Drink in the view as the setting sun glimmers over the city skyline. Then take your seats in the comfortable grandstand to enjoy “a ravishing visual spectacle” (Huffington Post).

The 3.5-tonne chandelier sparkles with 10,000 crystals. The biggest scenes feature 80 performers on stage and party boats in the harbour.

APRIL

SYDNEY AUTUMN RACING CARNIVAL
LONGINESS GOLDEN SLIPPER DAY – ROSEHILL RACECOURSE – 21 MARCH 2020
CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 1 – DERBY DAY – RANDWICK RACECOURSE – 4 APRIL 2020
CHAMPIONSHIPS DAY 2 – STAKES DAY – RANDWICK RACECOURSE – 11 APRIL 2020

The Golden Slipper Carnival is held at Rosehill Gardens over the Easter Holiday period and consists of a number of races. The main event on this race day is the Golden Slipper race which is a Group 1 Thoroughbred Race which is run over 1,200 metres.

The Championships is held at the beautiful Royal Randwick racecourse which is now accessible by the new Sydney trams. The races have been running in some form since 1866 and Randwick is one of the most historic and beautiful tracks in Australia. Held on the first and second Saturday of April each year, the Championships consists of 12 races are held with over $20 million in prize money up for grabs.

POLO INTERNATIONAL – WINDSOR POLO CLUB – 5 APRIL 2020
The Polo International is the most prestigious event on the Australian polo calendar attracting teams & players from all over the world.   Witness 3 fabulous games of polo showcasing Australia’s young up and coming talent with the Australian Juniors match from 11.30am, followed by the International Women’s match at 1.00pm, culminating with the fast, furious and intense main event at 3.30pm when Australia’s best male players take to the field.

​The event will have entertainment both on and off the field, along with the Juan & Me Fashions on the field competition, divot stomping and the PurePolo Laneway  showcasing local businesses from the Hawkesbury and surrounds.

SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: HOME, I’M DARLING – SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE – 8 APRIL – 16 MAY 2020
Everything new is old again
Judy is a picture-perfect ‘50s housewife. She spends her days making the perfect devilled eggs, mixing the perfect Screwdrivers and being the perfect homemaker to her husband Johnny. They’re totally happy with their pastel-hued life. The only problem is, it’s not the 1950s, it’s now, and their dream world is about to come crashing down in hilarious style.

Fresh from winning the 2019 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy, Home, I’m Darling is full of big laughs, big skirts and big questions. How can we cope with the pressures of modern life? What do we lose in the present when we pine for the past? And can you get stains out of a shirt with just lemon juice and baking soda?

Helmed by Resident Director Jessica Arthur (Lethal Indifference) and featuring Andrea Demetriades (Arms and the Man), (Anthony Taufa (How to Rule the World), Yalin Ozucelik (1984) and Kirsty Marillier (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), this witty, highly-original and thought-provoking comedy takes a look at the complexity of women’s choices and the dangers of nostalgia through distinctly rose-coloured glasses.

“An amusing, affecting, inspiring evening of soft gingham and hard truths.” The Times UK

9 TO 5 – SYDNEY LYRIC THEATRE – FROM 21 APRIL 2020
Tumble outta’ bed and stumble to Dolly Parton’s rip-roaring musical!

Inspired by the hit film, 9 TO 5 is a hilarious musical about teaming up, standing up and taking care of business!

This smash-hit West End musical features a book by the iconic movie’s original screenwriter Patricia Resnick and an Oscar, Grammy and Tony award-nominated score by the Queen of Country herself, Dolly Parton including her much-loved hit song, 9 to 5.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL tells the story of Doralee, Violet and Judy – three workmates pushed to boiling point by their sexist, egotistical boss. Concocting a plan to kidnap and turn the tables on their despicable supervisor, will the ladies manage to reform their office – or will events unravel when the CEO pays an unexpected visit?

Four of the best musical theatre performers in the country have been assembled for this Australian premiere! Caroline O’Connor as comical admin assistant Roz Keith, Marina Prior as smart & sassy career woman Violet Newstead, Samantha Dodemaide as newly separated new recruit Judy Bernly and Erin Clare as bright & beautiful country gal Doralee Rhodes.

AUGUST

SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS: RUN HOME MUSICAL – ROSYLN PACKER THEATRE – 29 AUGUST – 2 OCTOBER 2020
A ground breaking new musical

After smash-hit seasons on Broadway and in London, Fun Home comes to Sydney in a soaring brand-new production.

Winner of three Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score, and a finalist for the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Fun Home has been hailed as a “beautiful, heartbreaker of a musical” (New York Times) and “one of the best new musicals of our era” (LA Times). Based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel, it’s a heartfelt story about coming out and coming of age.

After the unexpected death of her father, Alison is forced to confront his secrets that come to light. Shifting between past and present, we meet present-day Alison, a successful graphic novelist; college-age Alison on the cusp of self-discovery; and precocious-child Alison, who plays in coffins instead of sandboxes in the family’s Bechdel Funeral Home.

Four-time Gold Logie Award winner Lisa McCune and Maggie McKenna (Muriel’s Wedding the Musical) join an exceptional ensemble including Ryan Gonzalez (Jersey Boys), Lucy Maunder (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), and Adam Murphy (Aladdin). Directed by Melbourne Theatre Company’s Associate Director, Dean Bryant, Fun Home has laughs, drama and great tunes in spades.

Don’t miss this chance to see one of the hottest musicals to come out of the US in a decade.

“Fun Home is not your ordinary Broadway musical, because it is extraordinary.”  Time Out New York.

SEPTEMBER

AFL GRAND FINAL – MCG – 26 SEPTEMBER 2020
The AFL Grand Final, one of the biggest days on the sporting calendar kicks off with the Grand Final Breakfast at Crown. Crown Palladium will play host to this outstanding event where guests will enjoy a gourmet breakfast while hearing from some of the game’s greatest names, all giving their exclusive preview of what to expect for the 2019 Toyota AFL Grand Final.

Packages range from Corporate Suites, In-Ground Finals Dining and a range of Corporate Hospitality.

OCTOBER

NRL GRAND FINAL – SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND – 4 OCTOBER 2020
The NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final is highly regarded as one of the biggest and highly anticipated events on the annual Australian sporting calendar.  Not only is the NRL Grand Final a supremely popular event amongst League fanatics, the event is an extremely popular and desired spectacle from many sports fans alike!

In 2020 the NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final will see a change of locations, from ANZ Stadium to the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS:
THE WHARF REVUE – 21 OCTOBER – 28 OCTOBER 2020
THE WHARF REVUE 2020: GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott and co-directed by Jonathan Biggins and Drew Forsythe

After 20 years the comedy institution bids farewell

Don’t miss out on this one last hurrah as the indefatigable trio of Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott reunite with dazzling accomplice Mandy Bishop for one final victory lap of The Wharf Revue.

It’s good night and good luck to the comedy juggernaut that’s been keeping the bastards honest since 2000.  The bad news is that the planet is on fire and our world leaders are barely qualified to run a chook raffle. And the good?

The Wharf Revue has fake news, fake hair and real laughs in abundance. No one is safe and no topic too taboo in this night of sketches, songs and side-splitting satire. You’ll laugh! You’ll cry! You’ll want to move to New Zealand!

“Its best material is so hysterical that twice I was brought to tears – an activity usually reserved for funerals, Puccini and hitting my thumb with a hammer.”  Sydney Morning Herald

SPRING CARNIVAL – FLEMINGTON RACECOURSE – 31 OCTOBER – 5 NOVEMBER 2020
AAMI VICTORIA DERBY DAY – 31 OCTOBER 2020
LEXUS MELBOURNE CUP – 3 NOVEMBER 2020
KENNEDY OAKS DAY – 5 NOVEMBER 2020

Be part of Australia’s most loved and iconic world-class event, the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Experience this incredible event that combines sport, entertainment, fashion and food – all in one place, the stunning Flemington Racecourse. Glamorous, refined and full of history, the Melbourne Cup Carnival is a must-do event for Melburnians and visitors alike.

With four big race days and a range of ticketing options, there is so many different ways to experience the Carnival – attend one or all of the race days knowing you will have an amazing time at the most anticipated event on the calendar.

NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 

ART GALLERY OF NSW – MATISSE EXHIBITION – NOVEMBER 2020
Discover the joy of Matisse through over 100 works spanning six decades

This Sydney-exclusive exhibition offers an extraordinary immersion in the range and depth of the art of Henri Matisse, one of the world’s most beloved, innovative and influential artists. Developed in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou in Paris, which holds an exceptional collection of works by the artist, Matisse: life & spirit, masterpieces from the Centre Pompidou, Paris is the greatest single exhibition of Matisse masterworks ever to be seen in Sydney.

Reaching from his early adventures in colour as a Fauvist through to the serene and distilled designs for his chapel in Venice, the exhibition follows Matisse’s search across six decades. Through paintings, drawings, sculptures and a compelling presentation of his triumphant cut-outs, it reveals how Matisse renewed his vision time and again across his long career, seeking new ways of celebrating the seen world and expressing the energy he felt in it.

Highlights include the especially important early work Le Luxe I 1907; the mid-career masterpiece Decorative figure on an ornamental ground 1925; and the majestic self-portrait, The sorrow of the king 1952, one of the largest of the famous cut-outs that the artist created in his late career.  Filled with brilliant colour, dynamic energy, visual joy and emotional power, Matisse: life & spirit, masterpieces from the Centre Pompidou, Paris is an inspirational journey through the life and art of this ceaselessly inventive and life-affirming painter.

Our team are here to work with you to design the ultimate customer engagement from tickets, pre-show event dining and event, private suites and corporate hospitality for every client.

POLO IN THE CITY – URBAN POLO SERIES
Land Rover Polo in the City is an annual polo series held throughout the cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth. It is a rare opportunity to witness some of Australia’s best professional polo talent. The event will showcase the best of the best in a sport that has been around for two thousand years.

Witness the excitement of Australia’s top professional polo players competing for the trophy from the comfort and glamour of the Polo Lounge, all inclusive Polo Club or the acclaimed VIP Marquee. The day will feature matches and plenty of entertainment in between.

SYDNEY – CENTENNIAL PARK – 14 NOVEMBER 2020
BRISBANE – DORRINGTON PARK – 21 NOVEMBER 2020
MELBOURNE – ALBERT PARK – 28 NOVEMBER 2020
PERTH – LANGLEY PARK – 5 DECEMBER 2020
ADELAIDE – VICTORIA PARK – 11 DECEMBER 2020