Club Broadway is Australia’s premiere musical theatre nightclub, offering a unique experience where theatre kids and Disney adults can dance and belt out their favourite songs to their heart’s content. At these events, original tracks from renowned musicals are played on a high-energy club sound system.
On 24 January, the event returned to Melbourne, taking over the historic Northcote Theatre, hosted by DJ Dan Murphy who is the creator of Club Broadway as well as its MC.
DJ Dan Murphy was incredible, he kept the vibes going all night. He mentioned we were all early because we’re musical theatre people. Who was going to risk missing even one number? J
Joining Dan on stage were the dazzling and fabulous queens Dolly Diamond, Jemima Handful, Sara Tonin, Little X and Amena Jay. The queens were also joined by Aussie actor Hugh Shedrian, who belted out a few numbers.
I’d like to take a second to talk about the wardrobes for the drag queens because oh my God. Pink floor length gowns, red mini dresses, gorgeous sequin capes, blue corsets, huge fluffy shawls, and heels that make those dance moves seem impossible
The evening was full of songs from Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked, Rent, Chicago, Les Mis, Cabaret, Disney and so much more.
A highlight for me was having fun absolutely belting Waving Through A Window from Dear Evan Hansen with everyone else in the room, and I can honestly say that we crushed it.
At this event, Club Broadway was celebrating its “Hottest 100 Showtunes” countdown – for musical theatre fans it held a lot more interest than that other Hottest 100 over the weekend on Triple J. Tunes from the Hottest 100 featured through the evening, with the night culminating in a countdown of the top 10 show tunes, as voted by fans.
The top songs this year were phenomenal, with Wicked’s Defying Gravity rightfully in first place (which 1000 people in the theatre to sang along to in unison – an almost spiritual experience) One More Day in second and Seasons of Love sitting comfortably in third.
It was so cool to be in the “room where it happens”, we were just enthralled with the energy in the Northcote Theatre from the MC to the drag queens to our fellow audience members and even the bar staff everything was as on point as Elphaba’s hat.
We had an incredible night of dancing and singing and watching the drag queens perform. Club Broadway hosts a few different pop-up events throughout the year as well, so if you get the chance to go, bend and snap up that opportunity.
Eloise Duncan is a massive musical theatre nerd, connoisseur of drag queen makeup and occasional contributor to this website.
