Upcoming Events
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Wednesday 2 September | Ginger’s, Darlinghurst
Doors 6pm | Show 7pm
Grab your hairspray, polish those dancing shoes and come with us back to one of musical theatre’s most iconic decades!
Welcome to the 60s is a Big Gay Piano Bar community showcase celebrating the unforgettable songs of the 1960s — a decade where the Golden Age of musical theatre met a changing world, producing some of Broadway and cinema’s most enduring scores.
Expect songs from musicals and musical films including The Fantasticks, Bye Bye Birdie, Camelot, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, Mary Poppins, Fiddler on the Roof, Hello, Dolly!, The Sound of Music, Cabaret, Funny Girl, Oliver! and Hair — plus plenty more surprises from across the decade.
Want to perform?
Before submitting, please carefully read all performer information at gaypianobar.com/community.
Then email your submission by 10pm Sunday 23 August, including:
An audition video or audio recording of you singing your proposed song
The song and musical you’d like to perform
Sheet music in your preferred key, if you have it
Any other relevant information about your song or arrangement
A suitable headshot or performer photo if you haven’t performed in one of our community showcases before
email to hello@gaypianobar.com
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Wednesday 16 September | Ginger’s, Darlinghurst
Doors 6pm | Show 7pm
Thoroughly Modern Musicals is a Big Gay Piano Bar community showcase celebrating musical theatre in the 21st century, from huge Broadway blockbusters and cult favourites to contemporary Australian works, movie-to-stage adaptations and the new musicals already becoming modern classics.
Expect songs from shows including Wicked, Hamilton, The Book of Mormon, Waitress, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, Six, Hadestown, Beetlejuice, Legally Blonde, Kinky Boots, Spring Awakening, Next to Normal, The Last Five Years, Moulin Rouge!, Heathers, Mean Girls, The Prom and plenty more.
Want to perform?
Please carefully read all performer information at gaypianobar.com/community.
Then email your submission by 10pm Friday 4 September, including:
An audition video or audio recording of you singing your proposed song
The song and musical you’d like to perform
Sheet music in your preferred key, if you have it
Any other relevant information about your song, arrangement or performance
A suitable headshot or performer photo if you haven’t performed in one of our community showcases before
email to hello@gaypianobar.com
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Wednesday 30 September | Ginger’s, Darlinghurst
Doors 6pm | Show 7pm
West End Wednesday is a Big Gay Piano Bar community showcase dedicated to the songs, shows and composers that helped make London one of the great musical theatre capitals of the world.
Expect music from British-born favourites including Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Blood Brothers, Billy Elliot, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Matilda, Six, Oliver!, Half a Sixpence, and plenty more — alongside songs from the legendary British composers and creatives who have shaped musical theatre for generations.
Want to perform?
Please carefully read all performer information at gaypianobar.com/community.
Then email your submission by 10pm Wednesday 16 September, including:
An audition video or audio recording of you singing your proposed song
The song and musical you’d like to perform
Sheet music in your preferred key, if you have it
Any other relevant information about your song, arrangement or performance
A suitable headshot or performer photo if you haven’t performed in one of our community showcases before
Email hello@gaypianobar.com to submit
Community Focus
BGPB presents…
BGPB Presents is a series of themed, community-focused performance nights created by Big Gay Piano Bar.
These events are designed for singers who want the chance to perform in a welcoming live setting with professional piano accompaniment, as part of a curated evening built around a specific theme.
This is not a turn-up-and-sing open mic, and it is not karaoke. Performers are selected in advance via video submission, with each event featuring up to 20 singers presenting one song each across two themed sets.
The aim is to create a platform for strong community singers — people who care about their craft and would value the chance to perform in a polished, supportive cabaret environment.
How to perform
First read through all the information on this page as well as the specific event details
Choose a song (or songs) suitable for the theme, try and think away from the most obvious
Record yourself singing the song (full song please, so I can rehearse along with your voice at home)
Email me with your stage name, headshot or suitable face photo, recording of the song by the deadline
If you are submitting for multiple events, make sure the emails are separate with the event title as the subject
If you’re early, you may not receive a reply until I’ve processed all of the submissions
Show up and invite lots of people to support the show!
Who it’s for
BGPB Presents is open to anyone who would like to submit, but these events are best suited to:
theatre and music students
community theatre performers
choir members
emerging singers
graduates
people who have sung seriously in the past and want a platform again
strong amateur performers with real vocal ability and performance instinct
Queer/LGBTQIA+ performers are particularly encouraged to apply, and allies are very welcome.
Successful performers will generally demonstrate strong vocal ability, musicality, and good performance sensibility.
How the night works
Each BGPB Presents event follows a themed format:
Set 1: community performers
Set 2: community performers
Set 3: open, request-based Big Gay Piano Bar set with John Milligan
For our first events, the final set will be an open, request-based Big Gay Piano Bar set with John Milligan and special guest Erin Clare — bringing the night back into the live, singalong spirit of BGPB.
The night is live, music-led, and community-focused — planned in advance, but without formal rehearsal. Once selected, performers will be contacted about song choice, key, and sheet music.
What to expect
live piano accompaniment by John Milligan
a curated lineup of up to 20 singers
a professional cabaret setting at Gingers
food and bar service available throughout the evening
a warm, welcoming audience
a chance to perform one song as part of a themed live event
These nights are designed to feel polished, welcoming and accessible: a space for talented local singers to step into the spotlight, without the pressure of it needing to be their full-time profession.
Important information for performers
performers are selected via video submission
audition videos should have you singing the whole song in your key
multiple submissions are welcome
performers must be 18+
performers do not pay to participate
this is an unpaid community performance opportunity
performers are encouraged to invite a few ticket-paying guests
there is no group rehearsal
if selected, song key and sheet music details will be discussed in advance
FAQ
What kind of singers are you looking for?
We’re looking for people with a level of vocal ability and performance sensibility who will suit the tone of the night. This is not bar karaoke or a casual singalong format. It’s for singers who actively work, or have worked, on their craft — whether through study, community productions, choirs, bands, or other live performance experience.
What happens if I’m selected?
Successful applicants will be contacted and offered a performance spot for one song on the night. We’ll confirm the final song choice, discuss key and sheet music, and let you know where your performance sits within the running order.
What does the evening look like?
Doors open at 6pm for dinner, drinks, and seating.
Set 1 begins at 7pm.
Set 2 begins at approximately 8pm.
The final set from around 9pm–10pm shifts into an open, request-based Big Gay Piano Bar set with John Milligan
Is this for professionals?
These events are primarily aimed at community performers, students, emerging artists, and strong singers who want a platform. Professional performers are welcome to attend, but the focus is on creating space for community participation within a curated format.