Friends! The Musical Parody will be performed at the Canberra Theatre Centre in July, the show described as "lovingly lampooning" our favourite group of friends from the 1990s.
And Canberra was only included in the nationwide tour at the behest of diehard Friends fans in the national capital.
The show pays homage to the hit NBC sitcom, putting Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe live on stage as they navigate love, life, friendship and true unagi.
Produced by SK Entertainment, Friends! The Parody was this week nominated for a Queensland theatre industry Matilda Award for best musical or cabaret.
SK Entertainment company director and producer Sam Klinger said the show would satisfy even the most ardent Friends fan.
"It takes almost 250 episodes of Friends, the TV sitcom, and crams them into an entertainment and hilarity-fuelled 80-minute show," he said.
"It is truly hilarious. So fans of the show can expect the iconic moments to play out live on stage."
The big question: will Smelly Cat be in the show?
"Do you know what? I can't say too much. But it is definitely paid tribute to," Mr Klinger said.
"So, people can definitely expect that but exactly how that is done, I will keep a secret."
Mr Klinger said he never expected to have Friends! The Musical Parody, which has played in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast, nominated for a serious theatre award such as the Matildas.
"It was incredibly surprising," he said.
"I think because we created and designed this show for Friends fans firstly. We didn't produce it for theatre goers as such. So to be nominated for best musical in those awards was quite a surprise.
"It's definitely an irreverent show. "
Mr Klinger said the show was due to tour nationally in 2020 and again late last year but COVID put an end to that.
"But this is the year it will happen," he said.
"Canberra was never originally part of the tour. But when we first announced the show, we had quite a few requests from Friends fans come in from all over the country and Canberra was one of the places that kept popping up.
"So, I thought, 'Wow, let's take it to Canberra'. "
The original musical debuted in New York in 2017.
"Not long after, I heard about it and thought, 'That would be brilliant in Australia'. So we set about making plans to bring it to Australia," Mr Klinger said.
And the Friends character he most relates to?
"Look, I think it would have to be Chandler and I feel like my colleagues would agree because I'm always making jokes, I'm always making Dad jokes around the office. And I can also be sarcastic, which is also a trait of Chandler," he said, with a laugh.
Friends! The Musical Parody will be at the Canberra Theatre Centre from July 13-15.
Tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday from 10am:
- Over the counter at the Box Office, which is located in the Canberra Theatre Centre foyer in Civic Square, London Circuit
- By Phone: 6275 2700 or
- at www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au
