Seventeen-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting will bring a renewed version of his musical The Last Ship to Australia next year.

The global icon will play a leading role in the musical, which was inspired by his 1991 album The Soul Cages and first developed in 2011.

It will get an exclusive run at Brisbane’s Queensland Performing Arts Centre from April 9-May 3,

Rooted in Sting’s childhood in the British shipbuilding town of Wallsend, The Last Ship tells the moving story of a community of shipbuilders in the north-east of England facing the closure of their shipyard – the heart of their existence.

Sting takes on the role of Jackie White, the shipyard’s foreman whose health is failing just as his leadership is needed most. In this very personal show, the artist immerses the audience in a hometown he was desperate to escape, a world where love, loss and hope intertwine.

“I grew up in the shadow of the shipyard,” Sting said.

“My father wanted me to follow him into the shipyard, but I dreamed of something else … I dreamed of escaping and I did everything in my power to get away from that life.

“But the farther I got, the more I realised I needed to understand where I came from and felt I had to give something back. The Last Ship is my tribute to the people and the place that shaped me.”

Taking a break from his STING 3.0 world concert touring schedule, Sting has dedicated months of next year to taking The Last Ship production to cities across the globe, including Amsterdam, Paris and now Brisbane, performing in every show.

His beloved songs, such as Island of Souls, All This Time and When We Dance, are woven into the performance in a full-stage production featuring 28 artists, musicians and choristers.

The original stage production premiered in Chicago in 2014, followed by a Broadway run the same year. It then went on to Britain, Ireland and more European and US cities.

This renewed version includes new scenes and music specially adapted for the 2026 run. Sting’s music – from gritty folk and rousing choruses to intimate ballads – forms the heart of the show.

QPAC chief executive Rachel Healy said it was a coup for Brisbane to secure one of the few international seasons of the renewed production.

“You might have experienced Sting’s amazing stadium performances in the past but witnessing a performer of this calibre sharing a fascinating and deeply personal story in the gorgeous intimacy of Queensland’s brand-new Glasshouse Theatre is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Healy said.

“This will be Sting like you’ve never seen him before.

“Interestingly, Brisbane has its own shipbuilding history. The Evans Deakin shipyard was Australia’s third-largest shipbuilding enterprise just down the river from the Glasshouse Theatre. 2026 marks 50 years since its closure in 1976, so it’s a very special to link this local history with the personal experiences retold in The Last Ship.”

Queensland Arts Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the state’s new world-class theatre deserved performances worthy of a worldwide megastar.

“We promised the new Glasshouse Theatre would attract acclaimed artists, and it doesn’t get much bigger than multi-Grammy Award-winning legend Sting,” he said.

Sting has sold almost 100 million albums and received 17 Grammy Awards, more than 30 Broadcast Music Inc Awards, four Brit Awards, numerous Golden Globe, Academy Award and Emmy nominations and accolades.

The original Broadway production of The Last Ship was nominated for two Tony Awards: Best original score and best orchestrations.

The Last Ship forms part of the Glasshouse’s opening program and will have 29 performances from April 9-May 3. Tickets go on sale to the public from September 18, with a waitlist available. More details here

This article was first published on InReview