Hillsong Boy has been developed in two stages for touring and remount into 2025/2026.

The first iteration was created with small theatres and flexible spaces in mind, with the second-stage development focused on realising a fully-scaled production suitable for large venues and major festival opportunities in late 2025/early 2026. Talk to us about our plans!

KEY AUDIENCES

- Theatre, music, and cabaret lovers looking for a premiere experience with high-level technical elements.

- LGBTQIA+ community members seeking authentic historical stories presented in an entertaining format.

- People of faith - particularly those with experience of the evangelical and Pentecostal faith movements.

- Fans of autobiographical, true crime, and cult story podcasts.

ARTFORM & STYLE
Theatre, Autobiographical, Music

VENUES
Pros Arch, Thrust Stage, Black Box, Studio

AGES
Suitable for ages 18+

DURATION
65 minutes, no interval

THEMES
Faith, LGBTQIA+, Mental Health

TOURING PARTY
2 Performers, 2 crew

BUMP IN TIME
6 hrs, pre-rig, same-day performance

AVAILABLE
2025/2026

CREATIVE TEAM

Written by: Scott Parker and Felicity Nicol

Director: Felicity Nicol

Performed by: Scott Parker, Felicity Nicol, and Dave Molloy

Producer: Robbi James

Associate Producer: Lisa Walton

Composer & Sound Designer: Kathryn Roberts Parker

Lighting Designer - Made in Sydney: Saint Clair

Lighting Designer - Brand X: Benjamin Brockman

Recording Musicians: Kathryn Roberts Parker and Nick Morrow

Production Images: Kate Williams for The Flying Nun by Brand X & Phil Erbacher for Made In Sydney

Song Credits: “Other Than” by Scott Parker

REVIEWS

★★★★★ “Scott Parker is a very articulate performer and showcases a strong voice and is excellent on the guitar. His creative team, director Felicity Nicol, sound designer Kathryn Parker and lighting designer Ben Brockman, back him up totally.”
DAVID KARY, SYDNEY ARTS GUIDE

★★★★ ”Outstanding!” SYDNEY THEATRE REVIEWS

★★★★ “This show felt like a release... Scott Parker's story is moving and enthralling, and Hillsong Boy is a testament to his strength and bravery as a person and as an artist.” DANIEL CONWAY, THE FOURTH WALL

“Cannot recommend enough! Great show Scott Parker!! It’s stories like Scott’s (and those that didn’t survive) that make the ban on conversion therapy which passed NSW Parliament early this morning so important.”
EMILIE DYE, CENTRE FOR INDEPENDENT STUDIES / SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA

“The bravery, openness, [and] vulnerability of this work make it an honor to witness.” ANNA SOKOLOVA, THEATRE INS AND OUTS

DEVELOPMENT & PERFORMANCES

2023/2024 - The Flying Nun by Brand X - supported development. 3 x performances at East Sydney Community & Arts Centre + Digital Capture.

September 2024 - Sydney Fringe Festival / Made in Sydney. 10 x Performances at PACT Erskineville. The season achieved 75% of houses across the run with additional pax added for the final sold out performances. to meet demand.

October 2024 - Greenhouse National Arts Residency - 1 x week development and showing at HotHouse Theatre VIC.

Hillsong Boy is the first show in The Flying Nun program history to sell out its initial performances and have its season extended to a third show.

ACCOLADES & OPPORTUNITIES

WINNER The Flying Nun by Brand X - Season 8 + Digital Capture

WINNER Made in Sydney 2024 (Sydney Fringe headline production)

WINNER Weekly Shortlist - Best in Theatre - Sydney Fringe Awards

RECIPIENT Greenhouse National Artist Residency - HotHouse Theatre

RECIPIENT Australian Cultural Fund Boost Campaign

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Hillsong Boy represents a unique opportunity to engage with people of faith and LGBTQIA+ community members. As the numbers of both ex-Hillsongers and those engaging with evangelical and Pentecostal faith movements increase across the country, the production offers a point from which to start and continue vital conversations about the intersection of faith, identity, and responsibility.

We invite presenting partners to work with the HB team to create points of connection and to design activations that welcome these audiences. Simple events like facilitated panel discussions or Q&As with the team about their process and experiences are just the start, as we're very keen to create localised experiences that can have a lasting impact.

LIFE STORY INTENSIVES

Everyone has a story to tell. Life Story is a fun and personal creative experience that uses a reflective process to encourage participants to use lived experience to hone their craft. It can be a powerful way for participants to build creative confidence, writing skills, and gain experience performing within an ensemble and/or solo. The workshop is designed to have broad appeal, beneficial to emerging and established artists, writers and actors, as well any member of the general public who is interested in exploring personal storytelling for the first time. It is suitable for ages 16+.

Led by Felicity Nicol and Scott Parker, the intensive draws on their experience working with historical, verbatim, and autobiographical material to create theatrical experiences that communicate lived experiences in entertaining and affirming ways. These practitioners are well-versed in creating and maintaining safe spaces to share ideas and experiences. This approach has been honed by working with a vast range of communities for the past 15 years. Nicol is also a certified Mental Health and Trauma First Aider, in case any issues arise.

Available as a half day or full-day engagement. Please contact us for more details about the activities and content of Life Story.