A new Filipino-Australian theatre production exploring family, identity, migration and loss will take to the stage in Melbourne this June, bringing together one of the largest professional all-Filipino casts seen in Australian independent theatre.
Written by award-winning playwright and performer Dax Carnay-Hanrahan, MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! will be presented by TAYOTAYO Collective in association with fortyfivedownstairs from 24 June to 5 July.
Set between 1990s Manila and present-day Melbourne, the dark comedy follows Diana, a trans Filipina woman preparing for her wedding while navigating the funeral of her estranged father. Her plans are thrown into disarray when her late father returns as a singing ghost, repeatedly performing the 1991 hit To Be With You by American rock band Mr. Big.
Drawing on personal experiences, Carnay-Hanrahan said the work emerged from the challenge of balancing family expectations, grief and identity across two countries.
“When my estranged father died in Manila, I didn’t feel sorrow. I felt the sudden weight of being the eldest ‘son’ in a Filipino family crashing into my full feminine fantasy in Melbourne,” Carnay-Hanrahan said.
The production combines music, comedy and elements of magical realism while examining themes familiar to many migrant families, including duty, intergenerational relationships and cultural expectations.
The cast includes Trevor Santos, whose credits include Hamilton, Miss Saigon, Jagged Little Pill and In The Heights, alongside Ken Paolo, Aiden Gale Miranda, Anna Buenaseda and Ayril Borce.
Special community-focused performances will also be held during the season. A dedicated performance for migrant and Asian Australian communities will take place on 27 June, followed by a post-show discussion facilitated by Slanted Theatre. A Community Night performance on 4 July will be followed by a conversation with Transgender Victoria.
Carnay-Hanrahan has become a prominent voice in Australia’s arts sector, collaborating with organisations including Malthouse Theatre, SBS, ABC and La Mama Theatre. In 2025, they received the Trans Visibility Award for Creative Excellence from Transgender Victoria.
MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! runs from 24 June to 5 July at fortyfivedownstairs in Melbourne.
For tickets and information, visit the production website: https://fortyfivedownstairs.com/event/mr-big/
