A purple background with the white block letters spelling 'MR BIG' arranged in four quadrants.
Text in blue reading 'AKA TATAY. A TRANS WOMAN AND THAT TING TONE!'

The development is supported by Darebin Arts through the Darebin Arts Speakeasy Spare Room program.

Colorful intertwined ribbons forming a decorative frame on a transparent background.

Malthouse Theatre
113 Sturt Street
Southbank, VIC 3006
7 February 2026

fortyfivedowstairs
45 Flinders Ln
Melbourne VIC 3000
24 June - 5 July 2026

  • Is it a ghost story? A musical? A therapy session with a dead parent? Yes.

    MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! is a dark comedy tracking a Filipina trans woman caught between Melbourne and Manila. It explores the voice in your head that sounds suspiciously like your dad singing Sinatra... badly.

    Haunted by childhood songs and family ghosts, our protagonist navigates the messy intersection of grief, love, and identity. It is a story about the love that was crooked, the silence that shaped us, and the versions of ourselves our families never met.

    It’s loud. It’s tender. It’s unapologetically Filipino.

    • Written & Created by: Dax Carnay

    • Directed by: Beng Oh

    • Producer: Sasha Leon

    • Composition, Musical Direction & Sound Design: Ben Keene

    • DRAMATURGY: Matt Bostock

    • Graphic Design: Jordan Hanrahan-Carnay

    • Promotional Photography: George Jafford

We are thrilled to announce two major seasons for MR BIG in 2026.

1. Development Reading (Midsumma Festival)

An intimate first look at the work in progress.

  • Presented by: Tayo Tayo Collective and Midsumma as part of Midsumma Presents Program 2026.

  • Date: Saturday, 7 February 2026

  • Time: 2:00 PM

  • Venue: Malthouse Theatre (The Tower)

  • Tickets: FREE (Registration Required)

Photo by George Jafford | Graphic Design by Jordan Hanrahan-Carnay

2. World Premiere Season

The full theatrical experience.

  • Presented by: Tayo Tayo Collective in association with fortyfivedownstairs.

  • Dates: Wednesday 24 June – Sunday 5 July 2026

  • Venue: fortyfivedownstairs (45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne)

  • Times: Tuesday - Saturday 7:30pm | Sunday 5:00pm

  • Tickets: Bookings

We are proud to bring this work to life with the support of our incredible partners.

Project Support: Supported by the City of Melbourne Arts Grants. [The development of this project] was supported by Darebin Arts through the Darebin Arts Speakeasy Spare Room program.