Leading lady PHOEBE PANARETOS will be originating the role of Nancy Sinatra in the West End premiere of Sinatra The Musical – the new musical based on the life and career of Frank Sinatra, previewing from London’s Aldwych Theatre on 3 June 2026, with a press night on 24 June 2026.
Tina Sinatra, Frank and Nancy Sinatra’s daughter, hand-picked Phoebe to play her mother, a role she recently played in a special Broadway presentation last year and at the workshop stage at Birmingham Rep in 2023.
Sinatra The Musical is written by the two-time Tony award-winning writer Joe DiPietro (Memphis the Musical, What’s New Pussycat?) and directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award-winning Kathleen Marshall (Top Hat, Anything Goes).
Phoebe first gained international recognition when she was chosen by Baz Luhrmann to star as Fran in the world premiere of Strictly Ballroom: The Musical in Australia.
Directed by Luhrmann, she earned nominations for both a Helpmann Award and Green Room Award for Best Female in a Musical.
Her theatre credits include starring as Connie Francis in the world premiere of Dream Lover: The Bobby Darin Musical, Whatsername in Green Day’s American Idiot and Elly in the Australian premiere of David Bowie’s Lazarus.
Phoebe made her London debut in 2022 as Inez in Zorro: The Musical (Charing Cross Theatre). Most recently, she played Clarice Starling in Silence: The Musical, directed by Christopher Gattelli.
Here Phoebe Panaretos continues Musical Theatre Review’s interview series: Five Questions With…
Tina Sinatra personally chose you to play her mother, Nancy Sinatra – how has your relationship with Tina shaped your understanding of Nancy and how do you balance honouring the real person while also making the role your own as a performer?
I’m lucky to feel very close to Tina, she’s really brought me in and been very candid about who her mother was. It’s very important to me that I get her right, for Tina and for those who knew and loved her. Having that personal connection has only been a gift. It’s deeply rewarding for me as an actor to have access to the well of knowledge and love for the person I’m playing in the room.
Phoebe Panaretos and Joel Harper-Jackson in Sinatra the Musical. Picture: Craig Sugden
You first developed the role during the Birmingham workshops in 2023 and then revisited it for the Broadway presentation in New York – how has Nancy evolved for you over that process, and what have you discovered about her that audiences might not expect?
She’s been a part of my life for two years now and while I’ve done other work she’s stayed with me, with the hope of arriving at this moment. The more I learn about Nancy the more I come to love this woman, she had a huge heart, great strength and supported Frank unconditionally. I’m beginning to realise she was the sacrifice of his ambition – this is something I feel audiences will hopefully have a sense of after seeing our show.
How have rehearsals gone in preparation for the show’s West End premiere? What’s it like working with cast members that are brand-new to the material?
It’s a whole new show for the West End, the script has changed the players involved too. It’s brought it all to life in a totally new way which has been exciting!
Almost a decade ago, Baz Luhrmann handpicked you to star as Fran in the world premiere of Strictly Ballroom: The Musical in Australia. That led to you working in regional theatre in the UK and in London. How does it feel to now be part of a West End premiere?
A West End premiere was always the dream, it’s the reason I up and moved my life. Baz casting me at such a young age as his leading lady most certainly instilled the belief in me that I could try my luck at being a small fish in a big pond. It took time but I’ve always believed this industry is as much about talent as it is endurance, I’m proud of myself for sticking it out.
You’ve worked across Australia, London and New York in productions ranging from American Idiot to Lazarus and now Sinatra. Looking back at your experiences so far, what do you think this production represents for you personally and professionally at this stage of your career?
New work is why I moved to this country, I had the opportunity at a young age to originate a role and I found that experience deeply creative and rewarding. I wanted more and I realised if I were to get that I needed to be in a place where shows were being created. Arriving at this moment, playing Nancy Sinatra, feels like that decision to up and move my life, start again somewhere new – it was all worth it. I backed myself and ultimately it paid off.
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