On Tuesday, May 19 in New York, the team behind Picnic at Hanging Rock — the haunting new Australian musical that just wrapped its Off-Broadway run at Greenwich House Theater — are popping the cork at the American Australian Association to launch the Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording. Expect live acoustic performances from the original cast, Australian wine, picnic-worthy snacks, a pop-up store, and 10% of every dollar raised going to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

About the Picnic at Hanging Rock cast album launch

The Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording of Picnic at Hanging Rock: The Musical drops globally on Center Stage Records on Friday, May 22 — and three days earlier, the creative team is hosting an intimate launch event at the American Australian Association in New York.

It's part celebration, part fundraiser. Funds raised support the next phase of development for this iconic new Australian musical, and 10% of all proceeds from ticket sales, the pop-up store, and the silent auction go directly to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

Tickets are name-your-own-price. A suggested price is shown at checkout, but you choose what you pay.

What you get with a Picnic at Hanging Rock launch ticket

• A first listen to excerpts of the cast album, three days before it goes live globally
• Advance digital access to the full album with your ticket purchase
• Live acoustic performances by original cast members
• Australian wine, beverages, and picnic-worthy snacks
• First access to the Picnic “Pop-Up” store — limited accessories hand-made from Off-Broadway costumes, plus T-shirts, signed posters, and more
• A silent auction
• Special announcements about the show's future
• A Zoom-from-the-room option for guests joining from anywhere in the US

That last one matters: if you're outside New York, you can still buy a ticket and join the launch live from wherever you are.

Why this Australian musical matters

Adapted from Joan Lindsay's 1967 novel — the same story Peter Weir turned into the iconic 1975 film — Picnic at Hanging Rock follows a group of teenage schoolgirls on a Valentine's Day picnic in 1900. Three vanish without a trace.

The musical is by two Australian creatives: book and lyrics by Hilary Bell (Juilliard, NIDA, Sydney Theatre Company, Australian Writers Guild Award winner) and music and arrangements by Greta Gertler Gold (a multi-platinum songwriter with credits including The Whitlams). It's informed by First Nations Australian collaborators, including Anaiwan dramaturg Nick Harvey-Doyle, and reimagines the story through a female lens.

The New York Times called it “an exciting accomplishment, one that seems destined to live on in future productions.” Jason Robert Brown said any one song could “power an entire season on Broadway.” A UK premiere is planned for 2027.

You can find more on the show at PicnicTheMusical.com, and pre-save the album release at orcd.co/picnicathangingrock.