The Sunshine Coast will host an exhilarating theatre experience this month, as acclaimed New Zealand company Red Leap Theatre arrives at The Events Centre Caloundra with its high-octane production, Dakota of the White Flats.

The genre-bending work is on at The Events Centre, Caloundra, May 26 and 27; QPAC in Brisbane, May 13 to 15; and Empire Theatre, Toowoomba, May 20-21 – as part of the company’s South-East Queensland tour.

Adapted from the novel by award-winning author Philip Ridley, Dakota of the White Flats is a pulpy, punk-noir coming-of-age story that flips the traditional adventure narrative on its head – placing two bold, unapologetic young women at its centre.

Set in a gritty, dystopian landscape, the story follows fearless 13-year-old Dakota Pink and her best friend Treacle as they uncover a dangerous secret that propels them across polluted waters to the mysterious Broken Glass Fortress. What unfolds is a wild, visually arresting journey packed with humour, horror and heart.

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Directed by Ella Becroft, the production explodes with bold visuals, live music, epic soundscape and edge‑of‑your‑seat moments. It’s the kind of live experience that feels like stepping inside your favourite game or graphic novel — while still packing real heart through themes of courage, friendship and hope.

Created for a multigenerational audience, Dakota of the White Flats hits hardest with teens aged 12 to 17, delivering fast‑paced theatre that stops the mobile scroll and pulls you straight in. Tickets are just $30 for Under 18s, making it an unmissable night out for young audiences.

Renowned for its striking visual storytelling, Red Leap Theatre blends movement, puppetry and inventive staging to craft imaginative worlds that resonate with all ages. The Auckland-based company has built an international reputation for bold, woman-led work.

Dakota of the White Flats stars Molly Macalistair as Dakota Pink, Ariāna Osborne as Treacle Duck, Henry Twig as Justice Kalolo, Tim Earl as Lassitter Peach and Tess Sullivan as  Lucy Pink/Medusa.

The show celebrated as “entertaining, imaginative theatre that pays homage to gutsy girls”. Critics have praised the production as “an hour of fizzing, popping, sparkling theatre … every moment crammed full of creative inventiveness”..

Red Leap Theatre is a devising theatre company known for innovating theatrical form. Working from a women‑centred perspective, the company embraces collaboration as a driving force and creates transformative live theatre experiences that spark conversation and reveal meaningful connections.

Dakota of the White Flats plays QPAC, May 13-15; Empire Theatre, Toowoomba, May 20-21;  The Events Centre, Caloundra, May 26, 7pm and May 27, 10am.

 theeventscentre.com.au/event/dakota-of-the-white-flats