STAGES Episode 530: BERT LABONTÉ

STAGES with Peter Eyers

Growing up Bert LaBonté had eyes on an AFL career. A chance meeting with legendary actor Terry Norris gave him the confidence to pursue a life on the stage and he was soon studying the craft at Ballarat University. Several decades later and Bert is an established favourite on screen and stages; dramatic and musical, around Australia.

Bert is presently in rehearsal for August: Osage County at Belvoir Theatre in Sydney. He recently captivated audiences as Toulouse-Lautrec in Moulin Rouge! The Musical. A long list of musical theatre credits include: The Book of Mormon, An Officer and a Gentleman,Chess and Grey Gardens.

His Melbourne Theatre Company credits include: The Truth, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Lungs, Rupert, Birdland, The Mountaintop, Elling and others. For Sydney Theatre Company, he has performed in Fences, A Raisin in the Sun, All My Sons, The Grenade and Spelling Bee, and his Malthouse Theatre credits include: Cloudstreet, I am A Miracle, Time Share.

Screen credits include Colin From Accounts, Erotic Stories, Five Bedrooms, Pieces of Her, Lie With Me, FISK, The Newsreader, Surviving Summer, More Than This, Jack Irish, Wentworth, Playing for Keeps, Upper Middle Bogan, Tomorrow When The War Began, Lowdown, Wilfred, The Let Down, and Squinters. Film credits including Animal Kingdom and The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee.

Bert has just made is Directorial debut with Melbourne Theatre Company’s Topdog Underdog, and in 2025 plays Maxim in Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca with the company.

The STAGES podcast is available to access and subscribe from Spotify and Apple podcasts. Or from wherever you access your favourite podcasts. A conversation with creatives about craft and career. Follow socials on instagram (stagespodcast) and facebook (Stages).

www.stagespodcast.com.au