<p>Two of our favourite STAGES guests, and couples, return to the podcast, together, to examine their dual lives as actors. Grant Piro and Marina Prior guarantee performance brilliance in any entertainment in which they grace the stage. They reflect on some of the highlights of 2025 and what Christmas brings to them both, as a couple, individually and as a family.</p><p>Few artists embody the breadth and brilliance of Australian musical theatre as completely as Marina Prior. This year alone she has reaffirmed her status as one of the nation’s great leading ladies, embracing an extraordinary range of roles across the stage. From the brittle sophistication of Phyllis Rogers Stone in Stephen Sondheim’s <em>Follies</em>, to the tender innocence and wisdom of <em>Kimberly Akimbo</em>, and the delicious villainy of Madame Thénardier in <em>Les Misérables – The Arena Spectacular</em>, Prior continues to demonstrate an artistry of remarkable versatility. The latter role also marked her West End debut during the production’s 40th Anniversary season, a milestone in an already unparalleled career.</p><p>Her presence extends beyond the stage, with a much-loved annual appearance in <em>Carols by Candlelight</em>, broadcast nationally each Christmas Eve.</p><p>This year’s theatrical landscape saw Grant Piro play Dimitri Wiseman in <em>Follies</em>, and complete a national tour of Agatha Christie’s <em>And Then There Were None. </em>He<em> </em>now appears in the stage adaptation of <em>Cluedo</em>. Inspired by the classic board game and the 1985 film, <em>Cluedo</em> is a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud whodunnit, featuring an all-star Australian cast and touring nationally throughout 2026.</p><p>In the coming year, Marina Prior joins fellow icons David Hobson, Silvie Paladino and Michael Cormick in <em>OVATION</em>, a concert celebrating the very best of musical theatre and opera. United by decades of shared history and artistry, these four performers come together in a program that honours the music, roles and moments that have defined their careers.</p><p><a href="http://www.ovation.net.au/">www.ovation.net.au</a></p><p><a href="http://www.cluedoplay.com.au/">www.cluedoplay.com.au</a></p><p><em>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).</em></p><p><a href="http://www.stagespodcast.com.au/">www.stagespodcast.com.au</a></p>