A Girl’s Guide To World War

by Katy Forde and Aleathea Monsour

A Girl's Guide to World War by Katy Forde and Aleathea Monsour

Award-winning musical breaks new ground

Based on true events, “A Girl’s Guide to World War” follows the untold adventures of ‘lady doctors’ during World War 1.

This truly uplifting musical was the first regional musical to win “Best New Australian Work” at the Matilda Awards.

A Girl’s Guide to World War won two 2019 Matilda Awards:

  • The Lord Mayor’s Award for Best New Australian Work (presented to writer Katy Forde and composer Aleathea Monsour)
  • The Best Supporting Actress Award (presented to Susie French for her role as Dr Lilian Cooper).

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2025 Tour

“A Girl’s Guide to World War” is hitting the road! Sign up to our newsletter or follow us on the socials to find out if we’re coming to you!

License the show

Guess what! “A Girl’s Guide to World War” is now available to license, with versions suitable for casts of 8 to 80! Stage the show with your own band, or use our performance-quality backing tracks, performed by the best Aussie musos in the land (we’re not biased)!

Guitarist Vix Nightsinger playing guitar

Help us share the story of “A Girl’s Guide to World War” with audiences everywhere!

Would you like to help bring “A Girl’s Guide to World War” to audiences across Queensland and Australia?

We’d love your support! Find out how you can donate directly to the artists involved with a tax-deductible donation.

Aleathea Monsour Composer and Katy Forde Writer Lyricist - A Girl's Guide to World War

About the show

‘A Girl’s Guide to World War’ is an original musical theatre production written by Aleathea Monsour (composer) and Katy Forde (book and lyrics).

This powerful, uplifting musical celebrates the untold stories of Australian women who served on the frontline during World War 1.

With toe-tapping music, a live band, and an emotional true story, ‘A Girl’s Guide to World War’ takes the audience from laughter to tears and back again.

The characters in the show are based on real women, including Dr Lilian Cooper (Queensland’s first female doctor, and a founding member of the RACQ) and her partner Miss Josephine Bedford (initiator of the first kindergarten in Australia).

A Girl's Guide to World War_The Ambulance Girls

Acknowledgements

Licensing

Applications are now open to license “A Girl’s Guide to World War”. This licensing project would not be possible without the support of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

This project was made possible by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, provided through Regional Arts Australia, administered in Queensland by Flying Arts Alliance.

Regional Arts Fund Flying Arts
Queensland Government Logo

Queensland Tour 2025

We’re so excited to take our show on the road in 2025. This venture would not be possible without the support we’ve received.

This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the Regional Arts Development Fund. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and the Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

The tour is also supported by the Gambling Community Benefit Fund.

MTA is also grateful for the support of the Redland City Council.

Sunshine Coast Council Logo
Gambling Community Benefit Fund Redland City Council
Musical Theatre Australia

We’d love to talk to you about Australian musicals!