Luminescence is turning 10 with a gala concert and Canberra Rep’s staging a sequel to a notorious play are the leading items in HELEN MUSA’s latest Arts in the City column.

It’s time to raise a glass to Luminescence Children’s Choir and Luminescence Chamber Singers, who will together celebrate the artist-led vocal organisation’s 10th birthday. Joined by mentor Roland Peelman and pianist Sally Whitwell, the gala concert at Albert Hall on June 15 will premiere a new work by Elena Kats-Chernin.

Canberra Rep presents Lucas Hnath’s sequel to Henrik Ibsen’s most notorious play in A Doll’s House, Part 2. Directed by the ubiquitous Joel Horwood, it sees Nora Helmer, 15 years after slamming the door on her husband and kids in A Doll’s House, back in a modern piece of theatrical fan-fiction that stars Lainie Hart as Nora. Canberra Rep Theatre, Acton, June 12-28. 

Inspired by historical events, a blistering fire ignites between the steely Queen Mother and her children’s doting nanny in Melanie Tait’s new black comedy drama, The Queen’s Nanny. It’s loosely based on the memoir of Marion “Crawfie” Crawford, governess to Princesses Lilibet and Margaret Rose, until she is ostracised without warning. The Playhouse, June 19-21.

Now in its 19th year, Step into the Limelight: Enter the Unknown is an exploration of mystery, curiosity, and possibility through the eyes of Canberra’s K-12 public school artists, staged across all the gallery spaces at M16 Artspace, Griffith, until June 29. 

StoryFest, Milton-Ulladulla’s storytelling festival, returns with Aussie authors, journalists, musicians, chefs, poets, broadcasters and thinkers. Headliners include Richard Glover and Markus Zusak, but also Toby Walsh, the world-leading AI expert and winner of the Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science. All around Milton-Ulladulla, June 19-22.

Celebrating Cuban music as a world of rhythm, soul and innovation, soprano Ayşe Göknur Shanal, cellist Karella Mitchell, percussionist Jess Ciampa and pianist Cheryl Oxley plan to stir up a storm in a concert simply titled, Cuba. Wesley Music Centre, June 15. 

An exhibition of prints and poetry by the late Kevin Gilbert recalls the First Nations artist, writer and activist, beginning in what would have been his 92nd year, with lino prints, poetry and photography created during his lifetime. Tuggeranong Arts Centre, June 13-August 9.