ARIA Gold singer-songwriter of The Lighthouse and former contestant on The Block: All Stars, Amity Dry has a powerful story to tell. And it’s our story. The story of women. The Perfect Life (A Musical by Amity Dry) arrives at this year’s Adelaide Fringe.

Think Desperate Housewives, but less desperate and no murder. We meet all the female stereotypes you might expect – the busy mum, the empty nester, the businesswoman, and the young, unmarried millennial. We are welcomed intimately into the inner lives of these leading ladies, and soon find ourselves within them, experiencing their stories as if they were our own.

The show debuted at the Adelaide Fringe in 2009 under its former title Mother, Wife & the Complicated Life. It later evolved into a full-length musical that toured regional South Australia. From there it travelled internationally, performing Off-Broadway at the New York Musical Theatre Festival and reaching audiences in London, Norway and Finland. The Perfect Life now returns to Adelaide fully grown and enriched with lived experience.

The Perfect Life has the perfect cast, and it’s nothing short of star-studded. Please indulge me as I fangirl for a moment. Kerrie Anne Greenland won the Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her portrayal of Éponine in Les Misérables and most recently graced the stage as Ellen in Miss Saigon. Chloé Zuel is best known for originating the role of Eliza in Hamilton and Catherine of Aragon in the pop musical sensation Six.

Rounding out the cast is local talent Dee Farnell, who works as a vocal coach in Musical Theatre at the Elder Conservatorium of Music. She has also starred as Beverly in the award-winning Come From Away and Ms Pennywise in the Hayes Theatre Company’s production of Urinetown.

The stage awaits silently. A hue of pink, amber and blue light floats through a soft mist. Lighting design by Mark Oakley sets the scene for the chapel on Clifton Hill, where our story takes place.

Set design by Bec Francis suspends a single stained-glass window above the church-converted café. The walls are dotted with bookshelves and trinkets, creating a warm sense of home. Vertical screens embedded into the set seamlessly transport us to the various locations throughout the story.

The Perfect Life is effortlessly supported by a five-piece band, masterfully led by Musical Director Martin Cheney, with excellent arrangements by Marco Callisto. Overflowing with moving solo ballads, the intimacy of the songs brings a subtle cabaret feel.

The a cappella moments closing both acts are vocally and musically stunning. There is also fun to be had with He Asked Me, where we enjoy some quirky choreography thrown in for good measure. This energy continues in Bridezilla after the inevitable hen’s night, complete with a fabulous, fluffy penis hat.

Direction is entrusted to the capable hands of Jo Casson. Guiding a nuanced performance from actors working with sensitive material, Casson creates space for each emotional moment to land.

Bec (Farnell), a married mother of three, is the comic highlight and soul of the show. As her boisterous presence fills the stage with “Coffee? Wine? Coffee then wine!”, we know we’ve found our girl. She becomes the voice for all weary mothers or just about anyone who has had a rough day.

Farnell, herself a mother of two, brings authenticity to the role, capturing both humour and emotional depth in bucket loads. She has belt notes for days, but brought me to tears with her heartfelt storytelling in The Honeymoon Is Over.

Enter Kate (Greenland), single, 42, and suddenly pregnant. Will she keep the baby? What about her promotion? We buckle in for the inevitable ride. Greenland’s heart-wrenching rendition of The Choice is a glorious moment of musical theatre gold. Her acting and vocals transcend performance, holding us in the palm of her trembling hand. For me, this is the song you listen to on repeat. The one every soprano will want to learn.

Jess (Zuel) is our free spirit, back in Australia due to her mother’s cancer diagnosis. She soon finds herself swept up in a whirlwind marriage. Zuel received perhaps too many laughs for I Don’t Care as she captures the raw essence of new baby overshare. This is her moment to truly show off her money notes.

A special mention to the showstopper Baby, Come to Bed, where Farnell and Zuel absolutely bring the house down. And then there’s Amity Dry – the mother of it all. Having portrayed Kate in the original production, she now comes full circle as Lily.

The main events unfold in the safety of her café, where she nurtures friendships, holds secrets and reflects on the ever-changing nature of life. It feels like the perfect role for the musical’s creator.

We see so much of Dry’s heart in her performance. It is present in every word and song – her love for her children, her husband, her parents and her friends. She takes us on the journey.

The audience shares a sense of camaraderie as we laugh, gasp and cry together. No laugh is louder than the shared appreciation for the miracle of an epidural. When the lights finally cut to black, we are instantly on our feet with a grateful standing ovation for the cathartic experience we have shared.

But this is what excites me the most. Amity Dry is giving Australian musical theatre a voice. In an industry dominated by works from Broadway and the West End, this is the answer. I want more of this. Musical theatre sung in our own accent, telling our stories.

We need to support new Australian theatre, nurture it and help it grow. What Dry has created is truly special. And don’t even get me started on the many cabaret shows she has written.

I hope theatre companies across the country will produce this musical in years to come. Let’s get behind The Perfect Life so that the world stage knows its name.