IAN MICHAEL

​Director/Writer

Ian Michael is a Resident Director at Sydney Theatre Company and was the Richard Wherrett Fellow (2022-2023). 
 
A proud Noongar man, he has carved out a career as an actor, director and writer following his graduation from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. For STC, Ian made his directorial debut at Sydney Theatre Company with CONSTELLATIONS (2023) and directed STOLEN (2024). Ian is Associate Director on Kip Williams’ adaptations of THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY (2020-2025), DRACULA (2024), and STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE (2022) which also toured to Perth Festival and Adelaide Festival, Associate Director to Zindzi Okenyo on SWEAT, Tom Creed on THE PRESIDENT (2024), Imara Savage on THE SEAGULL (2023),and to Shari Sebbens for THE 7 STAGES OF GRIEVING (2021). 
 
In 2025, Ian has directed PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK for Sydney Theatre Company, will direct the World Premiere of BIG GIRLS DON’T CRY for Belvoir and SISTREN for Griffin Theatre Company. For the Lyric Hammersmith, Ian was Script Consultant on OUR COUNTRY'S GOOD (2024). For Black Swan State Theatre Company, Ian directed THE BLEEDING TREE by Angus Cerini (2023) and was the Associate Director on THE CHERRY ORCHARD and Assistant Director on SKYLAB (with Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company). Ian made his directorial debut WITH THE BLEEDING TREE by Angus Cerini for The Blue Room Theatre (2021). 
 
Ian’s acting credits include THE TEMPEST, CITY OF GOLD (with Black Swan State Theatre Company), BLAQUE SHOWGIRLS (Griffin Theatre Company), CLOUDSTREET, BLAK CABARET (Malthouse), OUR TOWN, CLOUDSTREET AND LET THE RIGHT ONE IN (Black Swan State Theatre Company); THE KID (Melbourne Theatre Company/Melbourne Ring Cycle), THE NOONGAR SHAKESPEARE PROJECT (Yirra Yaakin); HART (She Said Theatre) and NORTHWEST OF NOWHERE (Ilbijerri Theatre Company). As a writer, his credits include YORK (with Chris Isaacs) for Black Swan State Theatre Company; ANOTHER DAY IN THE COLONY (Critical Stages/Paines Plough) and HART (with Seanna van Helten). He was a Resident Artist at Black Swan from 2018-2020, their Artistic Associate and Curator of the MAALI FESTIVAL (2021) and a Besen Family Artist at Malthouse in 2017. 
 
Ian has won numerous awards and nominations for his work, including eight nominations for STOLEN at the 2024 Sydney Theatre Awards, six nominations for CONSTELLATIONS, at the 2023 Sydney Theatre Awards including Best Direction of a Mainstage Play and Best Production, a nomination for Best Performer in a Supporting Role in a Mainstage Production at the 2022 Sydney Theatre Awards for CITY OF GOLD, The Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting (YORK), at the 2022 PAWA Awards Ian won Outstanding Direction of an Independent Production and Best Independent Production (THE BLEEDING TREE) and has been nominated for Best Actor for OUR TOWN and LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, at the 2021 The Blue Room Awards, he won the Award for Direction and Members Choice (THE BLEEDING TREE), CHASS Australia Prizes, Green Room Awards (HART), Melbourne Fringe Awards and Adelaide Fringe Awards.