GARY ABRAHAMS
THEATRE CREATOR AND ARTISTIC LEADER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of KADIMAH YIDDISH THEATRE
website: www.garyabrahamstheatre.com
tel: 0434498346
email: giladbryan@gmail.com
KYT: executivedirector.theatre@kadimah.org.au
Address: 10 Forest St, Collingwood, 3066
I am an award winning theatre maker, director, producer, playwright, and dramaturge. Since immigrating to Australia from South Africa I have established myself as a critically respected and sought after freelance stage director, theatre maker and artistic leader. My work encompasses large scale commercial plays, main stage works within subscriber based companies, and independent and experimental theatre projects.
I am passionate about theatre in all its forms, and for all audiences, and strive to create work that is entertaining, invigorating, galvanising and emotionally affecting. I thrive in environments that allow me to imagine with ambition, lead with focus and passion, unite collaborators, and speak to larger industry and social issues.
EDUCATION
2009 MASTER OF DIRECTING AND WRITING UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE ,VICTORIAN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
2008 POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA OF THEATRE MAKING UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE,VICTORIAN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
1999 BACHELOR OF DRAMA (ACTING) VICTORIAN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS
I am an award winning Melbourne based theatre maker, director, producer, playwright, dramaturge ,teacher, collaborator, deviser, outside eye and mentor.
With over ten years experience as a freelance theatre professional I have established myself as one of Melbournes leading commercial and independent theatre producers and directors, with numerous high profile local and national projects.
I am a highly driven and creative professional with a demonstrated passion for instigating new projects, developing new work, and presenting a wide range of productions that range from large scale theatre events to smaller experimental works within curated seasons. As an ideas driven individual I thrive in creative environments that support the realisation of bold and innovative ideas, from initial concept through to public presentation. I love working alongside visionary creatives to support artists, both established and emerging, in the realisation of their works.
I have a thorough and in-depth knowledge of local, national and international theatre culture, with numerous contacts within key arts organisations, as well as with high profile artists working both locally and internationally.
The performing arts are my passion and lifeblood, and I am always seeking new and challenging opportunities that allow me to contribute to Australia’s vibrant and thriving arts sector.
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SELECTED DIRECTING CREDITS
YEAR PRODUCTION WRITER PRODUCED BY
2023 Driftwood : The Musical Gary Abrahams and Jane Bodie Umbrella Foundation National Tour
2022 Lucrezia Borgia Donizetti Melbourne Opera
2022 Yentl Gary Abrahams, Elise Hearst KYT and Arts Centre Melbourne
2022 Admissions Joshua Harmon Melbourne Theatre Company
2019 The Ghetto Cabaret Galit Klaas/Devised 45 Downstairs and Kadimah Yiddish Theatre
2019 Pomona Alistair McDowell Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2019 33 Variations Moises Kaufman Cameron Lukey Productions and Neil Gooding
2018 Resident Alien Tim Fountain Cameron Lukey Productions
(National Tour)
2018 Hand To God Robert Askins Vass Theatre Group
2017 Angels in America Tony Kushner Cameron Lukey and Dirty Pretty Theatre
Part One and Part Two
2017 Therese Raquin Gary Abrahams Critical Stages National Tour
(National tour)
2016 Bad Jews Joshua Harmon Vass Theatre Group
(National Tour)
2016 Resident Alien Tim Fountain Cameron Lukey Productions
2016 You're A Good Man Clarke Gesner Vass Theatre Group
Charlie Brown
2016 A Midsummer Nights Shakespeare VCA School of Drama Graduating Year
Dream
2015 Buyer And Cellar Jonathan Tollins Melbourne Theatre Company
2015 Bad Jews Joshua Harmon Vass Theatre Group
2015 The Lonely Wolf Gary Abrahams NEON/MTC/ Dirty Pretty Theatre
2015 Spring Awakening Franz Wedekind St Michaels Grammar/Malthouse
2015 Bullets Over Broadway Woody Allen VCA School Of Drama Graduating Year
2014 Therese Raquin Gary Abrahams Theatre Works/ Dirty Pretty Theatre
2014 The Flock and the Nest Glyn Roberts Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2014 Complexity of Belonging Falk Richter Melbourne Theatre Company/ Chunky Move
*Assistant Director to Falk Richter
2014 The Bitter Tears Of Rainer Werner Fassbinder Dirty Pretty Theatre
Petra Von Kant
2013 ROAM Adam Cass Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2013 All About Eve Joseph Mankiewicz VCA School of Drama Graduating Year
2012 The Pride Alexi Kaye Cambell Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2012 The Laramie Project Tectonic Theatre Red Stitch Actors theatre
10 Years On
2012 Australia Day Jonathan Biggins Melbourne Theatre Company
*Assistant director to Richard Cottrell
2011 Day One. A Hotel. Evening Joanna Murray Smith Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2011 The Gift Joanna Murray Smith Melbourne Theatre Company
*Assistant Director to Maria Aitken
2010 Oh Well Never Mind Bye Steven Lally Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2010 Songs For Nobodies Joanna Murray Smith Melbourne Theatre Company
*Assistant Director to Simon Phillips
2010 All About My Mother Samuel Adamson Melbourne Theatre Company
*Assistant to Simon Phillips
2010 Something Natural Gary Abrahams Dirty Pretty Theatre
But Very Childish
2010 Acts of Deceit Gary Abrahams Dirty Pretty Theatre
2009 Jerker Robert Chesley Gasworks
WRITING CREDITS
The Lonely Wolf Based on a novel by Herman Hesse
Therese Raquin Based on the novel by Emile Zola
Something Natural But Very Childish Based on several short stories by Katherine Mansfield
Acts of Deceit (Between Strangers In A room) Based on a novella by James Baldwin
(Between Strangers in a Room)
Dear Antionette Radio piece for ABC National
DRAMATURGY CREDITS
YEAR TITLE WRITER COMPANY
2014 Jurrassica Dan Giovanoni Red Stitch
2013 The Flock and The Nest Glyn Roberts Red Stitch
2012 ROAM Adam Cass Red Stitch
2010 Cropped Dina Ross Red Stitch
2010 Royal Marcel Dawnay Red Stitch
TEACHING AND LECTURING THEATRE
2016 Performance Project: Graduating Company VCA School of Drama
2015 Performance Project: Graduating Company VCA School of Drama
2015 Performance Project: Year 11 and 12 St Michaels Grammar
2015 Viewpoints Workshops Howard Fine School of Acting
2014 Viewpoints Workshop: Year 11 and 12 Theatre Works
2014 Performance Project: Year 11 and 12 St Michaels Grammar
2014 Performance Project: Graduating Company VCA School of Drama
2013 Introduction to Acting -Semester One Monash University BPA
2013 Performance Project -Semester Two Monash University BPA
2012 Introduction to Acting-Semester One Monash University BPA
2012 Performance Project- Semester Two Monash University BPA
2011 Introduction to Acting :Term One Verve Professional Acting Studios
2011 Introduction to Text:Term Two Verve Professional Acting Studios
2010 Introduction to Acting :Term One Verve Professional Acting Studios
2010 Introduction to Text: Term Two Verve Professional Acting Studios
2010 St Martins Youth Ensemble-Term Two St Martins Youth Theatre
2010 Theatre Devising- Term Three Verve Professional Acting Studios
Additional Work Experience
2020 Member of the MainStage Panel for The Greenroom Awards
2018 Script Assessor Screen Australia
2016 Script Assessor Playwriting Australia
2010 Script Assessor Playwriting Australia
Awards, Nominations and Grants
2022 Green Room Award Winner
- Best New Australian Writing Companies(Yentl)
2022 Green Room Award Nominations:
-Outstanding Direction Theatre Companies (Yentl)
-Outstanding Theatre production Companies (Yentl)
2022 Green room Award Nomination:
-Best New Australian Writing Music Theatre (Driftwood)
2021 Green Room Award Winner
-Outstanding Direction Theatre Companies (Iphegenia In Splott)
-Outstanding Production Theatre Companies (Iphegenia in Splott)
-Innovation in Cabaret (Durk A Modne Gloz)
2019 Green Room Award Nominations:
-Best Production Main stage (Pomona)
-Best Director Main Stage (Pomona)
-Best Production Cabaret (Ghetto Cabaret)
-Best Production Experimental (Waterloo)
2018 Australian Arts Council Career Advancement Grant
2017 Greenroom Award Nomination:
-Innovation in Participatory Performance (Onstage Dating)
2016 Greenroom Award Winner
-Best New Australian Play (Jurrasica) - as dramaturge
2014 Greenroom Award Nomination:
-Best Director Independent Theatre (Therese Raquin)
-Best Production Independent Theatre (Therese Raquin)
-Best New Writing (Therese Raquin)
2014 Victorian Arts Council Presentation Grant (Therese Raquin)
2014 City of Port Phillip Cultural Trust Presentation Grant ( Therese Raquin)
2012 Mike Walsh Fellowship- Major Award
2011 Greenroom Award Winner :
-Best Director Independent Theatre (Body of Work)
Greenroom Award Nomination:
-Writing (Acts of Deceit )
-Writing (Something Natural But Very Childish)
-Best Production Independent (Something Natural But Very Childish)
2010 Ian Potter Cultural Trust Grant for Career Advancement
2009 Grace Wilson Trust Award for Writing : VCA
2009 Jim Marks Scholarship for Theatre Practice
Additional Training and Workshops
2017 Mike Alfreds Masterclass Mike Alfreds 16th Street Studio
2017 Ian Rickson Masterclass Ian Rickson 16th Street Studio
2016 Pulse Masterclass Tanya Gerstle Optic Nerve
2016 Screen Workshop Amanda Mitchell HFAA Academy
2015 Larry Moss Masterclass Larry Moss 16th Street Studio
2015 Howard Fine Masterclass Howard Fine HFAA Academy
2014 Howard Fine Masterclass Howard Fine HFAA Academy
2013 TVI Actors Studio LA Screen Masterclass Various TVI Studio LA
2013 Michael Chekov Masterclass Various TVI Studio NY,NY
2013 Viewpoints Workshop Various STI Company
2009 Lincoln Centre Theatre Directors Lab Various Lincoln Centre NY
REFERENCES _____________________________________________________________
Brett Sheehy
Artistic Director Melbourne Theatre Company
03 8688 0969
Tony Ayres
Tony Ayres Productions
Cameron Lukey
Cameron Lukey Productions
0408993199
Ella Caldwell
Artistic Director Red Stitch Actors Theatre
0403849113
Hellen Ellis
Ellis Productions
0429355465