Wayne Harrison
Encyclopedia
Wayne Harrison was a child and teenage star performing on stage and television, including performing in J.C. Williamsons' musicals. He abandoned his career as a performer and moved to Sydney in 1975.
In 1977 Harrison enrolled at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Theatre Studies Department, and completed an Honours Degree.
1980: Started working on the magazine Campaign; opening "The Bookshop" in Darlinghurst
; visiting London in 1980, meeting with Richard Wherrett
, then Artistic Director of the recently formed Sydney Theatre Company
(STC) in Sydney. He became the literary adviser for the Sydney Theatre company and then took over from Wherrett as Artistic Director of the STC in 1990.
In 2005-2007 Harrison was the Creative Director of Sydney's New Year's Eve event. 2007 he was the director of the Helpmann Awards for Live Performance Australia, as well as the Spiegelworld
circus/cabaret sensation Absinthe which played in New York.
In 2006 he was the director of the 2006 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony
, held in Melbourne, as well as the director of the touring production of 2 Weeks with the Queen for Adelaide's Windmill Theater Arts and End of the Rainbow in Sydney, Melbourne and the Edinburgh Festival
.
From 1999 to 2001, he was the Creative Director of SFX/Back Row and Clear Channel Entertainment (Europe).
From 1990 to 1999 he was the Director/CEO of the Sydney Theatre Company.
In 1977 Harrison enrolled at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Theatre Studies Department, and completed an Honours Degree.
1980: Started working on the magazine Campaign; opening "The Bookshop" in Darlinghurst
Darlinghurst, New South Wales
Darlinghurst is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district and Hyde Park, within the local government area of the City of Sydney...
; visiting London in 1980, meeting with Richard Wherrett
Richard Wherrett
Richard Bruce Wherrett AM was an influential and successful Australian theatrical director, whose career spanned 40 years.Richard Wherrett was born in 1940...
, then Artistic Director of the recently formed Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
(STC) in Sydney. He became the literary adviser for the Sydney Theatre company and then took over from Wherrett as Artistic Director of the STC in 1990.
In 2005-2007 Harrison was the Creative Director of Sydney's New Year's Eve event. 2007 he was the director of the Helpmann Awards for Live Performance Australia, as well as the Spiegelworld
Spiegelworld
Spiegelworld is a traveling circus. Produced by Ross Mollison, Vallejo Gantner and , Spiegelworld opened in the summer of 2006 with Absinthe, performed inside the Spiegeltent. The 2007 season marked the return of Absinthe and the premiere of La Vie...
circus/cabaret sensation Absinthe which played in New York.
In 2006 he was the director of the 2006 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony
2006 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony
The Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 26 March 2006 to mark the closing of the 18th Commonwealth Games.-Performances:The ceremony began with a fireworks show...
, held in Melbourne, as well as the director of the touring production of 2 Weeks with the Queen for Adelaide's Windmill Theater Arts and End of the Rainbow in Sydney, Melbourne and the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
.
- 2005: Directed The Return of Houdini (Variety Magic show), City Theatre, ReykjavikReykjavíkReykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland. - 2004: Directed Through the Wire, National Theatre Connections.
- 2002: Directed Mum's The Word Robert C Kelly Limited (English tour); also directed Alone It Stands for Mollison Productions.
From 1999 to 2001, he was the Creative Director of SFX/Back Row and Clear Channel Entertainment (Europe).
From 1990 to 1999 he was the Director/CEO of the Sydney Theatre Company.
- 1996: Directed HereticHeretic (play)Heretic is a 1996 play by Australian playwright David Williamson.The play explores Derek Freeman's reaction to Margaret Mead's Coming of Age in Samoa...
, by David WilliamsonDavid WilliamsonDavid Keith Williamson AO is one of Australia's best-known playwrights. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.-Biography:...
(world première) for the Sydney Theatre Company. - 1995: Directed Dead White Males by David Williamson (world première) for the Sydney Theatre Company.
- 2008: Director of Codgers Directed and wrote Absinthe and Desir for SpiegelworldSpiegelworldSpiegelworld is a traveling circus. Produced by Ross Mollison, Vallejo Gantner and , Spiegelworld opened in the summer of 2006 with Absinthe, performed inside the Spiegeltent. The 2007 season marked the return of Absinthe and the premiere of La Vie...
in New York and Miami. - 2011: Directed and wrote Absinthe for SpiegelworldSpiegelworldSpiegelworld is a traveling circus. Produced by Ross Mollison, Vallejo Gantner and , Spiegelworld opened in the summer of 2006 with Absinthe, performed inside the Spiegeltent. The 2007 season marked the return of Absinthe and the premiere of La Vie...
at Caesars PalaceCaesars PalaceCaesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Caesars Palace is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
in Las Vegas.