John Howard Tasker

John Howard Tasker (25 May 1933 – 18 June 1988) was an Australian theatre director.

Biography He was born in Newcastle, New South Wales and educated at Newcastle Boys’ High School. Travelling to Europe at age 18, he studied at the Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art and teaching at the University of London. as a form of atonement.

Patrick White chose Tasker to produce the play The Ham Funeral for the University of Adelaide Theatre Guild (premiere in Union Hall in 1961). White's life partner Manoly Lascaris acknowledged Tasker as the 'virus' that re-infected White with the excitement of theatre. The Sydney Theatre Critics' Circle named their annual award for best freelance director after him.

Theatre productions (incomplete list): 1961 - The Break 1961 - The Ham Funeral, by Patrick White (Union Hall) 1962 - The Good Woman of Setzuan, by Bertolt Brecht (Union Hall) 1962 - The Season at Sarsaparilla, by Patrick White (Union Hall) 1963 - Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles (Union Hall) 1964 - Night on Bald Mountain, by Patrick White (Union Hall) 1965 - The Representative, by Rolf Hochhuth (Union Hall) 1965 - Inadmissible Evidence, by 1968 - America Hurrah, by Van Itallie (New Theatre) 1968 - The Boys in the Band, by Mart Crowley (the Playbox) 1969 - Candy Stripe Balloon, revue starring Grahame Bond (Phillip Theatre) 1977 - Don't Piddle against the Wind, Mate, by Kenneth Ross (Jane Street Theater) 1978 - The Cassidy Album. (York Theatre) 1978 - The Good Woman of Setzuan (Port Moresby Theatre Group, PNG) 1979 - Rusty Bugles, by Sumner Locke Elliott (New Theatre) 1981 - The Workroom, by Tom Kempinski (New Theatre) 1982 - The Samseng and The Chettiars’ Daughter (Singapore) 1982 - Duet for One, by Tom Kempinski (Marian Street) 1983 - Caravan, by Donald Macdonald (Marian Street) 1986 - Absurd Person Singular, by Alan Ayckbourn (Northside) 1987 - As Is, by William Hoffman (Seymour Downstairs)

Opera productions 1974 The Excursions of Mr Broucek (Janacek) Adelaide Festival Theatre - New Opera

1976 - The Consul (Canberra Theatre) 1979 - La Belle Hélène (Canberra Theatre)