Marion Potts

Marion Potts is an Australian theatre director.

Early life and education Potts developed an interest in the theatre when she went to see Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night on a school excursion.

While attending the University of Sydney, she joined the Sydney University Dramatic Society and contemplated a career in theatre after studying theatre symbiotics with an inspiring female academic. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in French and a Master of Philosophy in Performance Studies. She also studied directing at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).

Career Potts has directed productions for many of Australia's major theatre companies including Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Griffin Theatre Company, Bell Shakespeare and Victorian Opera.

Potts was a Resident Director for the Sydney Theatre Company from 1995 to 1999. She was Bell Shakespeare’s Associate Artistic Director and Artistic Director of its development arm, Mind’s Eye, from 2005 to 2010. She was Artistic Director of the Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne from 2010 to 2015. She became Director of Theatre with the Australia Council in 2015. Marion was Executive Producer of Performing Lines from 2017 to 2024.

She was also a founding directorate member of HotHouse Theatre and has been Chair of World Interplay, Townsville, a board member of Griffin Theatre Company, Windmill Theatre and Playworks, and Curator of the National Playwrights Conference.

Awards and nominations

Personal life Potts is married to actor Ned Manning, with whom she had two children. In 2010, they relocated from Sydney to Melbourne when she was appointed director of the Malthouse Theatre.

Credits

As director / creator Year Title Role Venue / Co. 1988 Sylvia Plath: a dramatic portrait Director University of Sydney 1990 Struth Director Stables Theatre, Sydney 1992 The Will Director Harold Park Hotel, Sydney with Lounge Acts 1993, 1994 The Gap Director Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Civic Square, Canberra with Asia Arts Management 1993 The Gentleman's New Clothes (aka Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme) Director Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney 1994 Falsettos Assistant Director Monash University, Melbourne with STC 1994 The Cafe Latte Kid / Darling Oscar Director Wharf Studio Theatre, Sydney with STC 1995 Sydney Stories 2: The Blessing / Two Wongs / In the Club / The Way I Was Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC for Sydney Festival 1995 Dead White Males Assistant Director Regional Australian tour, Sydney Opera House with STC 1995 Two Weeks with the Queen Director Alexander Theatre, Johannesburg, South African State Theatre, Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1995 Tales from the Vienna Woods Director NIDA Parade Theatre, Sydney 1995 Three Tall Women Assistant Director Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC, Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC, Gold Coast Arts Centre 1995, 1996 Beecham Director Marian Street Theatre, Sydney for Sydney Festival 1996 Playgrounds Director Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1996 The Torrents Director Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 1996, 1997 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Assistant Director Queens Park Theatre, Perth, Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, Esperance Civic Centre, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth, Theatre Royal, Hobart, Burnie Arts and Function Centre, Princess Theatre, Launceston, Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House with Glen Street Theatre & STC 1997, 1998 The Herbal Bed Director Wharf Theatre, Sydney, Playhouse, Adelaide, Canberra Theatre with Royal Shakespeare Company, with STCSA & STC 1997 Pygmalion Director Glen Street Theatre, Sydney, Canberra Theatre with STC 1997 Gary's House Director Adelaide Festival Centre with STCSA 1997 Closer Director Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1998 Navigating Director Sydney Opera House with STC 1999 Cyrano de Bergerac Director Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 1999 Big Hair in America Director The Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre 2000 Equus Director Playhouse, Adelaide with STCSA 2000 The Beauty Queen of Leenane Associate Director Playhouse, Adelaide, Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with STC & with MTC 2000 Life After George Director Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 2001 Don Juan Director Sydney Opera House with STC 2002 Volpone Director Sydney Opera House 2002 Fear and Misery of the Third Reich Director Western Sydney University 2003 Wonderlands Director The Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga, Riverina Playhouse, Wagga Wagga, Stables Theatre, Sydney with HotHouse Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company & Riverina Theatre Company 2003 A Midsummer Night’s Dream Artistic Director Amphitheatre, Gateway Island, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre 2004 Dreaming Transportation Director Sydney Opera House with Performing Lines 2004 A Number Director Brisbane Powerhouse with STCSA 2004 Newton's Cradle Director Wharf Theatre, Sydney with Blueprints 2005 Cyrano de Bergerac Translator Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 2005, 2006 The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Director Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide, Seymour Centre, Sydney with STCSA 2006 Constance Drinkwater and the final days of Somerset Director Bille Brown Studio, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre 2007 Othello Director Playhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Melbourne, Sydney Opera House, Orange Civic Theatre with Bell Shakespeare 2007 The Story of the Miracles at Cookie's Table Director Stables Theatre, Sydney, Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with HotHouse Theatre & Griffin Theatre Company 2008, 2009 Venus and Adonis Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Wharf Theatre, Sydney, Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland with Bell Shakespeare 2008 Hamlet Director Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Melbourne with Bell Shakespeare 2009 Grace Director Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2009 The Wonderful World of Dissocia Director Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC & MTC 2009 The Taming of the Shrew Director Theatre Royal, Hobart, Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, Mt Gambier, Chaffey Theatre, Renmark, Barossa Arts and Convention Centre, Northern Festival Centre, Port Pirie, Middleback Theatre, Whyalla, Nautilus Theatre, Port Lincoln, Canberra Theatre, Sydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare 2010 King Lear Director Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Canberra, Playhouse, Brisbane, Playhouse, Melbourne, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with Bell Shakespeare 2010 Sappho...In Nine Fragments Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2010 Uncle Vanya Associate Director Sydney Theatre with STC 2011 ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2011, 2012 Little Match Girl Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, The Famous Spiegeltent, Sydney, Queen Elizabeth Hall, London 2012 Blood Wedding Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2012 Wild Surmise Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2013 Hate Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2013 The Dragon Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2013–2014, 2016 The Shadow King Dramaturge Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Carriageworks, Sydney, Heath Ledger Theatre, Perth, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Darwin Amphitheatre, Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture, Katherine, Brisbane Powerhouse, Barbican Theatre, London 2014 Ugly Mugs Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company 2014 Cyrano de Bergerac Translator Sydney Theatre with STC 2014, 2016 The Riders Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Victorian Opera, His Majesty's Theatre, Perth with West Australian Opera 2015 Meme Girls Creator Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne 2017 Di and Viv and Rose Director Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 2018 Good Cook. Friendly. Clean. Director Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company

As actor Year Title Role Venue / Co. 1989 Artaud at Rodez University of Sydney