John Kachoyan is an Armenian-Australian director, writer, and dramaturg. He is a co-founder of Iron Bark, a theatre company in London, specialising in new Australian plays, and the former Creative Director of MKA: Theatre of New Writing, in Melbourne. Kachoyan has been a Director In Residence at Bell Shakespeare.

Education

Kachoyan was born and raised in Oatley, New South Wales. He attended Newington College (1995–2000) and graduated with BA (Media & Communications) from the University of Sydney, including a year studying at the University of Toronto. In 2004 he completed the National Institute of Dramatic Art Playwright's Studio and holds a Master of Arts (Advanced Theatre Practice) from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD).

Career

Kachoyan spent 2007 to 2011 in London on a grant from the Australia Cultural Fund, where he co-founded IronBark – his work at IronBark involved productions and developments with leading Australian playwrights including Ben Ellis,

Tom Holloway Tom Holloway is an Australian playwright, based in Melbourne . Holloway's plays have been performed across Australia and internationally, including ''Beyond the Neck'' at Belvoir St Theatre (2007), ''Red Sky Morning'' at Red Stitch Actors Theat ...

, Jack Hibberd, Vivienne Walshe and Melissa Bubnic and was Resident Assistant Director at the Finborough Theatre. Returning to Australia he was appointed the 2012 Director in Residence for Bell Shakespeare – working extensively with the company's development arm Mind's Eye; including his adaptation of '' The Winter's Tale'' directed by John Bell in 2014 at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

. In 2013, Kachoyan was a Critical Stages Resident at the Seymour Centre, and was recently assistant director for Simon Phillips on Joanna Murray-Smith's new play ''Pennsylvania Avenue'' for Melbourne Theatre Company (2014)

Recent works

*"Play For Australia" (2016/17), Director, Vessel Theatre *"The River" by Jez Butterworth (2016), Director, Red Stitch Actors Theatre *"Elegy" (2016), Director, Lab Kelpie *"Lucky" (2015), Director & Dramaturgy, MKA: Theatre of New Writing *HYPRTXT Festival (2014), Festival Co-director, MKA: Theatre of New Writing *''Tender Lands'' (2014), Director, Lyric Opera of Melbourne *''Dogmeat'' (2014), director, MKA: Theatre of New Writing *''The Winters Tale'' (2014) Dramaturg, Bell Shakespeare *''Sweet Nothings'' (2013), Director, Australian Theatre for Young People + PantsGuys *''Midsummer'' (2012), director, Red Stitch Actors Theatre

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kachoyan, John 1982 births Living people People educated at Newington College Australian people of Armenian descent Australian theatre directors University of Sydney alumni