About

Sarah Giles is a multiple award winning freelance theatre and opera director, described by Limelight Magazine as one of Australia’s most thoughtful theatre-makers. Renowned for her political comedies and opera work, Sarah brings fresh perspectives to classic works while also developing and directing new Australian productions. She works as a director, adaptor, writer, and dramaturg, and resides with her family in Melbourne/Naarm, Australia.

Sarah’s work has reached over 200,000 audience members across Australia. She has directed over 25 productions for companies including Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, State Theatre of South Australia, Malthouse Theatre, Griffin Theatre, The Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Chamber Opera, Opera Queensland, State Opera of South Australia, and West Australian Opera.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne, with a double major in Italian and History. In 2008, Sarah completed her postgraduate studies in directing at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), and in 2009, she was appointed Affiliate Director in Residence at Griffin Theatre in Sydney. In 2011, Artistic Directors Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton appointed her as the Richard Wherrett Fellow at Sydney Theatre Company, and by 2013, she became a Resident Director there.

Sarah has worked regularly at Sydney Theatre Company for the past fifteen years. Her directorial work for the company includes The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, No Pay? No Way! by Dario Fo in a new adaptation by Marieke Hardy, Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo, co-adapted with Frances Greenslade, The Popular Mechanicals by Tony Taylor and Keith Robinson (with State Theatre Company of South Australia, national tour), Perplex by Marius von Mayenburg, Mrs. Warren’s Profession by George Bernard Shaw, Marriage Blanc by Tadeusz Różewicz in a new adaptation by Melissa Bubnic, Money Shots by Angus Cerini, Rita Kalnejais, Tahli Corin, and Duncan Graham, and Ruby Moon by Matt Cameron.

In 2014, Sarah was awarded an Art Start Grant from the Australia Council, the Mike Walsh Fellowship, and the Gloria Fellowship. She was also selected to participate in the 2015 Lincoln Center Directors Lab in New York, joining 80 directors from across the globe. In 2022, she was awarded the Emily Hensley Award as an alumna of her high school.

Sarah’s theatre directing credits include SS Metaphor by Ash Flanders and Blaque Showgirls by Nakkiah Lui for Malthouse Theatre; A Very Jewish Christmas Carol by Elise Hearst with Phillip Kavanagh, The Truth by Florian Zeller, and Straight White Men by Young Jean Lee for Melbourne Theatre Company; The Ugly One by Marius von Mayenburg and The Pigeons by David Geiselmann for Griffin Independent; Kreutzer vs Kreutzer by Laura Wade for The Australian Chamber Orchestra; That Face by Polly Stenham for Red Stitch; The Herbal Bed by Peter Whelan for New Theatre; The Bear by Anton Chekhov for Theatre Forward; The Farm by David Geiselmann, The Bald Soprano by Eugène Ionesco, and Face to the Wall by Martin Crimp for NIDA; Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre, adapted for the stage by Tanya Ronder, for WAAPA; and The Maids by Jean Genet for La Mama.

In 2024, Sarah premiered her new production of Rusalka at West Australian Opera for the Opera Conference (Opera Australia, West Australian Opera, South Australian Opera, and Opera Queensland). In 2022, she premiered her production of La Traviata at Opera Queensland, which toured to West Australian Opera and State Opera of South Australia. This production was recently presented by Opera Australia as part of their 2024 summer season and will be featured again in their 2025 summer season.

In 2019, Sarah received Helpmann Award and Green Room Award nominations for Best Direction of an Opera for her world premiere Victorian Opera production of Lorelei, which won Best New Australian Work and Best Design at the Green Room Awards, where it was nominated in five categories. This work toured to Opera Queensland and had a return season at Victorian Opera at the Palais Theatre in St Kilda.

In 2014, Sarah directed a double bill for Sydney Chamber Opera and Sydney Festival: Pas à Pas – Nulle Part by György Kurtág, with a libretto by Samuel Beckett, and Into the Little Hill by George Benjamin, with a libretto by Martin Crimp. In 2016, she directed Pascal Dusapin’s O Mensch! for Sydney Chamber Opera and Sydney Festival.

In 2025 Opera Australia will present Sarah's production of La Traviata at the Sydney Opera House from Jan 23 to 27 March. 

For all enquiries please contact:

Aurora Artists’ Management
Justine Goss
M +61 414 864 418
justine@auroraartists.com

Theatre directing credits include: for Sydney Theatre Company, The Importance of Being Earnest, No Pay? No Way!, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, The Popular Mechanicals (with State Theatre Company of South Australia, national tour), Perplex, Mrs Warren’s Profession, Marriage Blanc, Money Shots, and Ruby Moon; for Malthouse Theatre, SS Metaphor and Blaque Showgirls; for Melbourne Theatre Company, A Very Jewish Christmas Carol, The Truth, and Straight White Men; Kreutzer vs Kreutzer for The Australian Chamber Orchestra; for Griffin Independent, The Ugly One and The Pigeons; for Red Stitch, That Face; for New Theatre, The Herbal Bed; for Theatre Forward, The Bear; for NIDA, The Farm, The Bald Soprano, and Face to the Wall; for WAAPA, Vernon God Little; and for La Mama, The Maids.

Opera directing credits include: for West Australian Opera, Rusalka; for Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, State Opera of South Australia, and West Australian Opera, La Traviata; for Victorian Opera and Opera Queensland, Lorelei; and for Sydney Chamber Opera and Sydney Festival, O Mensch!, Pas à pas - nulle Part, and Into the Little Hill. Other works include Kreutzer vs Kreutzer for the Australian Chamber Orchestra, performed with Janáček’s and Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonatas.