Wayne Harrison

Who is Wayne Harrison?

Wayne David Harrison AM is an Australian director, writer, producer and performer.

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 Theatre Studies Department, and completed an Honours Degree.

In 1980 Harrison began 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 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.

From 1999 to 2001, he was the Creative Director of SFX/Back Row and Clear Channel Entertainment.

From 1990 to 1999 he was the Director/CEO of the Sydney Theatre Company.

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.