Priscilla Jackman

Director

Priscilla is a multidisciplinary director of theatre, opera and screen, whose body of work reflects an impressive track record for creating landmark productions across the Australian arts landscape.

Priscilla is the director of Sydney Theatre Company’s RBG: OF MANY, ONE by Oliver Award winning playwright, Suzie Miller. It stars Heather Mitchell, who won Best Actor at the 2022 Sydney Theatre Awards, as feminist icon, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. The production received outstanding critical and commercial acclaim, following its world premiere at Wharf 1 in 2022, touring nationally in 2024/25, playing to audiences, totalling over 100,000 across Australia.

Also, in 2024 Priscilla directed (with Dan Daw), the Australian premiere production of Pulitzer Prize winning play, THE COST OF LIVING by Martyna Marjok (a Sydney Theatre Company and Queensland Theatre co-production). Her production represents the first on Australian mainstages to feature parity for disabled and non-disabled artists.

Priscilla’s ability to direct razor sharp political comedy, while navigating cross cultural nuances is seen in her award winning, Sydney Theatre Company production of WHITE PEARL (2019/21) by Anchuli Felicia King, which toured to Queensland Theatre and Canberra, opening the Oz Asia Festival Adelaide, and winning Best Ensemble (Sydney Theatre Awards).

She made her debut with Sydney Theatre Company in 2018 as the writer/director of STILL POINT TURNING: THE CATHERINE MCGREGOR STORY. Based on the turbulent life of controversial Australian trans military leader, Catherine McGregor, Priscilla’s play was the first production on Australian main stages centred on a trans narrative. Also, for Sydney Theatre Company, Priscilla assistant directed THE FATHER by Florian Zeller (2017) and THE HANGING by Angela Betzien (2016).

Priscilla was the inaugural winner of the Sandra Bates Directing Award at Ensemble Theatre (2016) where she directed the world premiere of THE QUEEN’S NANNY by Melanie Tait (2024) which tours nationally in 2025. Also, by Melanie Tait, Priscilla directed Ensemble’s sell-out hit comedy THE APPLETON LADIES POTATO RACE which toured across NSW & Victoria in 2018. She directed a new version of the play for Queensland Theatre in 2023. Priscilla directed Ensemble Theatre’s Boatshed Play reading of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (2017) and assistant directed BAREFOOT IN THE PARK and GOOD PEOPLE (2016). 

In 2022 Priscilla directed Opera Australia’s national tour of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE which toured Australia in 2022/23. She was associate director for Opera Australia’s critically acclaimed production of BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE and assistant directed ERNANI, a co-production between La Scala and Opera Australia (2020). She has directed several national Schools Tours for Opera Australia (2018-2021).

Priscilla directed Bell Shakespeare’s A PLAY IN A DAY series (2021/22) and was the Resident Director of Sport for Jove’s Winter Season (2016) 

Specialising in new work, Priscilla adapted GIRLS IN BOYS CARS based on the award winning novel by Felicity Castagna for National Theatre of Parramatta in 2023. For the National Institute of Dramatic Art, she conceived and directed a new multidisciplinary circus theatre work, EURYDIKE + ORPHEUS, leading the first co-production between National Institute of Dramatic Art and National Institute of Circus Art (2017). She directed AN IDEAL HUSBAND by Oscar Wilde at Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (2019).

Priscilla is in development with various screen projects. Her credits include directors attachment at Roadshow Rough Diamond under Margie Beattie, director’s observer at Curio Pictures under Johnathan Brough and director’s observer under Max Miller at Easy Tiger.

Priscilla’s international work includes an internship at the Komische Opera under Barrie Kosky as the 2017 winner of the Berlin Opera Award, from The Opera Foundation for Young Australians. Priscilla was invited to work with Complicite, London, collaborating with their Creative Learning Team (2013/14). She represented the Southbank Centre London at the Sydney Writers Festival in 2013, directing in the WOW Festival.

Priscilla is invested in an exquisite exchange between actors and audience through a dynamic and cohesive mastery of space, visuality, text, light, bodies design and sound. As a national leader in the arts, she is excited to contribute to the hybrid fusion of innovative screen, theatre and performing arts practices in Australia.