Richard Carroll
Richard Carroll is a director, writer and producer based in Sydney. Since 2022, he has been Co-Artistic Director of Hayes Theatre Co with Victoria Falconer.
Directing work at Hayes Theatre Co includes The Pirates of Penzance (also adaptor, plus tour), Ride The Cyclone,Murder For Two, Calamity Jane, Godspell, Gutenberg! The Musical!, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Monty Python’s Spamalot (plus tour), Gypsy, Side Show, and Murder For Two: Christmas Edition, as well as numerous concerts, cabaret shows and events. He won a Sydney Theatre Award for Calamity Jane, and received further nominations for Ride The Cyclone and Murder For Two.
Richard’s production of Calamity Jane debuted at the Hayes in 2017, played at Belvoir in 2018, and at Queensland Theatre and Sydney Opera House in 2025. In 2018, it played two sold-out seasons at Arts Centre Melbourne before transferring for a 5-week commercial season at the Comedy Theatre, in addition to a NSW & ACT tour. His production of Once had three seasons at Darlinghurst Theatre Co, transferred to Black Swan State Theatre Co, Merrigong Theatre Co, and HOTA, and played a 5-week commercial season at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne. Richard’s productions of Calamity Jane and Once have each sold over 50,000 tickets in Australia.
Richard’s other directing work includes Oklahoma! for Black Swan State Theatre Co, The Boomkak Panto (co-directed with Virginia Gay) for Belvoir, Fuccbois: Live in Concert for Soft Tread (Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne Comedy Festival, Edinburgh Fringe & Soho Theatre London), An Act of God (co-directed with Mitchell Butel) for Darlinghurst Theatre Co, and The Boy, George (also co-writer), a solo show with comedian Joel Creasey.
Richard is co-creator and director of the shows Every Musical Ever (The Art House Wyong & Adelaide Cabaret Festival), and The Show Goes On starring Bernadette Robinson (Sydney Opera House & Arts Centre Melbourne). For Neglected Musicals, he has directed presentations of Mame and Meet Me in St Louis, as well as the first incarnation of his Calamity Jane.
Other directing work includes Rewired for Sydney Festival & Hayes Theatre Co, A Night at the Speakeasy for Sydney Symphony Orchestra, opening gala concerts for Adelaide Cabaret Festival, The Art House, and The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre, and multiple events with Rizer. Richard’s cabaret work includes: Everybody Loves Lucy (co-writer); Dahlesque (co-writer); ¡Hispanic Attack! (writer/director, national tour); and Don’t Bother To Knock (co-writer/director, Hayes/Adelaide Cabaret Festival).
Richard’s producing and executive producing work includes Sweet Charity and Miracle City for Luckiest Productions, Jekyll & Hyde, Lizzie, Darlinghurst Nights and High Society for Hayes Theatre Co; Calamity Jane, Side Show, and Monty Python’s Spamalot for One-Eyed Man Productions, and Gypsy for Luckiest Productions & One Eyed Man Productions.
Statement
I live and work primarily on Gadigal land, as well as on the lands of other Aboriginal peoples across the place we now call Australia. Although I call this land my home, it was never ceded by its traditional custodians, but was taken through violence, criminality, and other human rights abuses of the worst kind. The atrocities of colonialism are an unresolved injustice in need of redress.
I wholeheartedly support the goals of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and the urgent implementation of the reforms it sets out, as a starting point for the reparation of wrongs done to First Nations people, both historically and through to the present day.
I believe it is our greatest privilege that we live and work on Aboriginal land, home to the oldest storytelling culture in the world. May we always remember this, and be honoured to tell stories on this land.
Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
- Richard