Tandango
Productions
Tom Gutteridge - Director, actor, theatre maker
WHO I AM
Tandango.com is the online home of Tom Gutteridge. I work in the creative arts based in Melbourne, Australia. My work encompasses live performing arts, academic research and teaching, and public discussion around these areas.
I value collaboration and the creation of generous and curious art. I work to contribute to and nurture a theatre making ecology that is sustainable (in every sense) and vital.
I believe that the performing and live arts have an important public role in modelling positive risk-taking for our risk-averse world.
BIOGRAPHY
Tom has more than forty years’ experience in the performing arts as a director, actor, producer, dramaturg, devisor, composer, researcher and teacher.
He trained as an actor at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and worked across theatre, film and TV for 10 years before his primary focus shifted towards directing. After artistic roles at Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) and Queensland Theatre Company (QTC), Tom was Artistic Director at Black Swan Theatre Company, Perth from 2004 to 2008. Other directing work includes the Australian/NZ production of Yes, Prime Minister, the World Premieres of Credentials (La Mama’s 50th birthday season), Birthrights (MTC) and Charitable Intent (2001 Melbourne Festival) all by Australia’s most successful playwright, David Williamson and more than 20 other premiere productions by writers including Andrew Bovell, Kerith Manderson-Galvin and Noelle Janazcewska at companies including Queensland Theatre Company, Black Swan, Opera Queensland, Darebin Speakeasy, La Mama, and Union House Theatre. Charitable Intent won Best New Australian Play and Best Ensemble at the Victorian Green Room Awards.
Tom received a Master’s degree from La Trobe University in 2014 and until 2025 was Head of Programming at Monash Performing Arts Centres (MPAC). His most recent directing work has been a staged production of the St Matthew Passion by J.S. Bach for MPAC in 2024.
SPECIALITIES
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Tom was Artistic Director at Black Swan Theatre Company, Perth from 2004 to 2008. Other directing work includes the Australian/NZ production of Yes, Prime Minister, the World Premiere of Birthrights by David Williamson for Melbourne Theatre Company, The Sound Garden for Oz Opera, Opera Queensland and West Australian Opera, and Charitable Intent by David Williamson for the 2001 Melbourne Festival (Winner: Best New Australian Play, Victorian Green Room Awards). Most recently he directed the world premiere of David Williamson’s Credentials for La Mama’s 50th birthday season.
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Tom’s acting credits include
Stage: MTC, QTC, Australian Shakespeare Company, Anthill, TheatreWorks, La Mama. He was a founding member of Whistling in the Theatre collective and performed in 12 of their productions.
TV: Jack Irish, Winners and Losers, Neighbours, City Homicide, Three Acts of Murder (mini-series), Prisoner, Newly Weds, Connor (Channel 7 Pilot).
Film: Serving Joy (short), Aya, Father, Dive For Me
TVC: Writer’s Block (Melbourne Writer’s Festival), Cottee’s Jam, TAC (The Drowning), LA Gear, Land Rover Discovery.
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As well as writing/devising credits in Whilsting in the Theatre, Tom wrote and directed The Blood and Thunder Adventure on Hurricane Peak - based on the children’s book by Margaret Mahy - for Out of the Box Festival/QTC. and devised and directed Exploded Stories for QTC’s Education unit.
Tom has been on the board of Playwriting Australia (now Australian Plays Transform) and the West Australian Playwrights’ Consortium. He has been a judge for the Victorian Premiere’s Literary Awards.
UPCOMING EVENTS
27 OCTOBER - 7 NOVEMBER
THEATREWORKS
EXPLOSIVES FACTORY
Rear Laneway, 67 Inkerman Street, St Kilda