John is an award-winning queer Armenian-Australian artist and a multi-artform writer, director, developer and educator who began his career in the theatre. He holds an MA in Theatre from the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, studied script-editing at AFTRS and originally trained as a playwright at NIDA.
For SCREEN: John was a Creator on Imagine’s Impact Australia 2 programme developing his sci-fi thriller feature GAIA now in financing with Hoodlum Entertainment and Gentle Giant Media. His TV series, ELLIE RUINS EVERYTHING, co-created/written with Lou Sanz, is in development with Orange Entertainment Co and Gambit Media, after launching on the Australian Writer’s Guild’s Pathways Programme.
He is developing two genre features THE DEVIL’S BRIGADE and MY BROTHER’S ROAD with LA-based, Canadian director Jim Morrison IV and several adaptations of Australian novels.
As director, John is currently on Film Victoria's Key Talent Register, completing a Director’s Attachment on THE BLAKE MYSTERIES for Channel 7/December Media. He has developed works for Cinespace, Invisible Republic, Gambit Media and Hype Republic.
For STAGE: John’s worked across the USA, UK, Canada and Australia directing, writing and producing over 25 shows in 12 years. Highlights include the award-winning sell-out return seasons of MR BURNS., A POST-ELECTRIC PLAY by Anne Washburn, THE RIVER by Jez Butterworth, ELEGY by Douglas Rintoul and NEVERENDING STORAGE by Lou Sanz winner Time Out Critic’s Choice Award. His own plays YOU’RE WELCOME, THE COLLECTORS and JUST FOR ME have been produced in NYC, Toronto, London and Sydney.
John was previously the Literary Manager of Australian Plays, Creative Director & CEO of MKA : Theatre of New Writing and Director in Residence for Bell Shakespeare. He was a member of the Australia Council's Emerging Leaders Development Programme and the inaugural Melbourne Lincoln Centre Director's Lab.
John spent 2007-2012 working with leading new writing theatres in London, where he co-founded IronBark - producing the best Australian writing for UK audiences. He lives in regional Victoria with his partner, son and Buddy the Staffy.
John is proudly represented by Sharne McGee at Liberty Artist Management.
