Shaun Rennie

Bio

A director of opera, musicals and theatre, Shaun has worked across Australian premieres of new works to revivals of treasured musicals. He has received three Sydney Theatre Award nominations for Best Director, and twice won the Broadway World Award for Best Direction.

Recent credits include; Switzerland at the Ensemble Theatre, RENT - Australian National Tour, Gianni Schicchi for Opera Australia. Other notable credits include the world Premier Season of the new Pop Musical The Lovers for Bell Shakespeare. He also directed the sold out 25th Anniversary production of RENT at the Sydney Opera House.

Shaun is currently working as the Associate Director for Opera Australia. Other work for OA includes; Director of The New Years Eve Gala 2023, Director of Opera Up Late - World Pride, Director of Mad Scenes with Jessica Pratt, Revival Director of La Boheme for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Assistant Director/Resident Director on The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour, Assistant Director on new productions of The Tales of Hoffmann and Il Trovatore.  

Australian theatre premieres include; Jess and Joe Forever (25A, Downstairs Belvoir), Tennessee Williams’ Baby Doll (The Ensemble Theatre), Trevor (Outhouse), Considering Matthew Shepard (Sydney Philharmonia) and I Am My Own Wife (Redline).  

Other credits include; Suddenly Last Summer (The Ensemble Theatre), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Darlinghurst Theatre Company), The Rise and Disguise of Elizabeth R (Hayes Theatre), The View Upstairs (Hayes Theatre), Brigadoon and Irene (Neglected Musicals), Carmen: Live or Dead (Oriel Group), You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown (Hayes Theatre), Sweet Charity, Mamma Mia!, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (WAAPA) and Only Heaven Knows (Luckiest Productions) which received 9 Sydney Theatre Award nominations. 

Upcoming: Guys and Dolls for Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour.

Shaun is currently the Associate Director of Opera Australia and the Australian Tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.

“Directed by Shaun Rennie, whose productions consistently understand and emphasise the bittersweet emotion of yearning.” - TIMEOUT