CHRIS BENDALL is an award-winning director, dramaturg and playwright. His plays include Lorelei (co-writer with Mark Storen for Deckchair Theatre), Black Sun /Blood Moon (Australian national tour) and Grand Theft Future. Key roles within the Australian theatre sector over his career have included Artistic Director of Bondi Pavilion, Director of Critical Stages Touring, Guest Curator of the National Play Festival for Playwriting Australia, Artistic Director of Deckchair Theatre, Artistic Director of Theatre @ Risk, Resident Director at Melbourne Theatre Company and Chair of Stages WA. Chris has received numerous awards including: the Performing Arts Connections Australia Touring Legend Award; Sydney Theatre Award Winner for Outstanding Production for Young Audiences (I’ve Been Meaning to Ask You); WA Equity Award for Best Director; WA Equity Award for Best Production, Green Room Award (Melbourne) nominee for Outstanding Direction; Queen's Trust Australia Award/ Foundation for Young Australians Centenary Grant; George Fairfax Memorial Award for Theatre. Highlights as a director include the world premiere of Thomas Murray and the Upside Down River by Reg Cribb (Griffin Theatre), The Magic Hour by Vanessa Bates (Deckchair Theatre), Grace adapted from the novel by Robert Drewe (Perth International Arts Festival), and Checklist for an Armed Robber by Vanessa Bates (theatre@risk).