RACHEL MCMURRAY

Rachel is a theatre director, writer and facilitator whose work spans professional and applied theatre contexts across the UK and Australia. Her practice focuses on collaborative performance and new writing, creating work which rouses conversation and engages with social change. 

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Rachel's recent credits include Associate Director on Black Swan Theatre's tour of The Pool - Tour written by Steve Rodgers, directed by Kate Champion. In 2025, Rachel was associate director on The Snow Queen at The Dukes Lancaster, and Assistant director on Black Swan Theatre's production of Never Have I Ever by Deborah Frances White.

 

Rachel was recently nominated for Outstanding Direction at the Performing Arts WA Awards for her 2025 production of Shadow of Doubt at The Blue Room Theatre. The production, which she also wrote, was also nominated for Best Independent Production and Outstanding New Work. ​

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In Australia, Rachel has worked for organisations including Barking Gecko Theatre Company, West Australian Ballet, WA Youth Theatre Company, Bloomhouse Projects and Black Swan Theatre Company. 

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In the UK, Rachel collaborated with a wide range of organisations including The Lowry Theatre, The Royal Exchange Theatre, Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Halifax Square Chapel, Safe Ground, Bolton Octagon Theatre, Shakespeare Schools Festival, ODD Arts, Theatre in Prison and Probation, ARLA North, Arden School of Theatre and more.

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Rachel was founding artistic director of Fine Comb Theatre, a UK-based new writing company she led from 2013 - 2022. Rachel has since relaunched the company in Boorloo/Perth.

 

Alongside her directing and writing work, Rachel is an experienced facilitator, who has delivered theatre projects with a wide range of participants including people within the criminal justice system, refugees, young offenders, survivors of domestic violence, neurodivergent young people, adults and young people with intellectual disabilities, young carers and looked after young people, as well as university students, professional actors, school students and more. 

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Rachel has work extensively in higher education and training. She previously held roles as an associate lecturer and visiting director at Staffordshire University, and residency supervisor at The University of Manchester. She is currently a visiting lecturer at Curtin University, leading the Applied Theatre Unit, and a visiting director at both Curtin University and WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts). ​

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Rachel has a first-class honours degree in Performing Arts from The University of Salford and an MA in Applied Theatre from The University of Manchester, and is currently undertaking a PhD at WAAPA (West Australian Academy of Performing Arts).