Jason Forrest

Jason Forrest is an Australian director, creative and educator working across theatre, film and performance internationally. A recent graduate of NIDA's Master of Fine Arts (Directing), his practice centres on inquiry-led collaboration, performer agency and rigorous process. With three decades in the arts, Jason brings depth, clarity and a distinctly human approach to contemporary storytelling.

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Recent Projects
  1. The Red Shoes
  2. Mary Stuart
  3. Burnin’ Up
  4. No Particular Order

Drama Education
  1. Cosi (2022)
  2. Lost & Found (2021)
  3. Metamorphosis (2020)
  4. The Wizard of Oz (2018)
  5. Shakers (2017)
  6. The Cagebirds (2013)
CosiTheatre 2022

The Power of Theatre to Transform

Year: 2022
Role: Director / Facilitator
Category: Theatre (Drama Education)

Institution: Pembroke School
Program: SACE Year 12 Drama
Venue: Wright Hall, King’s Campus
Source Text: Cosi by Louis Nowra

Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the Sexual Revolution, Cosi explores the fragile intersections between art, mental health, love and political idealism. This production revisits Nowra’s play through a contemporary lens, drawing clear parallels between its historical moment and today’s climate of global conflict, social fragmentation and uncertainty.

While remaining faithful to the play’s original context, the staging actively connects its world to the present — allowing the underlying tension of 1971 to resonate with modern audiences. This sense of urgency gives the production renewed currency, positioning theatre itself as an act of resistance, care and collective hope.

An expressionistic design frames the action within a “burnt-out theatre” — a derelict space that gradually transforms into a translucent white environment. This transformation offers a fleeting moment of escape, where character, actor and audience are briefly united in the shared possibility of renewal, connection and light.
©2026 Jason Forrest