ED
WIGHTMAN
Director, Actor, Coach
BIOG
Ed originally trained as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), where he was awarded the David Suchet scholarship. He also holds an Arts/Law degree from the Australian National University, and is a recipient of the Blackburn Medal for Drama. An established and experienced actor, Ed has performed with most of Australia’s leading theatre companies, including Sydney Theatre Co, Melbourne Theatre Co, Queensland Theatre Co, Griffin Theatre Co, Belvoir and Bell Shakespeare, as well as appearing in both leading and supporting roles in film and television. He also has extensive experience working in musical theatre, most notably appearing in the Australian premiere production of THE LION KING.
Ed began his directing career with productions of THE ZOO STORY, SWEET PHOEBE and SEXUAL PERVERSITY IN CHICAGO. His Australian premiere production of LAWRENCE & HOLLOMAN received a Best Independent Theatre mention in Sydney's Sun Herald, and his production of THE BOOK OF EVERYTHING received a Canberra Critics Circle award. Other directing credits include, THE PASS (Seymour Centre) ARE YOU LISTENING NOW? (Old 505), DISCONNECTED, THE VELVET ROPE (Grayboy Entertainment), THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (WAAPA), THE MEMORY OF WATER, TWELFTH NIGHT, ARMS AND THE MAN, ROPE (Canberra Repertory Society), SUMMER AND SMOKE, A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, ALL MY SONS and BALM IN GILEAD (NIDA). Ed was Assistant Director on the world premiere production of FAWLTY TOWERS LIVE, written by John Cleese, Assistant Resident Director on the Australian revival of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL, and Resident Director for the Sydney season of MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL. Most recently, he was Resident Director on the Australian tour of MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL.
Ed has extensive experience as an acting coach. He has taught for Bell Shakespeare Company, the Sydney Opera House, Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP), renowned drama schools NIDA, The Actor’s Centre, and WAAPA, as well as for numerous high schools. In 2022, he became Head of Acting at ED5 International, and is in demand as a private acting coach.
Ed has also enjoyed working for several years as a freelance casting director, running casting sessions for several leading Sydney-based casting directors, including McGregor Casting, Fountainhead Casting and i4Casting.
