Anna Houston and Tiffany Wong Awarded Ensemble Theatre’s 2025 Sandra Bates Director’s Award
They will work on two plays throughout 2025.
The 2025 Ensemble Theatre Sandra Bates Director’s Award (SBDA) has been awarded to Anna Houston and Tiffany Wong, who will work on two plays throughout 2025.
“As part of the SBDA, I am thrilled we have another opportunity to welcome two very talented emerging directors to the Ensemble Theatre. This award aims to explore and nurture artistic talent enabling and developing a close relationship with the Ensemble family and the wider theatre landscape. I am delighted Tiffany & Anna will be joining us in 2025. We are incredibly grateful to Jinnie & Ross Gavin for their very generous and continuing support of SBDA as we chose two directors who are set to make a mark on the industry,” said Ensemble Theatre Artistic Director Mark Kilmurry.
Anna Houston said “I’m thrilled to be joining the list of incredible artists that have been welcomed into the Ensemble Theatre family. The Sandra Bates Award is an invaluable career and development opportunity, and I can’t wait to jump on board and assist two brilliant directors across the 2025 season. I’m so grateful to have been awarded this incredible opportunity for growth and learning.”
Tiffany Wong said “Receiving the Sandra Bates Directors Award feels particularly meaningful as someone who grew up on Cammeraygal land. The Ensemble has been a constant presence in my life - I've passed by the theatre countless times over the years, and their productions have consistently shown me new ways of looking at theatre, from fresh takes on classics to introducing me to works I'd never encountered before. Every assistant directing role brings different insights and challenges, which is what makes this craft so exciting. I'm thrilled about the possibilities ahead and the chance to work with new directors in a space that's been part of my local landscape for so long. There's something special about getting this opportunity in the area where I grew up and still call home.”
This annual award commemorates the legacy of former Artistic Director Sandra Bates, after 30 years at the helm of Ensemble Theatre.
Mark Kilmurry initiated the SBDA in 2016 and since then, recipients of the award have been mentored on 25 productions, with several progressing to direct for Ensemble’s 2025 season, including Priscilla Jackman, Margaret Thanos, Ursula Yovich, Shaun Rennie and Janine Watson. Awarded each year, recipients of the SBDA are offered a paid position of Assistant Director on two of Ensemble Theatre’s main stage productions and assist in the ongoing creative development of new works.
ABOUT ANNA HOUSTON
Anna is an award-winning director, actor and writer. She graduated from NIDA with a BA in Acting, and trained in Paris at Ecole Philippe Gaulier. Anna’s directing credits include The Lonesome West and Cyprus Avenue for The Old Fitz Theatre, Arlington at the Seymour Centre, No Need to Hide a Light When It Shines Like Hers for Griffin Theatre Company’s Lysicrates Prize, The Wolves (WAAPA), Ice Cream & Hot Fudge (NIDA), as well as works for Flight Path Theatre, Bondi Feast, Empress Theatre, the Sydney Fringe Festival and the Sydney Actors School. As a professional actor, she has performed for the Bell Shakespeare Company, Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Griffin Theatre Company, Darlinghurst Theatre Company, Perth Theatre Company, and Sport for Jove. Her work as an actor has taken her around Australia on five national tours, and internationally to Europe and Asia for commercial theatre productions that include The National Theatre of UK's production of War Horse.
ABOUT TIFFANY WONG
Tiffany Wong is an actor and director working across Gadigal and Wurundjeri lands. She is an Australian-born Chinese autistic artist with Singaporean and Malaysian heritage. She was the 2024 Cosgrave Associate Artist for Bell Shakespeare, and is the Artistic Director of Slanted Theatre. As a director, her credits include Atlantis (New Theatre), Boom (Slanted Theatre & KXT bAKEHOUSE), Short Blanket (Slanted Theatre & Meraki Arts Bar), Lady Precious Stream (Slanted Theatre & The Flying Nun at Brand X), Three Fat Virgins Unassembled (Slanted Theatre & KXT bAKEHOUSE), and Ching Chong Chinaman (Slanted Theatre). She has also worked as an Associate Director to Peter Evans on King Lear (Bell Shakespeare), an Assistant Director to Courtney Stewart on Top Coat (Sydney Theatre Company), to Lucy Clements on Iphigenia In Splott (New Ghosts Theatre Company), as Directorial Assistant to Richard Carroll on Murder For Two (Hayes Theatre Co), and to Javaad Alipoor on Things Hidden Since The Foundation of the World – Creative Development (National Theatre of Parramatta).
As an actor, Tiffany appears as a supporting lead in the feature film Five Blind Dates (Amazon MGM Studios & Goalpost Pictures) released exclusively on Prime Video. Her stage credits include Romeo & Juliet (Australian Shakespeare Company), The Magician's Nephew (Joining The Dots), Two Worlds, One Heart (Your Side), Animal Farm (New Theatre), and Ching Chong Chinaman (Slanted Theatre).
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