Virginia Proud is a Melbourne based director and dramaturg with a Master of Theatre (Directing) from the Victorian College of the Arts. Her experience spans genres and styles, design and technical roles, but her core practice is creating work based on a deep understanding of text.
After training with Actors Centre Australia, she spent two years in London and Paris before returning to study with playwright Timothy Daly through the NSW Writers Centre. Her plays have been produced in Australia, Hungary and the Czech Republic, and she has worked as a freelance dramaturg and writing coach in Hungary and Australia.
Between 2009-2019 Virginia was based full time in Istanbul and Europe, including five years as Producing Artistic Director of the Budapest English Theatre, an international collaboration of artists presenting contemporary and new writing in Central Europe. She directed many of the company’s productions including The Pillowman (Brody Studios & RS9 Színház), The Effect (Átrium Film-Színház), Ancient History (Átrium Film-Színház), Pretext (A Studio Rubin, Brody Studios & Művelődési Szint), Master of His Domain (Brody Studios & RS9 Színház), Hangovers (Művelődési Szint), Away and The Afflicted Trilogy (Short and Sweet/Budapest Secret Theatre). She also collaborated with European and US theatre companies, including Venus in Fur (with Prague Shakespeare Company), View From the Street (with Geordie Little Music), The Metamorphosis (with Ego Actis Theatre Company). During this period, she also worked on and off screen for US and Hungarian film and television.
Since returning to Australia, directing credits include The MILF and the Mistress (Adelaide and Edinburgh Fringe), The Almighty Sometimes (Martyn Myer Arena/VCA), When Women Speak of War (FOJAM/The National Theatre Melbourne). The Defamation of Wood and Flying Termites (VCA), City Park Plays (Melbourne Writers Theatre/MC Showroom). She is associate director of the Green Room Award winning Yentl (dir. Gary Abrahams – Kadimah Yiddish Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Malthouse Theatre and the Sydney Opera House.)
Between 2016 -2018 Virginia worked with an EU funded research consortium into European Leadership in Culture, Science and Innovation Diplomacy. Her research and publications focused on the impact of right-wing ideologies on contemporary arts, and theatre as a site of cultural diplomacy and exchange. She also holds a Bachelor of Law and Master of Business Administration and has working internationally in senior marketing, research and innovation roles.