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DAVE HOUSTONDave Houston has been creating, performing, and producing theatre since 1988, building a career that spans more than three decades across Australia and internationally. As an actor, musician, writer, director, and producer, he has brought music-theatre shows and workshops to schools, communities, and festivals, while also working extensively in the youth sector and in community cultural development with Indigenous and diverse communities. Dave studied acting for four years, including training at the Victorian College of the Arts, and studied Professional Screenwriting at RMIT. He continues to expand his practice through regular professional development with international theatre masters, including Giovanni Fusetti. At just 23, Dave premiered his first solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, launching his lifelong passion for blending comedy, music, and raw honesty on stage. Three decades later, at 53, he created his second solo work, STILL HERE by Dave & the Daves, a depression comedy that combines slapstick, razor-sharp character sketches, and live songs with deep reflections on mental health. He is now developing ME vs ME, a bold new solo project that continues this exploration, while also co-directing Strong Mob, an Indigenous-led theatre and wellbeing project premiering in 2026. Dave is also an accomplished musician, having recorded seven studio albums, including two solo albums, and he is currently writing his third. He has performed nationally and internationally across a wide range of genres. He has worked with the Royal Children’s Hospital – Festival for Healthy Living – across a decade, delivering arts-based wellbeing projects in areas of high youth suicide and social disadvantage. Dave has also specialised in natural disaster recovery projects, particularly after the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, the Black Summer bushfires, and the Northern Rivers floods of 2022. These projects were well-funded and delivered lasting community outcomes. Dave has made several shows over long-term residencies with at-risk teenagers, marginalised communities, dairy farmers, and even whole towns, such as Quambatook, Vic. In 2024, he undertook a creative residency at The Mothership in New York City. Over his career, Dave has written more than 20 professional plays, produced 35 community theatre projects, and led international cultural projects in Mexico, Thailand, and Scotland. He is the founder and Artistic Director of Full-On Theatre, which has received extensive project grants and created a significant body of original work. Dave is experienced working with local government, mental health stakeholders, sponsors, and service providers across the sectors of arts, health, education, and tourism. He also has a lived experience of mental health challenges and a passion to help individuals and communities live the most fulfilling lives they can—full of creativity, connection, and fun. He is a strong advocate and ally for Indigenous justice. Dave continues to make theatre that is entertaining, socially engaged, and profoundly human. | ||||||||
Contact Dave Houston +61 0411 710 081 [email protected]
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