Virginia Proud is a director, dramaturg, and writer, with fifteen years of theatre practice and a Master of Theatre (Directing) from the Victorian College of the Arts.
First training as an actor at Actors Centre Australia, between 2009-2019, she was based in Europe, where she co-founded the international collaboration, Budapest English Theatre. As Artistic Director from 2012 to 2016, she produced work from companies based in Berlin, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and the US, in addition to local productions. She also worked on and off screen for US and Hungarian film and television.
Directing credits include The Almighty Sometimes (Martyn Myer Arena), When Women Speak of War (The National Theatre Melbourne). The Defamation of Wood (VCA), Flying Termites (VCA), City Park Plays (MC Showroom), 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 (Budapest Secret Theatre), The Afflicted Trilogy (Budapest Secret Theatre).
Assistant directing credits include the critically lauded Yentl (dir. Gary Abrahams – Kadimah Yiddish Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne).
Her plays Away, The Afflicted Trilogy, Pretext and Master of His Domain have been produced in Australia, Hungary and the Czech Republic. She has experience working with writers, leading workshops, providing script support and dramaturgy at all stages of the process.
Between 2016-2018, taking a break from theatre practice, she joined the Vrije Universiteit Brussel led international research consortium into European Leadership in Culture, Science and Innovation Diplomacy. Her publications include works 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, the legacy of a previous life.