David Berthold is an Australian theatre director and cultural leader. He has directed for many of Australia's major theatre companies, as well as in London and Berlin, and has led several key arts organisations. He was Artistic Director of Brisbane Festival, one of Australia's major international arts festivals and Queensland’s largest arts and cultural event. Through his tenure of five festivals, 2015–19, Berthold transformed the Festival into Australia's largest major international arts festival, presenting more works to more people than any other, with an audience of more than one million people. Since January 2020 he has been Artistic Director in Residence at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), an institute for education and training in the performing arts. He is a member of the NSW Government's Theatre and Musical Theatre Arts Advisory Board, on the Board of Australian Plays Transform (APT) – the national development, publication and licensing body for writing for the stage – a Trustee of the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award, a member of Melbourne Theatre Company’s Advisers’ Group, a member of the Helpmann Awards Theatre Panel, and Chairs the Judging Panel of the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting (New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards). He was Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of La Boite Theatre Company (2008–14), Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of Griffin Theatre Company (2003–06) and Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of Australian Theatre for Young People (1999–2003). He was also Associate Director of Sydney Theatre Company (1994–99). Berthold has directed many premieres of plays by major Australian writers. In 2010, Berthold won a Matilda Award for his "repositioning of La Boite Theatre Company and his direction of Hamlet". Early life and education Berthold was born in Maitland, New South Wales . He studied at the University of Newcastle, where he took an honours degree in English literature . He spent some years training as an opera singer and won the Joan Sutherland Scholarship at the Sydney Opera House . Productions Sydney Theatre Company Productions for Sydney Theatre Company playing at The Wharf and the Sydney Opera House: Saturn's Return (Tommy Murphy). World Premiere, August 2008. Revised production transferred to larger STC theatre in July 2009. Blackrock (Nick Enright). World premiere. Two seasons, plus invitation to Australian Theatre Festival, Canberra. Chasing the Dragon (Nick Enright). World premiere. Third World Blues (David Williamson). World premiere. The John Wayne Principle (Tony McNamara) Two