Highlight from 40 years in the Industry
Projects
Urban Myth Theatre Company
Artistic Director 2004 – 14. AD/CEO 2013 – 14
Urban Myth was a national and international award-winning theatre company that empowered young people aged 5 to 27 through exceptional training and performance opportunities in Theatre.
Urban Myth, established in 1981, became a cornerstone of South Australia’s arts scene for over three decades. As a 2011 Ruby Awards finalist for Sustained Contribution, Urban Myth connected with more than 300 participants every week and earned consistent artistic acclaim from educators, media, and industry professionals alike.
Its alumni have gone on to study at premier institutions such as WAAPA, NIDA, VCA, Flinders, and AC Arts—many now thriving as accomplished artists, arts leaders, and professionals across a broad range of industries.
Also a Mirror began as a stage work with Urban Myth Theatre Company at the Adelaide Festival Fringe. It was later adapted for ABC Radio National in 2012 by playwright Sean Riley, and described as a “dramatic poem for voices and sounds.”
The work explores dementia and acquired brain injury. It was developed over two years with ECH, drawing on real stories.
At its centre is a meeting between young people and older generations—an attempt to stay with memory as it shifts and disappears.
The radio version brings back the original cast, alongside senior actors, with an expanded sound design by Timothy Lorimar.
Young Actors
Madeline Herd, Poppy Mee, Keenan Haynes, Sophia Simmons, Patrick Zoerner, Sarah Brennan, Ruby Rafalowicz, Bodhi Shribman-Dellman, Lucca Boyce, Julia Sciacca, Olivia Fairweather, Daniel Lyas, Roger Parnis, Arjuna Ganesan, Dave Hirst
Senior Actors
Patrick Frost, Carmel Johnson, Andreas Sobik, Jacqui Phillips, Kim Liotta, Nick Garsden, Bridget Walters, Tamara Lee
Acknowledgements
With thanks to Eleanor Kennet-Smith (ECH), and to Dennis, Cath, John, Gay, and Milda—and in memory of Heinz.
The Visitors.
Requiem for Memory
by Julia Kent
Commissions
Glenn has collaborated with and commissioned over 50 playwrights and composers to date, independently and through companies, demonstrating his enduring commitment to creating original work. By championing new voices and bold ideas, he has helped bring fresh, diverse stories to the stage, enriching the landscape of contemporary theatre.
Actor in the Play
2025 - Four playwrights: Vijay Prateek, Priyanka Charan, Mrinal Mathur, Gaurav Venkatesh.
2026 - Five playwrights: Vijay Prateek, Priyanka Charan, Gaurav Venkatesh, Sharodiya Chowdhury, Mithil Ray.
Warren
Playwright Sean Riley with Cast
The Girl Wo Was 100 Girls
Port Power Anzac Day Match Pre-Show Event
Video Design Will Spartalis
The Reading
Playwright Sean Riley with Cast
The Pirate Ship
Adapted by Monkey Baa Theatre Company with Cast
1984
Playwright Gemma Sneddon
One By One
Playwright Sean Riley with cast
Bully Bully
Playwright Trish Herreen with Cast
Out of the Boot
Emerging Artist Program 30 x emerging writer commissions over 8 years.
5 x Winners of the SA State Theatre Young Guns Playwright's Award
Also a Mirror
Force
(co-commission Tutti Ensemble) Playwrights Alan Grace & Caroline Reid
The Visitors
Playwright Sean Riley
Twelfth Night
Score by Isabella Tunis–Notley
Curfew
Book by Caroline Reid, Score by Peter Dutton
Festivals and Events
Fremantle Festival,
2000
Artistic Director.
Parade Day: Estimated 17,500 – Kite Festival – Wardanji Indigenous Festival – Children’s Fiesta – Buskers Festival – Blessing of the Fleet.
Every Year the streets of Fremantle brim over with colour, laughter, music, and celebration at the city’s premier Community Festival.
The Fremantle Festival is an annual celebration of Fremantle’s vibrant arts and culture.
DIRECTOR - Opening Ceremony and Harbor Ceremony
Brave New Works Festival
2001
Artistic Director
Music – Theatre – Dance – Visual Arts – Installation – Exhibition – Spoken Word – Festival Club.
Denmark WA's community arts festival supports local people to make and experience diverse art forms in innovative ways.
The festival aims to build a sense of community, create opportunities for locals to express themselves, and above all celebrate the diversity and talent of our colorful community inhabitants.
DIRECTOR - Opening River Ceremony
UnHiding Festival
2002
Artistic Director.
Visual Arts – Choir – Sand Sculpture Project – Dance Program – Spoken Word – Theatre Program.
Albany WA’s celebration of performances and exhibitions showcasing disabled artists and inclusive arts groups.
The festival programmed the works of local artists who worked alongside visiting established artists to produce the works over a six-month program of activities.
DIRECTOR - Opening Ceremony
Other Events
-
Adelaide Oval Showdown Football Match preshow Entertainment. 2014
-
Australia Day weekend concert - Edith Cowan Joondalup: featuring Rolf Harris, the Western Stars Spectacular and the WA Children's Choir - Director
-
Rotary International – opening ceremony. Director
-
World Book Conference – opening ceremony. Director
-
Opening ceremony – Fremantle Festival. Director
-
Blessing of the fleet – Fremantle. Director
-
Opening River Ceremony – Brave New Works. Director
-
Australia Day Football Match pre-show event x 2, Assistant Director – Subiaco Oval
-
Jonnie Walker Golf Championships closing ceremony (18th hole), Assistant Director.
Glenn is very well regarded and has been a strong advocate for closer cultural ties with India. Throughout Glenn’s career he has worked collaboratively building relationships and the capacity of artists and the arts more broadly.
Duncan Ord – Director General, WA Dept of Culture and the Arts, WA State Govt
Community Engagement
Throughout my career, I have had the great honor of creating professionally resourced theatre and performance works with a diverse cross-section of the community, guided by the philosophies of Community Cultural Development. My work has included collaborations with young people, educational institutions, individuals with disabilities, youth at risk, people from non-English speaking backgrounds, trauma survivors, migrant services, aged care, reform programs, juvenile detention and prison services, dementia services, the long-term unemployed, and addiction services.
Black Sunshine - A Drug Awareness Program. Arunachal
Creative Mentor and Trainer - Glenn Hayden
Director / Writer - Jay Chauran
Composer - Saurav Rajbongshi
Choreographer - Oli Jerang
Project Coordinator: Dr Delong Padung
Performance Outcome - DK Convention Hall, Itanagar.
Program Residence - Karpung Karduk Centre for Folk Performing Arts, Ruskin.
A 20-day residential theatre program with community members of Ruksin, Arunachal Pradesh, addressing drug awareness through live performance. Produced by Dr Delong Padung and the Karpung Karduk Centre, with support from the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Curfew
Written by Caroline Reid. Composed by Peter Dutton. ASSITEJ Festival closing production.
Co-commissioned by Urban Myth Theatre Company/ Tutti Ensemble
Norwood Town Hall
Commissioned as the closing production for the ASSITEJ Festival, Adelaide, Curfew was a collaboration with TUTTI Ensemble, Disabilities Arts and Urban Myth. With a cast and choir of over 80 people, the play looked at a future world of youth curfews and youth culture.
Exile
Commissioned by DADAA WA
Written by Francis Italiano
Fremantle Arts Centre
A history of disabilities in WA created and performed by 150 people with a disability working with theatre professionals. The production was a promenade performance that utilized the whole of the Fremantle Arts Centre.
Also a Mirror
Written by Sean Riley Commissioned by Urban Myth Theatre Company. Partner Agency – Elderly Citizens Housing
The Goodwood Institute
An 18-month project working with elderly people suffering from dementia.
Also a Mirror was adapted for radio and can be heard on ABC Radio National.
The Visitors
Written by Sean Riley
Co-commissioned by Urban Myth Theatre Company / Come Out Festival
The Goodwood Institute
Requiem for Memory composed by Julia Kent
A follow-up production to the award-winning Also a Mirror. The Visitors was a study of early-onset dementia through the eyes of the Peel family, whose father is rapidly declining into the awfulness of the disease and the affects on his family.
ALCO - Workplace Theatre
Written by Caroline Reid
Deckchair Theatre
On-site. ALCOA Refinery, WA
A play commissioned by the refinery to advocate workplace safety. The production was a site-specific performance at the refinery playing to over 6ooo workers.
Prayer to an Iron God
Written by Caroline Reid Professional production: Deckchair Theatre Company Youth production: Urban Myth Theatre Company
Victoria Hall/The Goodwood Institute
A harrowing study of male violence, youth suicide and living in isolation in the Australian outback. The script was developed by Reid over several incantations of the text involving youth workers, phycologists, and various community stakeholders.
My Sister Violet
Written by Sean Riley
Commissioned by Urban Myth Theatre Company
Concept by Rachel Paterson
Space Theatre. Adelaide Festival Centre
An hysterical and sometimes heartbreaking play that lifts the lid on ADHD and the families that live with its consequences. The play was researched and developed by a leadership group of young people working with the community and professional artists.
House
Written by Francis Italiano
Commissioned by DADAA WA
PICA WA
Collaborating with people from the mental health community, the project was an 8-month investigation through theatre of home, living, family, community, and of celebrations and challenges.
Other Community Collaborations
STTARS: Ten-week program working with refugee women who have suffered trauma and torture. Riverbank Prison: A ten-week program with men suffering from mental health issues who were imprisoned for sexual crimes or homicide Birdwood High: Two-stage development with students from Birdwood High School examining the transition from primary to secondary education for young people living with Autism. Force: Partnership between No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability & Urban Myth Inkpot Diaries: Community performance project researching and creating stories based on the experiences and memories of older people that toured to aged care residencies. Salisbury Twelve 25: Seven-year relationship with City of Salisbury delivering theatre programs The Magill and Cavan Youth Training Centres: A workshop series over 4 terms working with the young inmates of the DCSI’s Magill and Cavan juvenile detention centres. Adelaide Secondary School of English: A project in partnership with BRINK Productions and funded by the Department of Immigration & Citizenship (DIAC) through Survivors of Torture & Trauma Assistance & Rehabilitation STTARS: Cultural Inclusivity and Tolerance and Social Integration through the Performing Arts – ongoing workshops working with women and teenagers from various refugee backgrounds. CAT: City of Charles Sturt: Performance project touring to schools on responsible cat management. Peachy Belt: Carclew partnership delivering a 6-month program working with disengaged youth. Out of The Mist – Life Care: Working with residents of Park Rose and members of the company to create an exploration of the past and present.
Video Gallery
Wanda
Official Selection New York City Independent Film Festival 2014
Official Selection LA International Student Film Festival 2014
Official Selection Corona Fast Net Short Film Festival 2014
Official Selection Lovett School Film Festival 2014
Official Selection Toronto International Student Film Festival 2014
Shortlisted for TROPFEST Australia 2013
AWARDS: Final Draft Award – LA International Student Film Festival 2014. Best Young Filmmaker – Corona Fast Net Short Film Festival 2014. Best International Animation – Lovett School Film Festival 2014. Best International Film – Toronto International Student Film Festival 2014
Wanda is a short animated film about a lipstick who wants a baby but doesn’t know where they come from.
Written & Directed by Carolyn Duchene
Narrated by Glenn Hayden
Music by Izabella Tunis-Notley and Tobias Tunis-Plant
