Rachael Hains-Wesson

Rachael has been the Artistic Director of Odd Socks Theatre Company since its creation in 1999; a highly successful Theatre-in-Education and children's theatre company that has toured throughout Victorian regional and metropolitan primary schools.

Rachael has received various awards and commissions for her work such as a University of Tasmania Commission (2005 & 2010), a Convocation Award from The University of Western Australia (2010), a Blue Room
Commission (2002), the Australian Youth Foundation Award (2002), a CANWA Award (2002), a Myer Foundation Award (2000), Powerhouse Youth Theatre Commission (2000) and The Queen's Trust for Young Australian's Achiever Award (1999-2000).

Rachael's plays have toured nationally and she was the recipient of a 'Youth Performing Arts Award' for the
2000 Melbourne Fringe Festival. She has performed for
Barking Gecko Theatre Company and has a Master of
Creative Writing and Theory from the University of Melbourne (2007) as well as, being a graduate from Swinburne University of Technology’s Theatre program (2000).

Rachael is in her final year as a PhD candidate at the University of Western Australia and is researching
children's theatre and the role of the imagination as a scriptwriting and performance technique, as well as teaching within the discipline of creative arts.