Todd MacDonald

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Todd MacDonald
Born1973 (age 5152)
EducationGold Coast Little Theatre
National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) (1996)
OccupationActor
Years active1992–present
Known for
SpouseRebecca McIntosh
Children2

Todd MacDonald (born 1973) is a Canadian Australian actor who is best known for his roles on the soap opera Neighbours and the drama series The Secret Life of Us and Rush .

Contents

Early life

MacDonald and his older brother Paul were born in British Columbia to a Canadian father Deryle, who met their mother Margret, a former air hostess, while he was working in Australia. When MacDonald was seven years old, the family back-packed across Europe, before moving to Queensland, Australia. [1]

He developed an interest in acting while in primary school on the Gold Coast, and took classes at Gold Coast Little Theatre. [2] He played Ham in a production of Samuel Beckett's Endgame in his high school senior year. [3] He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1996. [2]

Career

After several minor roles, MacDonald secured a bigger role in the 1995 television film Sahara , which was shot in Sydney. [1] He considered the film his "big break", but he was out of work for a number of months afterward. [1] MacDonald attended an audition for television soap opera Neighbours in 1996 and was cast as Darren Stark, the son of Cheryl Stark (Caroline Gillmer). [1] He relocated to Melbourne from Sydney for filming. [1] The role of Darren had previously been played by Scott Major briefly in 1993. MacDonald departed the series in 1998, returning for guest appearances in 2004 and 2005, and again in 2007 and 2008.

In the early 2000s, MacDonald played the recurring role of Nathan Lieberman on The Secret Life of Us , [3] which was one of his favourite roles. He stated "at the time the show was doing something entirely new which was a such a joy to be a part of." [2] He appeared in the 2004 miniseries Salem's Lot , [2] and had a supporting role in the drama series Rush in 2008. He has also appeared in BeastMaster , Blue Heelers , [3] and feature film The Jammed .

In 2013, he appeared as Thomas with Libby Munro as Vanda in a production of David Ives' 2010 play Venus in Fur by the Queensland Theatre Company in Brisbane. [4]

MacDonald was co-founder and artistic director of The Store Room Theatre in Melbourne in 1999. [3] He went on to become an artistic associate of the Queensland Theatre Company from 2011 to 2014, and CEO and artistic director of La Boite Theatre Company in Brisbane, from 2015 until 2020. [2] [5]

Personal life

MacDonald is married to Queensland performer Rebecca McIntosh, whom he met while she was hosting Love TV at the Edinburgh Festival. They have twin daughters. [6] [7]

Filmography

Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1995 Sahara Mike ClarksonTelevision film
1996–1998, 2004, 2005,
2007–2008
Neighbours Darren Stark Series regular
2000 Virtual Nightmare BobTelevision film
2000 On the Beach Radioman GilesTelevision film
2001 BeastMaster BreonEpisode: "The Crystal Ark"
2001–2003 The Secret Life of Us Nathan LiebermanRecurring
2001 Blue Heelers Snr Constable Simon BarclayEpisode: "Letter of the Law"
2004 Salem's Lot Floyd TibbitsMiniseries
2005Blue HeelersBrendan MaguireRecurring
2007 The King Richard CroftTelevision film
2008 Rush Connor BarryRecurring
2009 Snake Tales
2009–2010 Satisfaction BernieRecurring
2010 Tangle PaulRecurring
2011 Bed of Roses ConradEpisode: "Laid Bare"
2019 The Family Law RossEpisode: "Dancing in the Dark"
2022 Darby and Joan NickEpisode 1.3
Film
YearTitleRoleNotes
1997Bum MagnetJuddShort film
2001 Martin Four MartinShort film
2002The Thing in the RoofWillieShort film
2002Guru WayneDavid FisherFeature film
2007 The Jammed TomFeature film
2008BelladonnaLukeFeature film
2009Welcome to the CosmosRobShort film
2010 Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Creature (voice)Feature film
2010The PierJoelShort film
2021Thea Goes to TownHalShort film
2024 Audrey Ranch HandFeature film
2024A Vintage ChristmasMayor Mitchell

Theatre

As actor

YearTitleRoleVenue / Company
1992 Summer of the Aliens Lewis NIDA Parade Theatre
1992HanjoActorNIDA Parade Theatre
1993 The Skin of Our Teeth ActorNIDA Parade Theatre
1993The Grace of Mary TraverseLord Exrake / GuardNIDA Parade Theatre
1993 All's Well That Ends Well ActorNIDA Parade Theatre
1993 A House is Built WilliamNIDA Parade Theatre
1994 The Art of Success ActorNIDA Parade Theatre
1994 The Adding Machine ActorNIDA Parade Theatre
1994AppetiteActorFairfax Studio, Melbourne with NIDA for Melbourne Fringe Festival
1996 Venus and Adonis Actor State Theatrette, Sydney for Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
1999The Language of the GodsTheo Braak Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company
1999Remembrance DayPerformer Victorian Trades Hall with La Mama
2002Screaming in America: The Bill Hicks ProjectActorStore Room, Melbourne for Melbourne International Comedy Festival
2003RideActorStore Room, Melbourne
2004; 2006BlowbackActorSt Kilda Army & Navy Club Memorial Hall, Melbourne with NYID, Sydney Opera House
2004Julia 3Charlie Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company
2005; 2007Construction of the Human Heart'Him'Store Room, Melbourne, Tower Theatre, Melbourne, Belvoir Theatre, Sydney, Frankston Arts Centre, Colac Otways Performing Arts &Cultural Centre
2007Make Me CryActor Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne
2008Lovers and HatersActorNorwood Concert Hall for Adelaide Festival
2008; 2009StrangelandPerformer Seoul Arts Centre, South Korea, Arts House Meat Market, Melbourne
2008The DispossessedPerformerSeoul Arts Centre, South Korea
2009Progress and MelancholyActor Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne
2010Bare WitnessJacek Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne with La Mama
2013 Venus in Fur Thomas Cremorne Theatre with Queensland Theatre Company
2014The Button EventOne Man Show Bille Brown Studio with Queensland Theatre for Brisbane Festival
2015; 2016 Uncle Vanya Dr AstrovWatford House, Avoca, Corinella Eganstown with La Mama
2016 The Tragedy of King Richard III Shakespeare Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2018The Mathematics of LongingPhysicist fatherRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company

As director

YearTitleRoleVenue / Company
2004The Conquest of the South PoleDirectorThe Store Room, Melbourne
2007Top TownDirector Melbourne Town Hall for Melbourne International Comedy Festival
2007Scenes from our LoungeroomDirector Northcote Town Hall, Melbourne for Melbourne International Comedy Festival
2007Cinderella SuxDirectorMeeting Room, Melbourne for Melbourne Fringe Festival
2009 The Dictionary of Imaginary Places ProducerArts House, Meat Market with The Store Room, Melbourne [8]
2011 An Oak Tree Director Bille Brown Theatre with Queensland Theatre
2012; 2015 Kelly Director Cremorne Theatre, Brisbane, Gasworks Theatre, Melbourne, Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with Queensland Theatre
2014 The Mountaintop Director Playhouse, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre
2015 Medea DirectorRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2015; 2017; 2018 Prize Fighter DirectorRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane, Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Logan Entertainment Centre, Northcote Town Hall, Melbourne, IMB Theatre, Wollongong with La Boite Theatre Company
2016When One Door ClosesDramaturgeRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2016 A Streetcar Named Desire DirectorRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2017 Blackrock DirectorRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company & QUT
2017; 2018The VillageDirectorRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2017; 2020Laser Beak ManDramaturge Roundhouse Theatre with La Boite Theatre Company for Brisbane Festival, Sydney Opera House for Sydney Festival
2018The Mathematics of LongingCreatorRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2019Single Asian FemaleRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2019 Romeo and Juliet DirectorRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2020The NeighbourhoodCreatorRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Detention centre inmates are his biggest fans" . The Weekly News . 14 February 1998. Retrieved 25 April 2025 via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Russo, Caroline (17 November 2020). "Spotlight Creative Director Todd MacDonald". Ocean Road Magazine. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Griffiths, Lauren (16 April 2015). "Todd MacDonald, Artistic director and CEO of La Boite Theatre Company". Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  4. Bochenski, Natalie (28 June 2013). "Venus in Fur a dominant piece of theatre". Brisbane Times . Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  5. "On the Couch with Todd MacDonald". Australian Arts Review. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  6. Low, Lenny Ann (27 September 2014). "Artist Rebecca McIntosh's Love TV invites guests to reveal their passion before a live audience". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  7. Carri, Leah (3 October 2012). "Creative Couple". West End Magazine. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  8. "The Dictionary of Imaginary Places" (PDF). Arts House. August 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 October 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  9. "Todd MacDonald". AusStage . Retrieved 29 April 2025.