Darren Yap

Darren Yap is an Australian actor and director based in Sydney, Australia.

Family and education
He was born in Sydney and grew up in the South Western Sydney suburb of Cabramatta. He was the third child of a Malaysian-born father and his third-generation Australia-born ethnically Chinese mother. His father, Robert Yap, was a medical practitioner in the western suburbs of Sydney, his brother is a pharmacist in the inner eastern suburbs of Sydney and his sister is a medical practitioner in Victoria.

Yap was educated at Newington College (1980–85).

He initially applied to do the stage management course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) but he was not accepted. When the degree course in acting at University of Western Sydney's Theatre Nepean was first offered he chose to do that. Following UWS, Yap graduated from the director's course at NIDA.

His life partner is the composer Max Lambert.

Career
Yap has a successful career in acting and directing theatre.

Director

 * The One (2022) with Ensemble Theatre
 * Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam (2018) with Riverside Theatres Parramatta
 * Spot the Dog (2018) with CDP Productions
 *  Miracle City (2017) at Sydney Opera House
 * The Great Wall (One Woman's Journey) (2017) with Glowsticks Productions in Singapore
 * Diving for Pearls (2017) with Griffin Theatre Company
 * Letters to Lindy with Merrigong Theatre
 * NSW Premier's Gala Concerts (2016) at Allphones Arena with Venables Entertainment
 * Ladies Day (2016) with Griffin Theatre Company
 * Opening of the National Gallery and Art Carnival, SG50 Celebrations (2015) in Singapore
 * Little Diana and the Big Fuzz (2015) for Hayes Theatre
 * Miracle City (2014) for Luckiest Productions at Hayes Theatre
 * The Serpents Table (2014) for Sydney Festival, with Griffin Theatre Company and Performance 4a
 * A Murder is Announced (2013) with Louise Withers and Associates
 * Steel Magnolias (2009) for Seymour Centre
 * I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (2009) for Seymour Centre
 * Chinese New Year Parade (2008) for City of Sydney
 * 15th Asian Games Closing Ceremony (2006) in Doha (segment director)
 * Dick Lee’s Man of Letters World Premiere at Singapore Repertory Theatre
 * The Admiral's Odyssey World Premiere at Action Theatre in Singapore
 * New South Wales Premier's Concert (2006, 2007) at Sydney Entertainment Centre

Associate director

 * Cairo MISR Pre-Show Celabrations (2016) with World Events in Cairo
 * King King Live on Stage World Premiere (2013) with Global Creatures
 * Miss Saigon (2014) with Cameron Mackintosh in Tokyo
 * Miss Saigon (2012) with Cameron Mackintosh in Japan
 * Miss Saigon (2011) with Cameron Mackintosh in Holland
 * Miss Saigon (2010–11) with Cameron Mackintosh in Korea
 * Mamma Mia! 10th Anniversary Australian tour with Judy Craymer, Michael Coppell and Louise Withers & Associates
 * Miss Saigon (2007–08) for Cameron Mackintosh in Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Manchester, Dublin & Edinburgh
 * 2000 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony (2000) in Sydney

Resident director

 * Mamma Mia Australasian tour (Perth, Adelaide, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brisbane & Melbourne)
 * The Boy from Oz World Premiere

Affiliate director

 * David Williamson’s The Great Man with Sydney Theatre Company
 * Katherine Thomson’s Navigating with Sydney Theatre Company
 * Miracle City with Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts

Theatre

 * Constance Drinkwater and the Final Days of Somerset
 * Shadow and Splendour (Queensland Theatre Company)
 * Songket (Griffin Theatre Company)
 * Sydney Stories (Sydney Theatre Company)
 * M. Butterfly (Melbourne Theatre Company)
 * Capricornia (State Theatre Company of South Australia)
 * The Quartet from Rigoletto (Ensemble Theatre)
 * Cockroach Opera (Company B)
 * Miss Saigon (Cameron Mackintosh)
 * Chess (Victoria State Opera)
 * The Wedding Song (NIDA)
 * Anything Goes (Mike Walsh)

Television

 * Over the Hill (1994) as Kevin
 * G.P.
 * Embassy
 * Heartland (1994) as Dr Nguyen
 * Mission: Impossible
 * Richmond Hill (1988)
 * Tanamera - Lion of Singapore (1989) as Paul
 * Children of the Dragon (1992)
 * Bony (1992)
 * The Leaving of Liverpool (1992, miniseries) as Dave
 * A Difficult Woman (1998)

Film

 * The Home Song Stories (2007)
 * Floating Life (1996)

Awards
Yap received a Green Room Award for Best Re-Staging by a Resident Artist for the world premiere of The Boy from Oz.