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Winner of the Helpmann Award for Best Director 2018

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"It’s a world-class production, led with complete assurance and precision by Goodes and her creative team." The Guardian about the production of SUNDAY.

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In 2023 Sarah’s production of SUNDAY by Anthony Weigh, opened the season for the Melbourne Theatre Company starring Nikki Shiels and enjoyed an extended sell out season. SUNDAY broke the record for the highest selling day of a new Australian work post-opening in the Melbourne Theatre Company’s history and will tour to Sydney Theatre Company in 2024. 

Sarah also directed STC’s critically acclaimed production of Joanna Murray-Smith’s new play JULIA starring Justine Clarke which sold out both Sydney and Canberra seasons and will tour to Melbourne, Canberra and South Australia with a return season to STC in 2024
 

In 2023 she also directed the critically acclaimed world premiere of The Weekend by Sue Smith, adapted from the novel by Charlotte Wood at Belvoir Street Theatre and Switzerland staring Sarah Peirse by Joanna Murray Smith for the Auckland Theatre Company.
 

From 2012 – 2016 she was the Resident Director at the Sydney Theatre Company and from 2016 – 2020 she was the Associate Artistic Director at the Melbourne Theatre Company.

Sarah directed the world premiere of SWITZERLAND by Joanna Murray-Smith for STC in 2014 which was nominated for many awards, including a Helpmann for Best Direction. In 2018 her production of THE CHILDREN won three Helpmann Awards including Best Director, Best Actor and Best Production. Her production of GOLDEN SHIELD by Anchuli Felicia King was nominated for 7 Greenroom Awards winning for Best Design.

For Melbourne Theatre Company, Sarah’s work includes SUNDAY; CYRANO; THE SOUND INSIDE; HOME, I’M DARLING; COSI (with the Sydney Theatre Company); GOLDEN SHIELD; ARBUS & WEST; ASTROMAN; A DOLL’S HOUSE: PART 2; THE CHILDREN (with Sydney Theatre Company); THREE LITTLE WORDS and JOHN. 

As Resident Director at Sydney Theatre Company Sarah directed THE HANGING; DISGRACED; ORLANDO; BATTLE OF WATERLOO; SWITZERLAND; THE EFFECT; VERE (FAITH); THE SPLINTER and EDWARD GANT’S AMAZING FEATS OF LONELINESS. Sarah’s other directing credits include GRACE (Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre); THE SUGAR HOUSE (Belvoir); THE SWEETEST THING; THE SMALL THINGS; ELLING and BLACK MILK (B Sharp Belvoir); VERTIGO AND THE VIRGINIA, THE SHELLING POINT; HILT and WHAT HAPPENED WAS… (Old Fitzroy Theatre). SCORCHED at NIDA and EARTHQUAKES in London at VCA.

In 2014, Sarah was the recipient of the Gloria Payten Fellowship. She studied English Literature and Theatre at the University of NSW and the University of California, San Diego and has a Post Graduate Diploma in Theatre Directing from the Victorian College of the Arts.

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Sarah is currently At the Australian Film and Television School completing her Masters in Screen Business.