"Never fear in telling your truth, be proud of your stories, have fun and learn from the process AND collaborate, collaborate & collaborate"

Roman Berry, Filipino Australian

(He/ Him)

As a creative, an immigrant and an arts advocate, I acknowledge that I create, collaborate and work on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the wider Melbourne community and beyond. I recognise their enduring cultural and spiritual connection to land, waters and skies, and their rich contributions to our shared society. Indigenous sovereignty has never been ceded.

Biography

Filipino‑Australian Theatre Maker, Director & Creative Facilitator

About Roman

Roman Berry is a Filipino‑Australian theatre maker, director, movement director and facilitator with over three decades of professional experience across Australia, the United Kingdom and the Philippines. Born in Cebu City, he works across performance, movement, community‑engaged practice and intercultural storytelling, with a commitment to amplifying diverse and underrepresented voices.

His performance career spans major stage productions including Malacañang / Montgomery (Melbourne Theatre Company / Queensland Theatre), the original Australian production of Miss Saigon, and Harry Miller’s Pageant: The Musical. Roman’s international practice includes extensive work in London across theatre, movement and community‑based performance, shaping a cross‑cultural sensibility that continues to inform his directing and devising.

As Artistic Director of Divergent Theatre Collective, Roman leads the development of new, participatory and intercultural works that centre Filipino stories, diaspora narratives and community connection. His practice is grounded in embodied research, ensemble collaboration and culturally responsive methodologies.

Leadership and Curation

Roman directed and curated Kasaysayan 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, performance showcases developed through The Couch Theatre Workshops, where he also facilitates weekly theatre training for international students.

As a devising artist, Roman is the creator of the Tinikling Devising Framework — an embodied, intercultural methodology for theatre‑making and play development. First conceived during his Vitalstatistix Adhocracy residency, the framework continues to evolve through ongoing creative research, ensemble testing and community‑engaged practice.

Artistic Practice

Roman’s work spans directing, movement direction, devising, dramaturgy and facilitation. His approach draws from embodied cultural knowledge, physical storytelling and collaborative authorship. He has produced works for La Mama’s Mother Tongue Festival, collaborated widely across the Filipino‑Australian community, and continues to build pathways for emerging artists through trauma‑aware, culturally grounded facilitation.

His ongoing work with The Couch – International Student Centre supports international students in developing confidence, creative agency and community through theatre. Roman’s artistic leadership is shaped by a belief in theatre as a site of cultural exchange, collective authorship and embodied memory.

Current Focus

Roman’s current projects explore immersive and participatory forms that dissolve boundaries between audience and performer, drawing from Filipino cultural practices, movement vocabularies and lived experience. His research and development of the Tinikling Devising Framework forms a major part of his ongoing artistic inquiry.

Availability

Roman is available for workshops, facilitation, devising support and cultural consultancy.

Main Image: Daniel Labayan
Gallery Image: Aimee Bush

AFFILIATIONS

Director | Movement Director | Choreographer | Creative Facilitator | Cultural Adviser | Performer

Please Say Hello