Jackson Burling
Deviser, Actor, Writer, Director
Jackson Burling is a 23-year-old performer and theatre-maker based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. A graduate of Te Auaha (Whitireia), he holds both a Diploma in Stage & Screen Acting and a Bachelor of Creativity (Performing Arts/Drama), completed in 2022.
Since graduating, Jackson has been carving out a bold path in Aotearoa’s theatre scene — performing in professional productions and creating his own devised work. His theatre credits include Monster Songs, Circa Theatre Pantomimes, Give Way – The Musical, Into the Woods, and ONE BEDROOM AVAILABLE. On screen, he has featured in supporting roles in Hui Hoppers (TVNZ+) and Not Even (NEON).
His first solo work, the clown show CAUTION WET FLOOR, debuted in the TAHI Festival’s HATCH programme in 2022. The following year, Jackson was nominated for Most Promising Newcomer at both the NZ Fringe Festival and the Wellington Theatre Awards for his performance in the piece.
Jackson looks forward to presenting his new solo verbatim show, ‘Over and Out’, in September 2025, as a part of the TAHI Festival.
Jackson is passionate about bringing overlooked stories into focus. His work often centres on “putting someone from the background into the foreground” — making space for voices not often heard and lives not often seen.
