Jada was born and raised on their mother’s country, Larrakia country (Darwin, NT), and has family ties to the Yanyuwa, Bardi and Wardaman peoples.
As a writer, Jada was awarded the Balnaves Indigenous Playwright’s Award in 2013 and the Mona Brand Emerging Playwright’s Award in 2016.
In 2014 their debut work BROTHERS WRECK was part of the main stage season at Belvoir to critical acclaim. It received a nomination at the 2014 Sydney Theatre Awards for Best New Australian Work, and made the shortlist for the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting at the 2015 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. It was also nominated for Best Stage Play at the 2015 AWGIE Awards.
Jada has worked extensively in theatre, including working as an assistant director for THE GLASS MENAGERIE in 2014, and WINDMILL BABY in 2011, both for Belvoir. 2015 saw Jada continue their collaboration with Belvoir, co-writing ELEKTRA/ORESTES with resident director Anne-Louise Sarks, and was dramaturg for KILL THE MESSENGER directed by Anthea Williams.
In 2016 Jada directed their first show at Belvoir TITLE & DEED. They also made the cross-over into television as Associate Script Producer on the second series of CLEVERMAN (Goalpost), also co-writing two episodes.
In 2016-2017 Jada completed a writing fellowship with Bell Shakespeare and in 2017 Jada was the Assistant Director on Sydney Theatre Company’s production THREE SISTERS, directed by Kip Williams.
In 2018 Jada directed their play BROTHERS WRECK at the Malthouse Theatre and the State Theatre Company of South Australia to rave reviews.
Jada has recently directed the acclaimed stage production THE SEVEN STAGES OF GRIEVING for Browns Mart Theatre, and also co-wrote JARRADAH GOORAGULLI DANCE OF THE BROLGAS with Mooradoop Kathy Mills, which premiered in April 2022 at Brown Marts Theatre, Darwin
