Edwards began her career at
Adelaide youth theatre company Energy Connection. From 1986 to 1989 she was associate director of the
State Theatre Company of South Australia, has been an Artistic Director of the
Melbourne Theatre Company, she has worked with every other major Australian theatre company, including the
Sydney Theatre Company and
Opera Australia. Internationally, Edwards directed the 1996 London revival of
Jesus Christ Superstar, which opened at the
Ford Center for the Performing Arts on
Broadway in 2000, and for which she won an
Emmy Award for the televised recording of the production. Edwards contributed to the
book of the musical
Whistle Down the Wind, for which she directed the
West End production. She directed
Shakespeare's
The Merchant of Venice and ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream'' at the
Chichester Festival Theatre in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Edwards has directed for the
Royal Shakespeare Company and
Shakespeare Theatre Company (Washington D.C.). She directed the premiere production of
The Boy from Oz. For Opera Australia, she directed
Aida (2015),
La bohème (2016–2023),
Carmen (2017),
Salome (2019). She co-wrote the book and lyrics of the musical
Eureka, which premiered in Melbourne in 2004. Edwards'credits directing for film and television include the 2011 Australian film
A Heartbeat Away and the "Pride" segment of 1993 television series
Seven Deadly Sins, as well as filmed versions of stage presentations. ==Awards==