John Caird is a director and author working across theatre, opera, and musical theatre in London, New York, Tokyo, and internationally. He is an Honorary Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and long-time Principal Guest Director of the Royal Dramatic Theatre, Stockholm (Dramaten).
His work for the RSC spans over twenty productions, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, and Les Misérables, which went on to play the Barbican, the Palace Theatre, Broadway, and worldwide. At the National Theatre his productions have included Hamlet, Stanley, The Seagull, and his own new version of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide. Other notable productions include Tosca and Parsifal at the Lyric Opera Chicago, La Bohème at San Francisco Opera, McQueen at the Haymarket Theatre in the West End, and a stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away in Tokyo and at the London Coliseum.
His published works include the book and lyrics for Jane Eyre (music by Paul Gordon), Children of Eden (music by Stephen Schwartz), the Schools Edition of Les Misérables, and his own version of Bernstein’s Candide, all published by MTI.
Caird has won Olivier Awards for Nicholas Nickleby and Candide, and Tony Awards for Les Misérables and Nicholas Nickleby. His book on directing, Theatre Craft, is published by Faber & Faber.

