Mark Eckersley completed an Associate Diploma of Performing Arts in Acting at Queensland University of Technology, and became one of the founding members of Queensland's Sugar and Spite Theatre Company. He then went on to work for the Queensland Theatre Company as an actor and studied Theatre Directing at Victorian College of the Arts. Eckersley worked as an Assistant Director and Dramaturg for Bob Mazza at the First Aboriginal Playwright's Conference Mark then worked for Melbourne Theatre Company as an Assistant Director to Simon Phillips. After completing his teaching studies in Drama, English and Media at Deakin University, he went on to direct and teach in Australia until 1998. Echersley also worked with Drama Victoria serving on various committees and editing Mask magazine.
In 1997, Eckersley completed his Masters of Education at the University of Melbourne with a thesis titled The Dramaturgy of the Australian Theatre Director. In 1998, he went on to edit a successful book on teaching Asian Theatre called Drama from the Rim, in which he wrote chapters on Indigenous Australian Drama and Korean Drama. He went on to teach for over 12 years in international schools in Asia and the Middle East and was Head of Drama and Media Studies at Jerudong International School in Brunei in South East Asia before his return to Australia.' (Source: www.dramavictoria.vic.edu.au)
