John Bell is adjunct professor at the Sydney School of Education and Social Work. His ongoing association with the school is integral to the linking of drama and English curriculum.

In 1991, John founded the Bell Shakespeare Company where his productions have included Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, Pericles, Julius Caesar and Wars of the Roses.

John's personal repertoire of characters from Shakespeare has included Hamlet, Shylock, Henry V, Richard III, Macbeth, King Lear and Titus Andronicus. He has also directed a production of Madame Butterfly for Oz Opera, which toured nationally.

In association with the Canberra International Music Festival.