Lisette Drew is a writer, surfer, theatre and film maker. She grew up on the beaches of Newcastle, born in the year of the Newcastle earthquake. Despite being born on shaky ground, her love for stories and storytelling has never wavered.
Lisette discovered the power of words from the very first one she spoke. That word was turtle, and since then, the magic of turning words into stories has been her passion.
Her passion led her into the magical world of theatre, where she has spent over 17 years bringing stories to life on stage. She graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Production, receiving the Friends of VCA Limelighters Award and the Ron Rosanove Travelling Scholarship for her theatre work. Since graduating, Lisette has worked on over 50 theatrical productions in leading arts companies across Australia and overseas, including The Australian Ballet, Opera Australia, Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir St Theatre, La Boite, Placemakers and Queensland Theatre, just to name a few, with ongoing relationships with all companies and artists she’s collaborated with.
In 2020, her passion for writing came centre stage with her play Breakwater being shortlisted for the Edythe Brooke Cooper Playwrighting Competition and the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award, her novel The Cloud Factory longlisted for the Hawkeye prize, her short story published in a Lockdown Anthology and two stories commissioned by Melbourne City of Literature.
In 2022, Lisette received a Kill Your Darlings Mentorship with award-winning author Leanne Hall, and a paid Writer-in-Residence position with the City of Melbourne to work on her shortlisted play and longlisted manuscript. She was an Artist-in-Residence with HotHouse Theatre that year, collaborating with diverse artists and young people, up-skilling young artists and committing to the importance of involving young people in the process of making art. Working with youth has shown Lisette how transformative storytelling can be at all ages.
In 2023, Lisette completed a Placemakers INCUBATE* Artist Residency, was a La Boite resident Assembly writer as well as working as a full-time journalist, exploring new storytelling ventures across new media.
She has been published in QWeekend, The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, News.com.au, Gold Coast Bulletin, Townsville Bulletin, ArtsHub, Billabong, The Weekend Edition, Inside Gold Coast, Surfline and many more.
Lisette also found a passion telling stories in the screen industry, working on the Back To Back Theatre SBS Curious Australia documentary Whatever Scares You. Lisette believes in taking herself out of her comfort zone and broadening her understanding of community and the world through different cultural and community experiences. Every story is so different to the next which is why Lisette loves new creative opportunities and collaborations.
Lisette is a member of The Australian Society of Authors, Writers Victoria and Queensland Writers Centre.
Awards and Achievements
Surfing Australia RISE Camp Mentor 2025
Wave Woven Ambassador 2025
SurfAid Ambassador 2025
SurfAid Ambassador 2024
Softlite Surf Ambassador 2024
News Corp Journalist Cadet 2023
La Boite Assembly Artist 2023
INCUBATE Artist Residency 2023
Long-Listed Australian Theatre for Young People Foundation Commission 2022
City of Melbourne Writer-In-Residence 2022
Kill Your Darlings Mentors Program 2022
HotHouse GreenHouse National Artist Residency 2021
Long-Listed Hawkeye Prize 2021
Shortlisted Pitch It! Competition 2020 Middle Grade and YA Categories
Shortlisted The Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award 2020
Top Ten Edythe Brooke Cooper Playwriting Competition One Act Plays 2020
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I acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which I live, work, surf, play and create. I recognize their continuing connection to the land and waters and thank them for protecting the coastline and ecosystems since time immemorial. I pay my respects to all First Nations people, to their ancestors and Elders, and to our shared future.
Lisette Drew 