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 a decade 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, many being new Australian plays.
For the last few years, she has toured theatre productions to young people in regional communities. She loves to see young audiences fall in love with stories in front of her very eyes.
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, she 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 also received a paid Artist-in-Residence role with HotHouse Theatre, collaborating with diverse artists and young people, upskilling young artists and committing to the importance of involving young people in the process of making art.
Lisette has also found a passion telling stories in the screen industry, working on the Back To Back Theatre SBS Curious Australia documentary Whatever Scares You and continues to explore new storytelling ventures across new media, having been published by ArtsHub, Billabong and Writers Victoria. With story always at the heart of her work, Lisette is excited for new opportunities and collaborations to come.
Lisette shares her love for stories and storytelling running writing and theatre workshops for children and is a member of The Australian Society of Authors, Writers Victoria and Queensland Writers Centre.
Awards and Achievements
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
Commissioned and Published Work
Billabong Surf Guide East Coast
ArtsHub Book Review: Search History 2023
ArtsHub Book Review: Family 2023
ArtsHub Book Review: Love and Autism 2023
ArtsHub Book Review: Great Dead Body Teachers 2023
ArtsHub Performance review: MIXTAPE 2023
The Port Melbourne Salty Sistas E-book 2023
ArtsHub Theatre Review: Family Values 2023
ArtsHub BLUSH Circus Review 2023
Billabong A Day at Girls Get Out There Article 2022
ArtsHub Scavengers Book Review 2022
ArtsHub The Magic of Theatre Article 2022
Writers Victoria Expert Advice Article 2021
Lockdown Anthology 2020 BUY: BOOKTOPIA or BUY: AMAZON
Melbourne City of Literature Wildlife Postcards Project 2020
Workshops and Events
Interactive Story Time – BOOK HERE
Support Lisette
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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 our respects to all First Nations people, to their ancestors and Elders, and to our shared future.
Lisette Drew 