About

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

DONATE HERE

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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.