Lee Lewis (born 1970) is an Australian

theatre director A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production such as a play, opera, dance, drama, musical theatre performance, etc. by unifying various endeavors a ...

Early life and education

Lewis was born in 1977 in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, Illinois. Her family emigrated to Australia when she was a child. Lewis trained as an actor at

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

in New York. Returning to Australia, she completed a Masters of Directing at the

National Institute of Dramatic Art The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an Australian educational institution for the performing arts based in Sydney, New South Wales. Founded in 1958, it offers bachelor's, master's and vocational degrees in subjects including acting ...

(NIDA) in 2005.

Career

In 2006 she directed a play by New Zealand writer Matthew J. Saville about the

Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic an ...

entitled ''Kikia te Poa'', which was performed at the Old Fitzroy Theatre in

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

. She was appointed

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogu ...

of Sydney's Griffin Theatre Company in 2012. Lewis was appointed artistic director of the Queensland Theatre Company in 2019, succeeding Sam Strong who was her predecessor at Griffin as well. She resigned from Queensland Theatre in March 2024.

Awards

*2016: Helpmann Award for Best Direction of a Play for Griffin's production of '' The Bleeding Tree'' *2024: Honorary

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of then ...

in the 2024 King's Birthday Honours, for service to the performing arts as a theatre director.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Lee 1970 births Living people Australian theatre directors Helpmann Award winners Australian women theatre directors Honorary recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia American emigrants to Australia