Wendy Lewis is an Australian writer working in Sydney who has written a number of non-fiction books about Australian people, history and events. She also writes for the stage, specialising in dark comedy and musical theatre. Some of her plays are published under the pen-name Julia Lewis.
Non-fiction
In 2010, Lewis was commissioned by the National Australia Day Council to write Australians of the Year, the official 50-year history of the Australian of the Year Award.[1]
See Australia and Die describes incidents resulting in harm to people travelling in Australia,[2][3] including from crocodile attacks, the sting of Irukandji jellyfish, and death by hypothermia.
Events That Shaped Australia recounts details, personages, the images and after-effects of important events in Australia's history.[4][5][6]
Caught Out! Scandals, Lies, Cover-ups is a selection of Australian scandals including David Hicks, Muhamed Haneef, Children Overboard, Cheryl Kernot's big secret, The Mufti and the Uncovered Meat.[7]
Gone describes 25 kidnapping cases in various countries.[8]
Lewis' book Celebrating 150 years of Rookwood Catholic Cemetery was commissioned by the Catholic church. The book launch was celebrated with a mass at St Mary's Cathedral, followed by a cocktail party at the Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney.[9]
Theatre
Lewis has written plays entitled Statues of David,[10] The Baggage Handler (2006) and Life Drawing (2013).[11]
Lewis' musical What's My Color?, co-written with Berlin-based composer Yuval Halpern, premiered in the US in October 2016.
![Thumb](#/media/File:Cast_and_crew_of_"What's_My_Color%3F".jpg)
In 2018, Lewis adapted The Devil's Caress by June Wright to stage. The production presented June Wright's classic murder mystery interwoven with her life and times in post-war Melbourne. It was produced by Factory Space Theatre Company.[12] The script was published by The Australian Script Centre.[13]
In 2020, Lewis wrote book, lyrics and music for the dark musical comedy Defeating Roger Federer. It was performed at the New Theatre (Newtown)[14][15] in 2020 and returned to the stage in Cabaret form for the Sydney Fringe Festival 2022.[16]
In 2022, Lewis' mini musical Lost in Translation (with music by Yuval Halpern) premiered in 'schreib:maschine' at BKA Theatre Berlin.[17]
Other works
Lewis won a poetry competition in connection with Refresh Drummoyne, an urban art installation for the City of Canada Bay in Sydney in 2010. Her winning entry was typographed as a mural by a graphic designer in a manner that "refers to and resembles billboards, poster walls, newspaper headlines and antique film rolls."[18]
Bibliography
- Lewis, Wendy (2006). Dumbest Criminals. New Holland. ISBN 9781741102857.
- Lewis, Wendy; Balderstone, Simon; Bowan, John (2006). Events That Shaped Australia. New Holland. ISBN 9781741104929.
- Lewis, Wendy (2007). Dumbest Blunders. New Holland. ISBN 9781741105186.
- Lewis, Wendy (2007). See Australia and Die. New Holland. ISBN 9781741105834.
- Lewis, Wendy (2008). Caught Out! Scandals, Lies, Cover-ups. New Holland. ISBN 9781741106466.
- Lewis, Wendy (2010). Gone. Five Mile Press. ISBN 9781741785067.
- Lewis, Wendy (2010). Australians of the Year. Pier 9 Press. ISBN 9781741968095.
- Lewis, Wendy (2011). The Australian Book of Family Murders. Murdoch Books. ISBN 9781742662435.
- Lewis, Wendy (2013). Playing Dead - Twisted Tales of Fake Suicides. The Five Mile Press. ISBN 9781743463017.
- Lewis, Wendy (2016). Jailbreak : Australia's most unforgettable prison escapes. Echo Publishing. ISBN 9781760401238.
- Lewis, Wendy (2017). Celebrating 150 years of Rookwood Catholic Cemetery. Captain Honey. ISBN 9780646972893.
- Lewis, Wendy (2020). Please forgive us, Richard Hauptmann. Copycat. ISBN 978-1-925786-80-4.
References
External links
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