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Wendy Lewis

{{Short description|Australian writer (born 1962)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Wendy Lewis

| image = Wendy Lewis author 2016.jpeg

| caption = Wendy Lewis, 2016

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Sydney, Australia

| occupation = Writer

| genre = Non-fiction books, plays

| notableworks = Australians of the Year
See Australia and Die

}}

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.{{cite web | url=http://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/media/files/vobuuu_Australians%20of%20the%20Year%201960%20-%202010%20by%20Wendy%20Lewis.pdf | title=Australians of the Year 1960-2010 by Wendy Lewis | date=22 November 2010 | publisher=National Australia Day Council | access-date=21 March 2011}}
{{cite web | url=http://www.australianoftheyear.org.au/media/?view=news&id=740 | title=Australians of the Year 1960-2010 by Wendy Lewis | date=22 November 2010 | publisher=National Australia Day Council | access-date=16 March 2011}}
{{ cite web | url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac;jsessionid=BB67C2DF1E1B28829C88C8122ADA9186?sy=afr&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=1month&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=brs&cls=169&clsPage=1&docID=SMH110205N0K077D2J38 | title=In Short | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | first=Bruce | last=Elder | date=5 February 2011 | access-date=18 March 2011 }}

See Australia and Die describes incidents resulting in harm to people travelling in Australia,{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/world/top-summer-travel-reads/2007/12/18/1197740232620.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1|title=Top summer travel reads|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=Nicky|last=Park|date=18 December 2007|access-date=16 March 2011}}{{cite web | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/34584692?selectedversion=NBD42161006 |title=See Australia and Die | year=2007 | publisher=National Library of Australia | access-date=18 March 2011 }} 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.{{cite web | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/19630909?selectedversion=NBD42161006&q&c=book |title=Events that shaped Australia | year=2006 | publisher=National Library of Australia | access-date=18 March 2011}}Bulletin With Newsweek, 31 January 2007, p68, Making Milestones"A Light Look at Australia's Past", Courier Mail, 27 January 2007, p19,

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.{{cite web | url=http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4274883 |title=Caught Out! Scandals, Lies, Cover-ups | year=2008 | publisher=National Library of Australia | access-date=18 March 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121016151347/http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4274883 |archive-date= Oct 16, 2012 }}

Gone describes 25 kidnapping cases in various countries.{{cite web | url=http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4729038 |title=Gone : 25 of the world's most chilling and bizarre kidnappings / Wendy Lewis | year=2010 | publisher=Catalogue {{!}} National Library of Australia | access-date=18 March 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016151328/http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/4729038 |archive-date= Oct 16, 2012 }}

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.{{cite journal |date=17 September 2017 |title=New Book Chronicles 150 years of history |url=https://www.catholicweekly.com.au |journal=Catholic Weekly |pages=10 |access-date=17 September 2017 }}

Theatre

Lewis has written plays entitled Statues of David,{{ cite web | url=http://craftwaresolutions.com.au/factoryspace/PerchanceToDream/perchanceToDream.html |website=Craftware Solutions | title=Perchance to Dream - 2 new Australian Plays |last=Martin |first=David| access-date=18 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706103056/http://craftwaresolutions.com.au/factoryspace/PerchanceToDream/perchanceToDream.html |archive-date= Jul 6, 2011 }} The Baggage Handler (2006) and Life Drawing (2013).{{ cite web | url=http://australianplays.org/playwright/ASC-384 | title=Julia Lewis | publisher=Australian Plays | access-date=18 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201024144220/http://australianplays.org/playwright/ASC-384 |archive-date= Oct 24, 2020 }}

Lewis' musical What's My Color?, co-written with Berlin-based composer Yuval Halpern, premiered in the US in October 2016.File:Cast and crew of "What's My Color?".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.{{ cite web | url=https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/devils-caress-factory-space-theatre-co/ | title='Devil's Caress' by playwright Wendy Lewis at the Star Of The Sea Theatre, Manly |first1=Lynn |last1=Belvedere | publisher=Sydney Arts Guide | date= 28 March 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231027092033/https://sydneyartsguide.com.au/devils-caress-factory-space-theatre-co/ |archive-date= Oct 27, 2023 }} The script was published by The Australian Script Centre.{{ cite web | url=https://australianplays.org/script/ASC-2039 | title= The Devil's Caress | publisher= Australian Plays | access-date= 14 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190214174426/https://australianplays.org/script/ASC-2039 |archive-date= 14 February 2019 }}

In 2020, Lewis wrote book, lyrics and music for the dark musical comedy Defeating Roger Federer. It was performed at the New Theatre (Newtown){{ cite web | url=https://www.weekendnotes.com/defeating-roger-federer-new-theatre/ |date=2020-02-27 |first1=Melissa |last1=May | title=Defeating Roger Federer | publisher=Weekend Notes | access-date= 21 March 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321031828/https://www.weekendnotes.com/defeating-roger-federer-new-theatre/ |archive-date=21 March 2020 }}{{ cite web | url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/sydney/article/DEFEATING-ROGER-FEDERER-Comes-to-New-Theatre-Newtown-20200209 |first1= Stephi |last1=Wild |date=Feb 9, 2020 |website=BroadwayWorld | title=DEFEATING ROGER FEDERER Comes to New Theatre, Newtown | publisher=Wisdom Digital Media | access-date= 21 March 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321031828/https://www.broadwayworld.com/sydney/article/DEFEATING-ROGER-FEDERER-Comes-to-New-Theatre-Newtown-20200209 |archive-date= 21 March 2020 }} in 2020 and returned to the stage in Cabaret form for the Sydney Fringe Festival 2022.{{ cite web | url=https://limelightmagazine.com.au/event/defeating-roger-federer/2022-09-19/ | title=Sydney Fringe Festival: Defeating Roger Federer | publisher=Limelight Magazine | access-date= 8 March 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308031643/https://limelightmagazine.com.au/event/defeating-roger-federer/2022-09-19/ |archive-date= Mar 8, 2023 }}

In 2022, Lewis' mini musical Lost in Translation (with music by Yuval Halpern) premiered in 'schreib:maschine' at BKA Theatre Berlin.{{ cite web | url=https://www.deutschemusicalakademie.de/die-schreib-maschine-485223.html | title=The Typewriter: New Ideas for New Musicals | publisher=Deutsche Musical Akademie | access-date= 8 March 2022 }}

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."{{cite web |url=http://www.canadabay.nsw.gov.au/arts-and-culture---refresh-drummoyne.html | title=Poetic Public Art—Refresh Drummoyne | year=2013 | publisher=City of Canada Bay Council | access-date=30 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923200122/http://www.canadabay.nsw.gov.au/arts-and-culture---refresh-drummoyne.html |archive-date= Sep 23, 2015 }}

Bibliography

  • {{cite book| last1=Lewis|first1= Wendy | title=Dumbest Criminals | publisher=New Holland | year=2006 | isbn=9781741102857 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first1=Wendy|last2=Balderstone|first2=Simon|last3=Bowan|first3=John | title=Events That Shaped Australia | publisher=New Holland | year=2006 | isbn=9781741104929 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first1=Wendy | title=Dumbest Blunders | publisher=New Holland | year=2007 | isbn=9781741105186 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first1=Wendy | title=See Australia and Die | publisher=New Holland | year=2007 | isbn=9781741105834 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first1=Wendy | title=Caught Out! Scandals, Lies, Cover-ups | publisher=New Holland | year=2008 | isbn=9781741106466 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first1=Wendy | title=Gone | publisher=Five Mile Press | year=2010 | isbn=9781741785067 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first1=Wendy | title=Australians of the Year | publisher=Pier 9 Press | year=2010 | isbn=9781741968095 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first1=Wendy |url=http://www.murdochbooks.com.au/Author/wendy-lewis-au00552 |title=The Australian Book of Family Murders | publisher=Murdoch Books | year=2011 | isbn=9781742662435 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first=Wendy |url=http://www.fivemile.com.au/catalog/true-crime/playing-dead |title=Playing Dead - Twisted Tales of Fake Suicides | publisher=The Five Mile Press | year=2013 | isbn=9781743463017 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first=Wendy |url=http://www.fivemile.com.au/catalog/adult/jailbreak |title=Jailbreak : Australia's most unforgettable prison escapes| publisher=Echo Publishing | year=2016 | isbn=9781760401238 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first=Wendy |title=Celebrating 150 years of Rookwood Catholic Cemetery| publisher=Captain Honey | year=2017 | isbn=9780646972893 }}
  • {{cite book | last1=Lewis|first=Wendy |title=Please forgive us, Richard Hauptmann| publisher=Copycat| year=2020 | isbn=978-1-925786-80-4 }}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

  • {{ cite web | url=https://www.asauthors.org/searchdirectory/search/?command=viewEntityContact&entityType=0&entitySerial=6375&membershipSerial=10024314 | title=Find an Author - Wendy Lewis | publisher=Australian Society of Authors | access-date=23 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170322205732/https://www.asauthors.org/searchdirectory/search/?command=viewEntityContact&entityType=0&entitySerial=6375&membershipSerial=10024314 |archive-date= Mar 22, 2017 }}
  • {{ cite web | url=https://www.wendylewiswriter.com | title=Wendy Lewis |website=wendylewiswriter.com | access-date=3 December 2014 }}

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Category:Living people

Category:Australian non-fiction writers

Category:Australian dramatists and playwrights

Category:Writers from Sydney

Category:21st-century Australian women writers

Category:21st-century Australian writers

Category:1962 births