Photo: Victoria Scott
Me
I am a Hmong-Australian writer working across theatre, live art, audio and screen. My works explore otherness, Asian identity and found families, usually through contemporary narratives that privilege the experiences of women and people of colour. I am a 2022-23 Sidney Myer Creative Fellow.
I work and live on the lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation. I was born on Ngunnawal country.
Land was never ceded.
CV
Current work
Coming up
May 2024: The Word, (text-based work, stage), St Martins Youth Arts Centre, story collaborator and dramaturg
2024: White Fever (TV series), creator/writer Ra Chapman, story producer Katherine Fry, Unruly Productions, Orange Entertainment, Black Sheep, broadcaster ABC, writer episode 2
2024: Playtime Pals (animated IG series) creator/director Guido Ponzini, producers Steven Arriagada and Stefan Delatovic, co-lead writer
In development
Chu’s Party (full-length play, stage), creator/writer
The Lookalike (full-length play, stage), creator/writer
Authentically (TV comedy, half hour), Unless Pictures, creator/writer
Stuck in Paradise (TV comedy, half hour), co-creator/writer
Past work
Produced work
2023: How do I let you die? (live art, theatre), Arts House, creator/writer and lead artist
2023: Squishy Taylor and the City-wide Ghost Plague (interactive children’s adventure played at home), remount, Melbourne Fringe Festival, co-creator/performance text writer
2022: Town Choir, Theater Replacement (Canada) and Melbourne Fringe Festival, keynote live work, participating writer
2022: Blacklab Productions Tik Tok series, two 6 x 2-minute eps, ‘Orbit’ and ‘Soar’, writer
2022: Security (full-length play, stage), Darebin Speakeasy, Northcote Town Hall Arts Centre, creator/writer and lead artist
2022: Rice, (full-length play, stage), Orange Tree Theatre and Actors Touring Company, UK tour, creator/writer
2021: The Real Housewives of Coburg, a short monologue, Critical Stages, creator/writer
2021: Rice, (full-length play, stage), Orange Tree Theatre and Actors Touring Company, UK premiere, creator/writer
2021: Squishy Taylor and the City-wide Ghost Plague (interactive children’s adventure played at home), Melbourne Fringe Festival, co-creator/performance text writer
2021: Single ladies (full-length play, stage), Red Stitch Theatre, creator/writer
2020-21: Broth Bitch (full-length play told as 7 x fictional podcasts), online, creator/writer and lead artist
2020-21: Single ladies now (3 x audio monologues), Red Stitch Theatre, creator/writer
2020: Hungry Ghosts (TV series, 4 x 1-hour drama), Matchbox Productions, broadcaster SBS, co-writer episode 4
2020: Retrograde, (TV series, 6 x 30-minute comedy), Unless Pictures and Orange Entertainment Inc, broadcaster ABC, co-writer episodes 4 and 5
2020: Single ladies (full-length play, stage), Red Stitch Theatre (postponed due to COVID-19), creator/writer
2019: I’m With Her (full-length play, stage), Darlinghurst Theatre, contributing writer of a short piece
2019: House Sisters (full-length play, stage), Monash University, creator/writer
2018: Refuge Hypothetical: What if? (live art), Arts House, creator/writer and lead artist
2018 & 2016: The Naked Self (live art), Arts House, co-creator/text and lead artist
2018: Going down (full-length play, stage), Malthouse Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company, creator/writer
2017: Rice (full-length play, stage), Griffin Theatre, Queensland Theatre and Hothouse Theatre, creator/writer
2016: Power plays (short play ‘Off Centre’, stage), Sydney Theatre Company, creator/writer of my short play
2015: Going and going (short play, radio), ABC Radio National, creator/witer
2012, 2013 and 2014: Talon Salon (6 x short audio plays, live art), Next Wave Festival, You Are Here Festival, Darwin Festival and ABC Radio National, creator/writer and lead artist
2012: See how the leaf people run (full-length play, radio), ABC Radio National, creator/writer
2009: Love (short play, stage), St Martins Youth Arts Centre, creator/writer of my short play
Developments
2023: Caroline’s War (TV series, drama), showrunner Steven Arriagada, New Sparta, writer
2022: Silent Retreat (podcast and TV series) created by Meg O’Connell, Unless Pictures/Audiocraft, writer
2021-22: How do I let you die? (podcast), Audiocraft, creator/writer
2021-22: Sweet AF/My Paedophile Mother (full-length play, stage), creator/writer
2021-22: Flock, (feature, drama), developed through Stage 2 of Originate, creator/writer
2021-22: Next Big Thing, (TV series, comedy), creator/writer
2019-2022: The Healing Party (full-length play, stage), adaptation of the novel by Micheline Lee, Malthouse Theatre, writer
2018-2020: Going down (TV series, comedy), based on my stage play, co-creator/writer Michele Lee, co-creator/director Leticia Caceres, producers Stephanie Westwood and Amelia Ford, executive producer Amanda Higgs
2018-19: Secret Threads (TV series, 6 x 1-hour drama), creator/producer Rebecca Ingram, co-writers Mike Jones and Michele Lee
2012-15: Moths (full length play, stage), creator/writer and lead artist
2013: Chaste (four-part play, stage), creator/writer
2010, 2012: Headshot (full length play, stage), creator/writer
2010: Roundabout (full length play, stage), creator/writer
2010: Apple (full length play, stage), creator/writer and lead artist
2009: Fall and The watering hole (2 x one-act plays, stage), creator/writer
One-off pieces
2022: The Rest Is Up To You, (audio text for interactive exhibit), Melbourne Fringe Festival and State Library of Victoria exhibition. My role was to write the audio text
2022: Official Tina Fey and Amy Poehler Welcome Speech (short piece, speech), the GRAA co-presidents for the 2022 Green Room Awards Association (GRAA) ceremony, creator/writer
2018: October – Jamal Khashoggi, The Show of the Year (short piece, stage), The Wheeler Centre, creator/writer
2015: Right one, PLAYlist (short piece, audio), Red Stitch Theatre, creator/writer
2015: Asylum (short play, stage), Apocalypse Theatre, creator/writer
2008 & 2009: The Cellar Children (short play, stage), Short & Sweet, creator/writer
Dramaturgy, story consultancy and script assessment/coverage
2023: Story consultancy and script assessment for Thumper Pictures, Antipodes Theatre Company, Hatch Films, Australian Writers’ Guild
2023: Dramaturg for Centaurs, by Alan Nguyen, Arts House Culture Lab
2022: Story consultancy and script assessment for Unruly Productions, Australian Writers’ Guild, Script to Screen, New Sparta (UK), Unless Pictures/Audiocraft
2021: Story consultancy and script assessment for Seven Studios/Amazon Prime, Unruly Productions, Fremantle/Echo Lake (USA), Lara Kose, Hatch Films, Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre and Melbourne Theatre Company
2020: Dramaturg for the musical Miss Saigon Wrong by Chi Nguyen
2020: Story consultancy for Werner Film Productions and Unless Pictures
2019: Dramaturg session for the play Buried Kingdom by Kim Ho
2015: Concept development for the play Dan Choi by Daniel Han
2014: Script consultant for the live art work Home by Brienna Macnish
2012: Treatment and early draft for the play The Colour White by Gorkem Acaroglu
Awards
2022: Single Ladies, 2021 Green Room Awards, finalist, Best Performer
2021: Squishy Taylor and the City-wide Ghost Plague, finalist, Best Work in Festival, Melbourne Fringe Festival
2020: Security, finalist, Patrick White Playwrights’ Award
2019: Going down, finalist, Australian Writers’ Guild Best Original Stage Play
2019: Going down, finalist, New South Wales Premier’s Literary Award, Nick Enright Prize
2019: Going down, five nominations, 2018 Green Room Awards, Best Writing, Best Performer, Best Ensemble, Best Set/Costume/AV, Best Direction
2019: Going down, finalist, Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, Drama
2018: Rice, winner, Australian Writers’ Guild Best Original Stage Play
2018: Rice, finalist, NSW Premier’s Literary Award, Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting
2018: Rice, winner, Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, Drama
2016: Rice, winner, 2016-17 Queensland Premier’s Drama Award
2015: Going down, awarded the Malcolm Robertson Prize
2013: See how the leaf people run, winner, Australian Writers’ Guild Best Original Radio Play
2013: Moths, Highly Commended for the Griffin Theatre Award & recipient of inaugural Betty Burstall Commission through Playwriting Australia
2010: Headshot, special judges’ mention, R E Ross Trust Script Development Award
2008: The Cellar Children, nominated for Best Dramatic Writing, Short + Sweet Melbourne
I have been awarded funding numerous times from the Australia Council, Creative Victoria and local councils.
Residencies, fellowships and programs
2023: Untold Stories, Australian Plays Transform, selected participant
2022: Writers Journey, Netflix ANZ, invited participant
2022: Digital Originals, SBS/NiTV/Screen Australia, selected recipient
2022: Duologues, Australian Plays Transform, selected recipient
2021: ORIGINATE program (Stage Two, Lab), Film Victoria/SBS/Arena Media, selected participant
2021: Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship recipient for 2022 and 2023
2021: ORIGINATE program (Stage One, Writers Seminar), Film Victoria/SBS/Arena Media, selected participant
2021: Shortlisted, Jesse Cox Audio Fellowship
2021: Shortlisted, ABC Me Kaleidoscope program
2020: On Air Audible/Australian Writers’ Guild funding recipient
2020: Vitalstatistix, Adhocracy digital residency, selected participant
2019: AFTRS Talent Camp, selected participant
2018-19: INK development program, Red Stitch Theatre, selected writer
2018: Malthouse Theatre, Tower Resident
2018: Footscray Community Arts Centre, Call to Create Resident
2017: Co-writer in residence, Union House Theatre, University of Melbourne
2016: Malthouse Theatre, Co.Lab artist
2016: The Playwrights’ Center Resident, Minneapolis, USA
2016: WrICE Early Career Fellow, China and Melbourne
2014-15: Malthouse Theatre’s Besen Family Foundation’s writers’ workshop member
2014: Hothouse Theatre Guest Resident
2012: Storylab participant
2012-13: Arts Start recipient through the Australia Council
2010: Ian Reed Foundation Resident, Radio National
2009: Asialink Literature Resident, based in Laos
Mentoring, judging and teaching
2023: Mentor, Australian Plays Transform, Lutruwita/Tasmanian Voices
2023: Guest lecturer, 6-week Scriptwriting unit, RMIT
2023: Presenter, La Mama Pathways
2023: Mentor, Thea Jade, New Ideas Lab, Canberra Theatre Centre
2023: Assessor, Australian Plays Transform
2023: Guest workshop facilitator, week-long playwriting lab, VCA
2022: Workshop presenter, She Writes, Theatreworks
2022: Industry guest, Creative Project unit for Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing), RMIT
2022: Judge, Shane and Cathryn Brennan Prize, Youth category
2022: Guest lecturer, VCA
2022: Guest lecturer, Spark Youth Theatre
2021: Guest speaker, The Royal Central School Of Speech & Drama, UK
2021: Judge, Australian Writers’ Guild, TV (4 hrs+)
2021: Mentor, guest speaker, Radical Acts Festival, Theatre Works
2021: Guest presenter, Masterclasses, To The Front, Static Drive Co
2021: Guest lecturer, VCA
2021: Assessor, New Voices Commission, Melbourne Fringe Festival
2020-1: Mentor, Arts Lab, Shopfront Theatre
2020: Mentor, The Hatch Lab, musical theatre residency, Salty Theatre
2020: Guest presenter, Masterclasses, Australian Theatre for Young People
2020: Judge, Griffin Award
2020: Judge, Australian Writers’ Guild, Best Original Radio Drama
2020: Judge, Australian Writers’ Guild, Best Youth Theatre
2020: Guest lecturer, VCA
2020: Judge, NSW Premier’s Drama Award, Nick Enright Prize
2019: Script assessor, Queensland Premier’s Drama Award
2019: Consultant, Creative Victoria, theatre panel
2019: Judge, Australian Writers’ Guild, Best Original Radio Drama
2019: Mentor, Women in Theatre program, Melbourne Theatre Company
2018-19: Mentor, The Next Chapter, The Wheeler Centre
2018: Script mentor, City of Melbourne Signal program
2018: Judge, Patrick White Playwrights’ Award
2017: Script assessor, Queensland Premier’s Drama Award
2017: Script assessor, Playwriting Australia
2017: Judge, Australian Writers’ Guild, Best Original Radio Drama
2017: Mentor and tutor, Australian Theatre for Young People, National Studio
2016: Script mentor, The Ribcage Collective
2016: Script assessor, Lotus program, Playwriting Australia and Contemporary Asian Australian Performance
2015: Presenter, Writing for audio workshop, Writers’ Centre Victoria
Books and other writing
I have written prose and other non-play forms for many years. This includes writing for Women of Letters, The Wheeler Centre, ABC Online, Griffith Review and, a long time ago, for that excellent youth literary publication, Voiceworks.
My creative non-fiction memoir, Banana Girl, is published through Transit Lounge.
I am a PhD creative practice research candidate with RMIT through the School of Media and Communication.
Memberships
Australian Writers’ Guild
Community and Public Sector Union