ANDREA JAMES is a Yorta Yorta/Gunaikurnai theatremaker and graduate of VCA. She was Artistic Director of Melbourne Workers Theatre 2001-2008 where she is best known for her play Yanagai! Yanagai! The play was produced by Melbourne Workers Theatre and premiered at Playbox and toured to the UK. Andrea wrote and directed Winyanboga Yurringa at Carriageworks and Geelong Performing Arts Centre and was later remounted at Belvoir directed by Anthea Williams. Her play Sunshine Super Girl, about Wiradjuri tennis star Evonne Goolagong-Cawley, premiered at Griffith and Sydney Festival and underwent an extensive national tour. Her play Dogged was written with collaborator Cath Ryan and premiered at Griffin Theatre. She wrote Big Name No Blankets with Sammy and Anyupa Butcher for Ilbijerri Theatre about iconic Aboriginal Rock Legends, Warumpi Band that toured Australia wide. She has written Coranderrk with Giordano Nanni for Ilbijerri Theatre and Bright World with Elise Hearst for Arthur Productions at Theatreworks and Bukal for Jute Theatre. Her newest play, The Black Woman of Gippsland is set on her Grandmother’s Gunaikurnai country and is produced by Melbourne Theatre Company. Andrea was recently awarded the Mona Brand Award for Women Stage and Screen Writers, Australia’s most prestigious writing prize for women, and Creative Australia’s National Award for Theatre.