Lesley Watson was previously head and founder of ACTT, a leading tertiary level acting college for over 20 years. Lesley is currently a director of Roleplay Australia who works with a broad range of business and government organisations by using arts-based practices and roleplay to develop the talents of their people.
Lesley has focused her energies on generating opportunities to support emerging artists’ passion and develop their ‘voice’ throughout her career and she remains active in the independent theatre scene in Sydney.
Lesley has over 25 years’ experience working with actors in various roles including directing, producing, casting, as artistic director, festival director and teacher. In 2006 Lesley set up and was artistic director of the Cleveland Street Theatre in the old Performance Space in Redfern where she launched and directed the Imagine Festival in 2009 to 2011.
Lesley has been a Director of Sydney Fringe since 2007 and is a member of and an occasional advisor to a number of arts relevant bodies.
Lesley holds a Master of Arts (Research) in creative practice from the University of Technology Sydney.
