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Fiona Harris
Corporate, Entertainer, Inspirational Speaker, Online - Virtual Visits, Speaking Out, Storyteller/Performer, Wellbeing
Fiona has been writing and performing for Australian stages and screens for many years. She wrote and co-starred on the ABC sketch comedy show, Flipside, as well as on channel nine’s sketch comedy series, Comedy Inc – The Late Shift series 5 and on all three series of the Network Ten sketch comedy series SkitHouse. She has also written and directed numerous shows for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Fiona was head scriptwriter on the popular ABC3 kid’s television series, Prank Patrol Series 3, and has recently written a series of children’s books – The Super Moopers – illustrated by Scott Edgar (Tripod). The first four books in the series were released in August 2017. Fiona has also worked as a story consultant on various television shows including ABC TV’s “Bed of Roses” and the ABC TV drama series, “The Time of Our Lives”, and has written numerous stage plays for Stage School Australia. She regularly co-hosts on the ABC 774 evenings program with Lindy Burns.
Fiona’s numerous television acting credits include guest roles in The Beautiful Lie, Ex-PM, Mr & Mrs Murder, The Time of Our Lives and Offspring. She had a featured role in the Telemovie, Beaconsfield and regular roles on series two of Tangle and series three of The Librarians. In May 2017, Fiona co-starred in the hit Australian play, Spencer, which premiered to great critical and audience response. In 2014, she toured with the Australian play, Long Gone Lonesome Cowgirls. In 2012 Fiona wrote and performed in the hit comedy show, Plus One, with her husband, Mike McLeish, which performed to sellout audiences in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Fiona also worked on Mustangs FC (ABC ME) as a drama coach in 2017, and is currently writing two more books in The Super Moopers series, as well as three Trolls books for Dreamworks, and four children’s books based on the successful children’s animation series, Miraculous, for Bonnier Publishing.
Most recently, Fiona has written and co-stars in the short-form comedy series, The Drop Off, which she created, co-wrote and co-produced with her husband, Mike McLeish, in association with Princess Pictures.
For more information on Fiona Harris please visit fionaharris.com
Where were you born?
I grew up in Melbourne’s Western suburbs, in a working-class family, where the most creative anyone got was painting a banner for the local football players to run through in the Grand Final.
What other jobs have you had?
From the time I finished high school until my first full-time job in television at the age of 30, I did every job under the sun from waitressing and bartending, to cleaning houses and working as a courtesy car driver for Brighton Mazda. I also delivered sandwiches to offices in Piccadilly Circus on a bike (mostly through the snow) and dressed in a giant dog suit to hand out flyers in Chadstone Shopping Centre.
What are you passionate about?
I am very passionate about getting the message across to kids that they have the potential to do anything they set out to achieve, especially kids from lower socio-economic backgrounds. I know what it’s like to come from an area where the odds are stacked against you when you want to go down a creative path.
I knew from a young age that I wanted to do something creative with my life but I had no one in my life to support me or inform me on my quest. I was bullied in high school and it took me a long time to realise that it was up to me to ignore the naysayers and negativity and forge ahead with my dreams. I wish someone had come to my school or my area and told me back then that it was ok to be different and to believe in myself, despite what anyone else said or did.
Haven’t I seen you before?
Over the past twelve years I’ve worked professionally as a full-time writer and performer on some of Australia’s best-loved television comedy programs including Skithouse, Comedy Inc – The Late Shift, The Librarians, Mr & Mrs Murder and Offspring. I’ve also written, performed and directed numerous award-winning Melbourne Comedy Festival shows including Footy Chicks, Halo Dolly and Plus One.
The Great Chiko Roll Mystery of 1983 Reel from Fiona Harris on Vimeo.
Testimonials
Fiona Harris presents an entertaining yet informative feature about her career and work in the entertainment field. Following her passion for performing and writing from a young age, Harris documents her adventures from her childhood all the way up to present day with an action packed presentation about her career and where her passions took her.
The presentation was simply incredible, with Harris’s engaging and hilarious personality connecting with young people in a way not many presenters can.
Fiona conducted performance workshops to Year 9 students as part of our school’s writers festival. She successfully managed 30 students in a virtual setting, easily keeping their attention with her witty humour and passion for performance. Even the most timid of students found themselves acting out Fiona’s scripts and having a good laugh. A great session that was high-energy and had everyone actively engaged for the full 60 minutes.
Fiona told an engaging and inspiring story about her childhood and high-school experience including the triumphs and challenges she faced in order to achieve her dreams and follow her passion for the performing arts.
The importance of embracing resilience in the face of adversity was evident throughout Fiona’s speech and I have no doubt many students walked away feeling inspired to dream big and work hard to achieve their career aspirations for the future, no matter the height of the hurdles that stand in your way.
Thank you Fiona for speaking to our Year 11 cohort. It was the perfect start to our day at Queens College!
We asked for a Comedy Writing Workshop and Fiona delivered one that shared all of her great experience in the field of TV comedy and excited the students to explore what they could come up with themselves. Fiona had her framework of what to show the children, but I was so pleased when she ‘read the audience’ and changed it up to suit the needs and interests of those who sat before her. Afterwards, the teachers and students commented to me on how they were so happy to have been a part of Fiona’s session. She engaged the groups and made them feel successful about their own efforts the whole time.
What a fantastic Children’s Book Week event! The kids we absolutely riveted and loved creating their own Super Mooper character. Fiona and Scott are completely charming and kids (and adults!) were all laughing along. We also loved that the Super Moopers series carries such a positive message. One of the best children’s workshops we’ve ever had.
Our Year 2, 3 and 4 students absolutely loved Fiona Harris and Scott Edgar and were thoroughly engaged through their entire presentation. From the first song, through the inspiring journey of how the Super Moopers came to be, a very entertaining reading of one of the stories, and together creating a new character from scratch, our students were captivated. It was wonderful to see the collaborative work of Fiona and Scott, not only as author and illustrator of the series, but also the ease with which they work together during the presentation. Thank you Fiona and Scott for a very inspiring and lively presentation showing the joy of creating wonderful stories for our children.
Our school visit from Super Moopers creators, Fiona Harris and Scott Edgar, added so much value to our 1/2 English program! Through their engaging and interactive presentation, which included singing, storytelling and drawing, Fiona and Scott shared their journey as writer and illustrator, from generating ideas, showing persistence and the continual desire to grow as creators. Not only did they promote skills and attitudes that make a good writer, artist and reader, but they assisted our students in making the writing and illustrating process purposeful. We thoroughly enjoyed their time with us and cannot wait for the release of more Mooper books!
Our 1/2 children loved hearing about The Super Moopers from author, Fiona Harris and illustrator, Scott Edgar. In a fun and engaging way, Fiona and Scott shared how they created a new world and peopled it with amazing characters. The children joined in singing along with the Moopertown song and laughed lots as Scott drew some of the characters they suggested. After the visit the children were keen to create their own Super Moopers and couldn’t stop writing and talking about the books. They even created a class mural about their own imaginary world. A great way to get children inspired to read, write and draw and to enrich their understanding of how books are made.
Fiona has spoken to our group of Year 9 girls now for several years and she leaves an impact on them each time. Her stories about growing up, school and choosing careers shows the students how chasing your dreams is all being true to yourself, about working hard and perseverance. She leaves a real impression.
Fiona was really interesting to talk to and ask questions to. She made us laugh and kept us all entertained throughout the whole day. Her
story was amazing and really interesting to listen to.
Fiona really made us understand what it’s like to be treated badly by your friends. She really gave a voice for girls that get bullied by their circle of friends.
Fiona delivered an energetic, engaging and interesting presentation to the class. The students were hooked from the word go as they were thoroughly engaged with the topics because Fiona was able to build instant rapport with them. Fiona shared her life story with the students in a sincere, authentic and hilarious manner and it was for this reason that the students could identify with her own struggles and successes. Fiona is a natural orator and her stories had us all in stitches. Thank you so much for presenting a discussion about leadership that was creative, down to earth and highly entertaining.
Fiona delivered an energetic, engaging and interesting presentation to the class. The students were hooked from the word go as they were thoroughly engaged with the topics because Fiona was able to build instant rapport with them. Fiona shared her life story with the students in a sincere, authentic and hilarious manner and it was for this reason that the students could identify with her own struggles and successes. Fiona is a natural orator and her stories had us all in stitches. Thank you so much for presenting a discussion about leadership that was creative, down to earth and highly entertaining.
Thank you for sharing your story with our Year Nine girls. They loved the chat you had with them and said you were very down to earth, which I think is a great compliment coming from our bunch! Your story was both insightful and the continued breaks you made during the speech to relate it back to their world was a fantastic idea. A great discussion of ‘a woman’s world’ continued in class! Well done!
Fiona’s story was both insightful and entertaining, and the continued breaks she made during the speech to relate it back to the students’ world was a fantastic idea. They loved it! A great discussion about leadership values continued in class! Well done!
The two successful women, in a hilarious and entertaining way, described their personal journeys of making their dreams come true. Like many of my friends, I feel the pressure of Year 12, and that the constant reminder to ‘be realistic’ forces us to forget our dreams. Their presentation however, made it clear that sticking to your dreams and making your own luck is crucial. Like the other 900 students watching, I can achieve what I want with passion, persistence and a smile.
The messages and value of the presentation were priceless. For me, it re-enforced the possibility of achieving my goals and ambitions in a way that those two accomplished women had done by imply having a natural spark and determination.
It was very obvious that the students were enjoying themselves.
Fiona made a comfortable environment for the students to express themselves and make those around them laugh.