DIRECTING – STAGE
Prick - United Solo Festival, New York, (Winner Best Script)
True West Girl – Santa Monica Playhouse, starring Barbara Bragg
The Most Mediocre Story Never Told – Meta Theatre, Hollywood, & NY Fringe Festival, Won Best Solo Play 2008
Seussical – Rio Hondo College, Whittier
Once on This Island – Rio Hondo College, Whittier
Necessary Targets – American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Hollywood
Up From the Downs – Inside the Ford Theatre, Hollywood
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change - The Secret Rose Theatre, N. Hollywood
Cock Tales – The Zephyr Theatre and Elephant Theatre, Hollywood, Producer/Director
That Certain Cervantes – El Portal Circle Theatre, North Hollywood
Original One Person Plays, (over 230) Dramaturged and Directed my students at AADA and USC
College Girls – Village Gate Theatre, USC School of Theatre, Playwright/Director
Oops I Killed My Mother- The Complex, Hollywood, Dramaturg/Director, then to N.Y Fringe Festival Dark Ages – Playwrights Arena original staged reading
Travelogue with Viewmaster- Elephant Theatre, Hollywood
The Versus of Ogden Nash- Coronet Studio Theatre, Los Angeles
Stepping Out – American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Hollywood
Charley’s Aunt – American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Hollywood
Spoon River Anthology – American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Hollywood
The Merry Wives of Whittier – (An Adaptation of Shakespeare’s Comedy) Rio Hondo College, Whittier Ruby’s Magic, Silver Springs, and The Letter- El Portal Studio Theatre, North Hollywood
Danny Boy, Angel Mine, and Who Am I –Theatre of Hope, North Hollywood
In A World of My Own – Theatre of Hope, North Hollywood
The Mirror Has Three Faces: Sexual Reflections of a Woman - Theatre of Hope, North Hollywood
For Every Light on Broadway There’s a Fat Hooker - Theatre of Hope, North Hollywood
I Hope you Feel This Theatre of Hope, North Hollywood
Beds – (Co-directed with Leon Katz) Stella Adler Theatre, Hollywood
The Grandma Casey Show written by an inmate at the California Rehab. Center
Looking for Dad written by an inmate at the California Rehabilitation Center
A.S.K. Theatre Projects, Playwrights in the Schools – Director of original students play readings
The Buckners –Developed with the inmatesat California Rehabilitation Center, Norco
Chavez: Going Toward the Light – Co-Director/Choreographer, Tracy Roberts Theatre
The Other Door – American College Theatre Festival Finalist, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
One Shoe Untied – Reading for the National Play Award Playwright’s Festival, Finalist for the 1999 Award
From the Family – Developed with the inmates of theCalifornia Rehabilitation Center, Norco
Other Than That Mrs. Lincoln, How Did You Like the Play? - MacGowan Hall UCLA
The Burglary - Fifth Estate Theatre, Los Angeles
And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little - Arena Theatre, California State University, Los Angeles
Airwaves Island - Hoover High School, Glendale
Thick Crust - Exploritorium, California State University, Los Angeles
Mulligan and De Liso - Comedy Store, Hollywood
Off the Bus - Eagle Theatre, Beverly Hills
Mom, Dad, Send Money - Edinburgh Festival, Scotland
The Apple Tree - (Assistant Dir. and Choreographer) Edinburgh Festival, Scotland
DIRECTING T.V/DIGITAL VIDEO
“Curative Yoga” 4 Instructional Yoga D.V.D.s
“Tyrants in Therapy” Cable Comedy T.V. Show, Directed these episodes: “Airheads,” Mobile Sex Therapy,” Buffoon Therapy,” “The Sleeping Olympics,” and “The Tremblingtons.”
“Cock Tales” William Morris Agency promo video
PLAYWRITING
“College Girls”- full-length drama
“Harvey and Grace”- short screenplay
“Cock Tales” – creator/editor of a collection of monologues from 17 playwrights
“Isadora”- a one character play about Isadora Duncan
“The Slaughterhouse Sleepover . . . The Musical!!” 2001 a musical comedy
“The Buckners” 1999-2000 original play co-written with the inmates at C.R.C. (Calif. Arts Council Grant)
“From the Family” 1998-1999 original play co-written with the inmates from C.R.C. (Calif. Arts Council)
“Airwaves Island” 1998 a one-act play for teens
“The Nurse June Show” 1996 a one-character play
“Music That Makes Me Dance” 1989 &1997 a solo movement piece
Various scenes for “Off the Bus” and “Mom, Dad, Send Money” Comedy Ensembles
ACADEMIC WRITING
“ Developing the One-Person Play” 1998 Curriculum writing forAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts
“Movement for Actors” 1997 Curriculum writing for American Academy of Dramatic Arts
“The Physicalization of a Role” an acting methodology, 1994 Master’s Thesis, California State University
“Creative Movement” Curriculum writing for the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, 1990
GUEST ARTIST
Classical Theatre Lab & Theatricum Botanicum – Elizabethan and Restoration Movement Workshops Playwrights in the Schools – “Playwriting Through Movement” developed and taught workshop to teachers
Mark Taper Forum, Other Voices Diffusion Project- playwriting workshop 1999- 2001
Food for Thought – Time Warner Cable talk show “Rehabilitation Through the Arts vrs. Punishment” 1999
UCLA Colloquium Samovar Millennium Conference “Developing the One Person Play” 1999
Project Reach and UPS ART – Theatre, movement and storytelling workshops for schools 1999-2000
U.S.C School of Theatre, Justice in Theatre Course“ Artist’s Working in Correctional Facilities” 1998
Hudson Guild Theatre - Michael Arabian Acting Workshop: “Movement for Actors Seminar” 1998
Howard Fine Acting Studio, Hollywood: Heidi Davis Class “Movement for Actors Seminar” 1997
California State Thespian Conference: “Fencing Seminar” 1991-1992
ARTIST RESIDENCY/ GRANTS
California Arts Council Grant – Theatre Artist Residency 1998-2000
Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Los Angeles: Educational Outreach Program, Dance Instructor 1998
Imperial County Arts Council - Theatre and Dance Instructor 1997-1998
Theatre of Hearts – Dance Residency with abused teens 1997
ADMINISTRATIVE
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts: Audition Coordinator and Recruitment Director, 1989-90
Los Angeles County High School for the Arts: Chairperson for the Physical Education Department 1986-94
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
University of California, Los Angeles MFA Acting 1997 Awarded Fellowship &
Jack Nicholson Prize
California State University, Los Angeles MA Theatre 1994 Graduated Phi Kappa
California State University, Los Angeles BA Theatre 1979 Best Actress Award
Royal National Theatre, London Professional Training Programme 1990 Hosted by
Sir Ian McKellan
Studio Training- Theatre Jose Quintero, Mel Shapiro, Jim Kirkwood
Film/Television Gil Cates, Larry Eric
Director’s Lab West Pasadena Playhouse
Debra De Liso is listed in The Selective Hollywood Acting Coaches and Teachers Directory and has been a professional reader for The Julie Harris Playwriting Award and The National Repertory Theatre Foundation Playwright’s Festival Award. She is a volunteer reader for the Screen Actors Guild Book Pals organization.
Member of A.E.A. /A.F.T.R.A./ S.A.G