By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:48 PM

Debra was cast by Canadian film company Cufflink Productions director Andy Rich to play Florence Sutter, an obsessive mother in the dark comic boxing film “Speed Bag.” The committed production team drove 26 hours to Los Angeles to shoot scenes for their project. From left to right Gary Gill, Jordan Gray, Joey Coombes, Debra, and Director Andy Rich.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:48 PM

Debra and her dear friend and theatre producer Raul Espinoza at the 2005 Ovation Awards held at the Orpheum Theatre. Debra is honored to be an Ovation Award voter. The Ovation Awards are Southern California’s premiere awards for excellence in theatre.



Indie film ”Touched”...

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:47 PM

I appeared as a guest on USC’s TrojanVision talking about “Yoga and Acting.” Along with the master teacher Naader Shagagi (President of the Southern California Yoga Teacher’s Association,) and interviewed by a former USC student of mine Joe Horton, we aired the live show discussing and demonstrating the common principles in both disciplines.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:47 PM

Played lead role in USC Graduate film “Dear Diane” directed by USC Graduate student Margaret Kerrison.

Choreographed, dramturged, and directed sections of Aileen Mahoney’s critically acclaimed solo play “As He Lay” at the Whitmore Theatre in North Hollywood.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:46 PM

Began meeting with award winning playwright Donald Freed on his latest play, the romantic political drama “1951-2006.” I am delighted to be originating the female lead role of Margaret Anne McNally. The play will be directed by Steve Rothman and produced in 2006.

I volunteered at the Mark Taper Forum’s “Vecino’s Night” for the performance of August Wilson’s “Radio Golf.” Debra with Gordon Davidson, the Founding Director of the Center Theatre Group. Debra was employed at the Mark Taper Forum in 1982 –83 as a receptionist, then Literary Assistant , then actor.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:46 PM

Performed the role of Laura in “Brief Encounter” in an evening of Noel Coward scenes presented by the Classical Theatre Lab.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:45 PM

Elected to serve on the Screen Actor’s Guild Nominating Committee for SAG Actor’s performances on television.



Began collaboration with LAAA, Los Angeles Actors Academy, a Korean Film Production Company, as a Senior Instructor of Acting, teaching weekly theatre and film acting classes to professional and beginning actors.

Directed a solo performance comedy “The Rabbi’s Daughter” for debut at the Kibitz Room at Canter’s Deli in Hollywood.



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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:44 PM

Participated in a playwriting workshop at the Theatre at Boston Court with playwright, master teacher Jean-Claude van Itallie.

Attended a playwriting/performance workshop with hip/hop theatre artist Danny Hoch at USC.

“Nordiska” Scandinavia’s largest publishing company requested a reading copy of the play “Cock Tales” created by Debra in 2003. They are considering publishing the play.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:44 PM

Attended a USC School of Theatre workshop on Shakespeare with Sir Peter Hall.

Debra directs the talented Time Winters in an episode of the comedy “The Tyrants in Therapy” for Comcast Cable.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:43 PM

Assisted Leon Katz dramaturgically on his new musical “Dubya and the Gang of Seven.”

Along with my USC School of Theatre students, I attended an afternoon with John Kani, a South African Director, Playwright, Actor and Humanitarian.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:43 PM

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”

Enjoyed sold-out performances of, and standing ovations for, the musical comedy at the Secret Rose Theatre. I had the pleasure of directing and performing in this production with a delightfully talented cast.



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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:42 PM

The “Sledge Hammer!” (The First Season) DVD was released. I am featured in the “State of Sledge” episode, where I played “Angel,” who leads her wild punk gang into the police precinct to break out her boyfriend from jail! Debra received a thanks from writer/producer Alan Spencer saying...

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:41 PM

Directed a location shoot on Hollywood Boulevard for a “Tyrants in Therapy”( husband and wife cable television comedy team) episode.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:41 PM

Debra was a featured actor in the autograph section of the San Diego ComiCon, a huge Comic Book



Directed, co-wrote, and acted in “Mobile Sex Therapy,” a comedy segment for the Tyrants in Therapy television show.

Debra as Dr. Ophelia Bloom, in the television comedy “Mobile Sex Therapy”...

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:39 PM

Choreographed a vocal music concert for Weber Studios.

Directed a reading of a new play, “The Dark Ages,” by Laurel Olstein commissioned by Playwright’s Arena.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:39 PM

“College Girls” Written and directed by Debra De Liso

Debra directing two USC students, Anne Johnson and Mikhaila Aaseng in her play “College Girls.’

Inspired by her students to write for young women during the turbulent, joyful, and frightening college years. Performed at Village Gate Theatre, USC

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:38 PM

Release of new DVD “Something to Scream About.” Debra was a featured actress interviewed about her work in horror films.





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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:38 PM

Played a crazy woman in an independent short film called “The Bug.”

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:36 PM

With playwright, mentor, and friend Leon Katz after a reading of “Sonya” at Greenway Court Theatre. Debra has enjoyed collaborating on 8 theatre projects with Leon.



Debra played Sasha Tolstoy opposite Salome Jens in the lead role.



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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:30 PM

Debra directing the cast of “On Fatal Ground” at the Zephyr Theatre in Hollywood.



Jay Kowai, Noah Wagner, and Debra

Directed and played the lead role in “On Fatal Ground,” a new play by Dr. LaDonna Hayes about her personal battle with Multiple Sclerosis,...

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:29 PM

Dramaturged and directed an original play called “Oops, I Killed My Mother,” written and performed by Ruth Otero, an up-and-coming Latina comedian. The play was later featured in the Latino Playwriting series at the John Anson Ford Theatre.

I created, directed, and produced “Cock Tales,” which ran for a total of ten months, through August 2003. Clint Mitchell, Senior Talent Agent at the William Morris Agency, is now representing the play. Theatre companies in Chicago, St. Louis, Houston, New York, and London have requested the script.



I volunteered on the SRO Conference, a three-day event serving the Los Angeles Theatre Community.

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:27 PM

I was delighted to have been chosen to be a participant in the 2003 Director’s Lab West, which was a week of classes, seminars, and performances, and meetings of 40 West Coast Theatre Directors held at the Pasadena Playhouse and the Boston Court Theatre.

On the set of “Touched” with Warren Vanders.





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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:24 PM

Debra outside of San Quentin where I taught a playwriting workshop to five inmates serving life sentences. I brought “Touched” actor Matt Valenti with me to do research playing an inmate who was on Death Row.

Because of my work with women in prison during my three-year California Arts Council Grant, I was hired as the Special Assistant to the Director for the shoot of the double award-winning screenplay, “Touched.” My job title meant that I did whatever was needed in order to get the film done, including casting, directing the director (who also starred in the film), choreography, voiceover, scenic artist, prop...

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:23 PM

I earned a Garland Award Nomination for Best Performance as Trixie in the world premiere of Richard Redlin’s dark comic no“Trust Me” which ran for six weeks at the Elephant Lab Theatre in Hollywood.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:22 PM

December 2002

I choreographed Studs Terkel’s musical “Working” at Rio Hondo College under the direction of Bill Korf.

September 2002

I played the lead female role of Elizabeth in “The Dukes Development” in the National Play Award festival under the direction of Artists Repertory Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director Jon Kretzu.

June 2002

I was filmed the documentary “Something to Scream About.” I was featured as one of nine actresses who have autobiographical stories about the making of horror films.

I directed and dramaturged Monica Palacio’s one woman comedy “Queer Soul” at Highways Performance Space. Monica is a stand up comedian who is known as the “Lesbian Latina” and was an original member of Culture Clash.

February 2002

I wrote, choreographed, and played Isadora Duncan in my solo play “Isadora’s Dream”directed by Willard Sims. Rio Hondo College featured my performance in their season of “Arts and Cultural Events.” I received a standing ovation for...

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:19 PM

October 2001

“That Certain Cervantes” starring Henry Darrrow, continues to tour throughout the U.S. Debra directed the original production at the El Portal Theatre in N. Hollywood.

May 2001

I had the honor of choreographing the world premiere of Donald Freed’s political tragedy “American Iliad” under the direction of Maria Gobetti at the Victoru Theatre. It was a pleasure to work with David Clennon as Kennedy and Al Rossi as Nixon.

I directed an adaptation of “Charlie’s Aunt” at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts for the second year student’s exam plays.

January 2001

I restaged...

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:17 PM

December 2000

I dramaturged and directed the original production at the Coronet Studio Theatre in Los Angeles.The Verses of Ogden Nash written by and starring Peter Massey. In August 2002, to celebrate the centennial of Nash's birth, Versus was produced by Actor's Conservatory Ensemble at the S. Mark Taper Foundation Amphitheatre in Coldwater Canyon Park (rave review from Tom Hatten, KNX Radio) and then served as the keynote presentation before 1200 members of the Famous Poets Society at the DisneyWorld Hyatt Hotel in Orlando, FL. played in Florida for a conference on writers.

April 2000

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:13 PM

October 1999

I directed the staged reading of “One Shoe Untied” for the National play Award Festival. This play by Marla Dean, was one of the five top finalists in a national play search.

For the Rio Hondo College One Act Play festival I directed “The Other Door” an original one-act play based on a true story of a young Polish girl who narrowly escapes Nazi imprisonment.

September 1999

As a California Arts Council Artist in Residence, I directed and dramaturged an original play called “The Buckners” at the California Rehabilitation Center, a medium security prison in Norco, California. The student inmates performance was quite moving and inspirational to the inmate population that attended as well as industry professionals who were audience members.

I received several favorable reviews as the over-bearing mother, Lorraine, in Sam Shepard’s “Lie of the Mind” directed by Danny LeClare at the Lillion Theatre in Hollywood.

August 1999

I choreographed “Blackbird” an...

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:13 PM

I recorded the voices of Rachagal, the Matriarch of the planet Protos, and the Valkyrie pilot, in “Star craft: The Brood War” a popular C.D.ROM game by Blizzard Entertainment.

I chorepgraphed “Gretty Good Time” for the Mark Taper Theatre’s Other Voices Project. The original play was written by John Belluso and directed by Shirley Jo Finney. The play later went onto regional theatres throughout the U.S.

I co-directed an adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Whittier” with Tony Carriero for Rio Hondo College’s Summer Theatre in the Park.

I was a Guest Artist presenting “Creating the One-person Show” workshop at UCLA for their Samovar Series working with UCLA theatre majors.

I choreographed and played several roles in Leon Katz’ dark drama “Justine” at the Evidence Room in Culver city. The Drama Logue- Backstage West had quite a favorable review of my choreography.

By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:12 PM

I played several roles in the world premiere of Leon Katz’ biography “G.B.S. in Love.” Especially satifying was acting opposite Mr. Katz as he played George Bernard Shaw and I played Mrs. Patrick Campbell.

I choreographed Books I-V of “The Iliad” for the ongoing epic staging of the Classical Theatre Lab’s production at the 24th street Theatre. Kent Minault directed. Ron Canada and James Park played the leads.

I played the role of Tanya, Tolstoy’s daughter, in the biographical drama, “The Countess Tolstoy,” about the last days of Leo Tolstoy’s life. The production was written and directed by Leon Katz.

I choreographed Heidi Helen Davis’ production of “Three Penny Opera” at will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum. It was my pleasure working with the gracious Ellen Geer in the role of Pirate Jenny.

I wrote and performed my first One-Person show “The Nurse June Show” about my disabled mother, as my Master’;s Thesis at UCLA.

I graduated from UCLA with my MFA in Acting. I won the Jack Nicholson...

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By SuperUser Account on 6/26/2009 11:11 PM

I had received a Graduate Fellowship for the Masters of fine arts at the University of California at Los Angeles in 1994 and in 1996 I was steep in my studies. I had the pleasure of being directed by several talented director’s such as Leon Katz, David Schweitzer, Salome Jens, Kent Gash, Tim Miller, to name a few. I played the lead female role in the adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s’ “The Possessed,” several characters in Buchner’s “Leonce and Lena,” the role Lucille Ball originated in “Stage Door,” and a lady of the night in Aphra’s Behn’s “The Rover.”