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Deborah Bostock-Kelley

Deborah Bostock-Kelley

A twice-published author, multi-time award-winning playwright, magazine writer, theatre reviewer, and newspaper journalist with 30+ years in journalism and business copywriting, Deb is not one to shy away from controversial storylines. She was a 2022 Recipient of the Gobioff Foundation Grant, a 2019 Recipient of the inaugural Tampa Bay Theatre Festival Denise Deneen award for her work in theatre, and a 2017 Recipient of Theatre Tampa Bay's Jeff Norton Dream Grant. With the grants, she produced and directed her original production, "Breast Advice," in the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival; she produced and directed (with another educator) their school shooting play, "A Necessary Conversation," at Straz's TECO Theatre with a talkback with leaders in the community with ticket sales donated to Moms Demand Action, Tampa. A Necessary Conversation won Broadway World Tampa's 2018 BEST ACTOR and BEST ACTRESS Awards. In 2020, the play was nominated for BEST ORIGINAL SCRIPT OF THE DECADE. An expanded version of this bullying, mental health, and gun violence drama was showcased during the 2021 Voices of Truth Theatre Festival at Powerstories Theatre, winning CRITIC'S CHOICE and Regional Broadway World's 2022 BEST PERFORMER and BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A STREAMING PLAY.

In the summer of 2019, she reached out to social media for true stories about breasts, from shape and appreciation to size and cancer. In December, she wrote "Breast Advice," a show that workshopped to a standing-room-only audience in Powerstories Theatre and was called "The Vagina Monologues for boobs." A portion of ticket sales was donated to The Affirmations Project, which works with survivors of breast cancer and domestic abuse. The production was accepted into the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival in September 2022 and won Regional Broadway World's 2022 Runner-Up for BEST NEW PLAY OR MUSICAL.

In May 2023, a series of her plays debuted in her sold-out, standing-room-only playwright showcase weekend at Safety Harbor Art and Music Center called Tapestry: A Weekend of Socially-Conscious Storytelling. This featured "Breast Advice" and a full-length new version of her school shooting survivor's play "#NotOneMore." It was a finalist for Creative Loafing's BEST PLAYWRIGHT and a multi-nominee for Broadway World Awards: BEST ENSEMBLE: Breast Advice and #NotOneMore, BEST NEW PLAY OR MUSICAL: # NotOneMore, BEST PLAY: Breast Advice, # NotOneMore, BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Me, # NotOneMore, BEST PERFORMER IN A PLAY: #NotOneMore, BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A PLAY: #NotOneMore.

In September 2023, her one-act LoveYouMore, about the bullying of a transgender girl, was accepted and performed at the Tampa Bay Theatre Festival.

In 2024, #NotOneMore was accepted and will be part of the June 2024 Tampa International Fringe Festival.
www.thewriteonecreativeservices.com/original-plays

Relying solely on word-of-mouth client testimonials, since 2005, Deb has successfully operated the WriteOne Creative Services, a PR, copywriting, graphic, and web design business that offers a larger agency's talent and design/print capabilities without the overhead expense.

Life Amplified, a variety showcase for grassroots charities and the philanthropic side of Deb's writing and design company, celebrates its 10th year in 2024. Deb and Life Amplified have been honored by Bay News 9 Everyday Hero in February 2016 and Fox13 Hometown Heroes in May 2014. With 100% venue donation and talented volunteer performers, Life Amplified has helped fundraise and raise awareness about human trafficking, PSTD, military sexual trauma, bullying, sexual violence prevention, and LGBTQ issues. It has been on hiatus since the pandemic, but is back on September  28, 2024, with an affirming musical spectacular prom aptly called Life Amplified SPECTACULAR at Carrollwood Cultural Center's The Studio, benefitting PFLAG Safety Harbor. www.lifeamplifiedshowcase.com

Like so many she knows, she is an invisible illness warrior. Deb lives her busy life to show others that you can thrive and not have to be your diagnosis.

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MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

Previews: PREDICTOR at Powerstories @Stageworks Theatre
Previews: PREDICTOR at Powerstories @Stageworks Theatre
June 9, 2026

The Florida Premiere of Predictor brings Meg Crane, inventor of the first home pregnancy test, to Tampa for a Zoom conversation on June 28 and in person on July 24 and 25. Audiences will experience her story onstage on July 17-26, then meet the actual woman whose idea changed lives.

Interview: Constantine Maroulis of THE FLORIDA ROCK SYMPHONY SERIES at Ruth Eckerd Hall
Interview: Constantine Maroulis of THE FLORIDA ROCK SYMPHONY SERIES at Ruth Eckerd Hall
June 8, 2026

Ruth Eckerd Hall and 107.3 The Eagle, in association with TCG Entertainment, are setting the stage for a summer of symphonic rock, uniting the 27-piece Florida Rock Symphony with the music of Led Zeppelin, Journey, and David Bowie. Two of those nights, June 27 and July 17, feature Constantine Maroulis, the American Idol standout and Tony nominated star of Rock of Ages, returning to Clearwater with the unmistakable presence that first won over millions.

Review: RENT at Carrollwood Players Theatre
Review: RENT at Carrollwood Players Theatre
June 8, 2026

The performances, the vocals, the intimacy of the space, all of it hit me in the best way. It felt honest and alive, and I walked out really glad I saw it. Celebrate Pride Month with RENT, a production that honors LGBTQ+ lives and the power of standing together.

Previews: BASH OF THE TITANS at FreeFall Theatre
Previews: BASH OF THE TITANS at FreeFall Theatre
June 5, 2026

freeFall Theatre unleashes Bash of the Titans this summer, where Greek gods collide with 80s fantasy flair, opening on June 12. A powerhouse cast leads a wild quest packed with monsters, mayhem, and neon‑soaked nostalgia. Pegasus is waiting… and the reveal is worth the journey.

Previews: END OF THE RAINBOW at Gulfport Community Players
Previews: END OF THE RAINBOW at Gulfport Community Players
June 5, 2026

End of the Rainbow offers a rare chance to witness Judy Garland’s final chapter brought to life with extraordinary depth by Tammy Lukas. Her performance captures Judy’s fire, fragility, and humor with a precision shaped by years of study and a lifelong connection.

Review: THE NOTEBOOK MUSICAL at Straz Center
Review: THE NOTEBOOK MUSICAL at Straz Center
May 28, 2026

Prepare to cry. The Notebook musical was quietly powerful, beautifully performed, emotionally shattering, and enriched by thoughtful new creative choices that deepen the story without distracting from it.

Interview: Samantha Martí-Parisi of THE SAINT OF SCANDAL
Interview: Samantha Martí-Parisi of THE SAINT OF SCANDAL
May 28, 2026

Tampa Fringe is about to welcome a queer ancestor who has been waiting three centuries to walk back into the room. In The Saint of Scandal written and performed by Samantha Parisi, she steps into the firelit, glitter stained life of Julie d’Aubigny, a woman who loved who she loved, fought who she needed to fight, and refused to apologize for any of it.

Previews: THE NOTEBOOK at Straz Center
Previews: THE NOTEBOOK at Straz Center
May 26, 2026

Anne Tolpegin steps into two pivotal roles as The Notebook opens tonight at the Straz Center, portraying both Allie’s protective mother and the no‑nonsense Nurse Lori. “Her mother really is only looking after Allie’s best interests,” she says, while Nurse Lori is “just a very busy, very sort of can’t catch up nurse” doing her best inside a care facility where love and memory collide.

Previews: TAMPA CITY BALLET'S SLEEPING BEAUTY at New Tampa Performing Arts Center
Previews: TAMPA CITY BALLET'S SLEEPING BEAUTY at New Tampa Performing Arts Center
May 15, 2026

​​​​​​​On stage at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on May 16 and 17, a kingdom awakens as Tampa City Ballet brings Sleeping Beauty to life in a swirl of magic, music, and movement. What begins as a royal celebration- fairies offering gifts, a princess glowing with promise-unfolds into a story shaped by destiny. The company’s guiding belief is clear: “timeless stories deserve to be experienced and shared across generations.”

Review: SIX IGNITES THE STAGE at Straz Center
Review: SIX IGNITES THE STAGE at Straz Center
May 13, 2026

It was empowering and absolutely outstanding from start to finish, the kind of night that hits with attitude, precision, and pure joy. The queens owned the stage, the vocals were unreal, and the entire production felt like a history‑meets‑rock explosion.

Previews: SIX at Straz Center
Previews: SIX at Straz Center
May 11, 2026

SIX brings the Tudor queens roaring into the spotlight with a pop‑powered retelling that has captivated audiences worldwide. Kelly Denice Taylor stars as Jane Seymour, delivering a performance that blends warmth, wit, and unexpected strength. She highlights Jane’s youth, resilience, and growing confidence, revealing a queen far more complex than her traditional portrayal.

Previews: DREAM CHILD: THE TRIAL OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND at Powerstories Theatre
Previews: DREAM CHILD: THE TRIAL OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND at Powerstories Theatre
May 8, 2026

For three days only, see Roxanne Fay as you've never seen her before... as Alice Liddell, the inspiration behind Alice in Wonderland. Tickets are tiered from $45-$150 on May 15-17 at Powerstories Studio.

Previews: CRAZY FOR YOU at Eight O'Clock Theatre
Previews: CRAZY FOR YOU at Eight O'Clock Theatre
April 27, 2026

The production follows Bobby Child, a New York banker sent to Deadrock, Nevada, to foreclose on a rundown theatre, only to fall for Polly Baker, the theatre owner’s daughter. What begins as a simple assignment becomes a spirited attempt to revive a forgotten town through tap, mistaken identity, and some of the most iconic songs in the American musical canon, including “I Got Rhythm,” “Embraceable You,” and “Nice Work If You Can Get It.”

Previews: THEATRE SUMMER CAMP at Ovations Repertory Company
Previews: THEATRE SUMMER CAMP at Ovations Repertory Company
April 24, 2026

Ovations Repertory Company, home of Ovations Dance Academy of Tampa, launches a full season of themed camps, Summer Stock musicals, and professional intensives for young performers ages 3 and up.

Previews: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at The Studio@620
Previews: A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE at The Studio@620
April 20, 2026

The production also reframes the Kowalski home as a biracial marriage, a choice that deepens the story’s examination of identity, power, and community. Director Erica Sutherlin notes that both Stella and Stanley, as well as Eunice and Steve, are biracial couples in this world. “Of course, we can have conversation about the racial tension within the narrative, but we also get to explore relationship tensions, the cultural dynamics that seep into the room because of who they are in 1965. Or how they have chosen to love. Who are these people existing in this landscape? How do they define community because there is a community in the world of this play. Honestly, no one escapes culpability in this play. No one is completely good or bad or completely strong or weak. People are shades, gradients of the whole.”

Previews: AND THEN THEY CAME FOR ME: REMEMBERING THE WORLD OF ANNE FRANK at FreeFall Theatre
Previews: AND THEN THEY CAME FOR ME: REMEMBERING THE WORLD OF ANNE FRANK at FreeFall Theatre
April 6, 2026

freeFall Theatre presents And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank. This powerful multimedia production weaves live performance with recorded survivor testimony to tell the real stories of the teens whose lives intertwined with Anne Frank’s.

Previews: CINDERELLA BALLET at Ovations Repertory Company
Previews: CINDERELLA BALLET at Ovations Repertory Company
April 6, 2026

Experience the enchantment of Ovations Repertory Company’s Cinderella Ballet, performed by a young cast at Sickles High School. This sweeping new production brings Sergei Prokofiev’s score to life, blending technical mastery and heartfelt storytelling for audiences of all ages.

Previews: THE MAGICIAN'S TABLE at Straz Center
Previews: THE MAGICIAN'S TABLE at Straz Center
April 3, 2026

An intimate evening of close‑up magic where five magicians rotate through twelve‑seat tables with live music and cocktails. Evan Driggs brings experience from both the U.S. and London companies, shaping a cinematic, immersive night that turns strangers into a shared audience.

Previews: THE MEETING at Stageworks Theatre
Previews: THE MEETING at Stageworks Theatre
April 3, 2026

'The Meeting' is an imagined encounter between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, bringing audiences into a rare conversation that explores their contrasting philosophies, shared desire for justice, and the urgency of their vision during the Civil Rights Movement.

Review: HELL'S KITCHEN at Straz Center
Review: HELL'S KITCHEN at Straz Center
March 27, 2026

I walked in knowing only a handful of the songs, and it made no difference. Hell’s Kitchen at the Straz is driven by feeling, character, and raw honesty. The music meets you where you are.



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