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.
