I had the privilege of directing Brian Delate’s one man show “Guardian Angels” this year, which was presented first at the Whitefire Theater, then at The Road Theatre in Los Angeles, to sold-out crowds. He got a wonderful review by John Lavitt in The HollywoodTimes, who was kind enough to mention my work as a director:

“At the Road Theatre, Delate’s performance is taken to the next level of excellence with the help of Deb Hiett’s precise direction. When it comes to solo shows, the role of a director is a careful balancing of unleashing and containing. While some aspects of a performer need to be brought out, others need to be quieted so this can happen.

Hiett helps Delate bring forth the significance of his message by focusing on his body and respecting moments of silence. By helping Delate get in touch with his physicality while not being worried about gaps, the direction allows the actor to expand the range of his expression while making it more precise.”

Brian’s show is heading for a limited run at the Actors Studio in New York City in February, 2024. Congrats, Brian!

This season you might have caught sight of Mrs. Stephen Edwards (played by yours truly) on the Starz’ horror-comedy show “Shining Vale” with Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear, Mira Sorvino, Merrin Dungey, and Sherilyn Fenn. Check out another scene coming up on this Friday’s episode (11-24-23):

Although it was not selected for the award/fellowship, I’m very proud to have written one of the few plays selected as Semi-Finalists for the 2023-2024 Princess Grace Award in Playwriting/Fellowship at New Dramatists. With the subjective nature of the selection process of these organizations, it means a lot to me to have the play get to this level of competition, and every acknowledgment is appreciated and taken as great encouragement!

I continue to develop (and hopefully improve) this play which was originally written as part of the Playwrights Union “February New Play Challenge,” was selected for Antaeus Theatre’s Lab Results Reading Series, and which will be workshopped at Gulfshore Playhouse’s New Works Festival in September 2023.

Synopsis for “Circle Forward": Seventeen years after the loss of her young husband from cancer, Mia meets a teenager, Ethan, who believes he is the reincarnation of her late husband. When Ethan and his mom Lexi come to Mia's house for lunch, Mia must face her doubts, her past, and the whole truth.

A big thank you to the Princess Grace Foundation and New Dramatists for this recognition. Onwards!!

I am over the moon excited to have my play Circle Forward selected for the Gulfshore Playhouse New Works Festival this September. I’ve had the pleasure of working with this extraordinary LORT-D theater before, when they produced the world premiere of my play Miss Keller Has No Second Book in 2018.

With the talented folks they are assembling (including director Jeffrey Binder), I can’t wait to bring my play to the table. The week’s workshop will conclude with a reading that is open to the public on Saturday Sept 16, followed by a Q&A with the audience.

Synopsis of Circle Forward: Seventeen years after the loss of her young husband from cancer, Mia meets a teenager, Ethan, who believes he is the reincarnation of her late husband. When Ethan and his mom Lexi come to Mia's house for lunch, Mia must face her doubts, her past, and the whole truth.

More info about the festival here in the BroadwayWorld press release. For Gulfshore Playhouse tickets, click here.

We are asking for fair wages and a reasonable contract.

Learn more about the strike at the SAG-AFTRA website or the WGA website. Thank you for your support!

Watch until the very end:

Big thanks to Allison Jones and Emily Buntyn, and the fabulous Greta Gerwig. Also, Ryan. :)

Please join me for the first reading of my new musical “The Sunny Survival Caravan!” on Sunday May 21 at 2:00 p.m. at Atwater Village Theatre 3269 Casitas Ave, in Los Angeles. Tickets are FREE but you’re encouraged to R.S.V.P. through THIS LINK. The reading is part of the “First Peek” Reading Series by the L.A.-based Playwrights Union.

SYNOPSIS of “The Sunny Survival Caravan!”:
Fifteen years after the collapse of civilization, a misfit traveling band of musicians perform their relentlessly cheerful nostalgia show as they travel from settlement to settlement, throughout a decimated not-so-united states, sometime in the post-apocalyptic, climate-ravaged, accordion-filled future.

Darla, Gabriela, Razz, Chester, and Banger have managed to tour what's left of the former United States for over a year – no small feat in these difficult times. Their optimistic message and varied song stylings are wildly popular, and they’ve even rigged up an old stationary bicycle to an old battery to have some amplification and lighting, thanks to some strings of old patio and Christmas lights. When the newest and youngest member of the band, Evvie, joins them, she challenges their determination to perform only the most upbeat odes to nostalgia.

By the show’s hopeful end, we see that the healing power of music can lift us up by gathering us all together, even during the darkest times.

Cast to be announced soon. Please come out and support new theater!