Artistic Director - Debra Whitfield
Debra is an award-winning director, playwright and actor. She has worked at The Mint Theater, Florida Studio Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, Bristol Riverside Theatre, Dorset Theatre Festival, Two River Theater Company, Hartford TheaterWorks, the Human Race Theatre Company, Premiere Stages, and the Bickford Theatre, among others.
Off-Broadway, Debra has directed TECH SUPPORT, Olympics Über Alles and The Banana Monologues. She’s also directed The Gibson Girl (FringeNYC 2018), INTRUDER (Best Director nomination, NYC Winterfest 2018);The Underpants (Amateur Comedy Club); Welcome to the Hard Luck Café (Best Director Award,Thespis Theatre Festival) and Blithe Spirit (The Snarks). In the Belly of the Beast (Florida Studio Theatre) won the Sarasota Magazine Award for Best Play. Her production of Trifles received the Beaux Arts Da Vinci Award for Best Revival. Regionally, Debra has directed ROPE (10th Avenue Arts Center, San Diego),To Gillian on her 37th Birthday (Depot Theatre), A Murder is Announced (Dorset Theatre Festival) and Brighton Beach Memoirs (Emelin Theatre).
Her writing credits include: TECH SUPPORT at 59E59 Theaters (also at Manhattan Repertory Theatre and Algonquin Theater Productions), FIRE at Theatre 54 @Shetler Studios and Theatres; Champagne at Manhattan Repertory Theatre; The Man in the Window for Algonquin Theater Productions; Duck Sauce Can Be Dangerous at The WorkShop Theater Company and The Apple Corps Theatre. Her new play, TRANSFERENCE, was nominated for Best Play at the Strawberry One-Act Festival. She also won the award for Best Director. Debra recently wrote a stand alone monologue, The Invisible Thread, for the Primary Stages ESPA live streaming event, 50 Shades of Detention.
As an actor, Debra has played in Other Desert Cities (The Company Theatre Group), Managing Maxine (Human Race Theatre Company), Rough Crossing and A Christmas Carol (Virginia Stage Company). She was Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra and played opposite Orson Bean in The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Debra had the title role in Charley’s Aunt with John Astin. She received Best Actress Awards for How I Learned To Drive, The Adjustment and Relatively Speaking. Television and film credits include “The Edge of Night,” “As the World Turns,” “Lost Revolution,” with Melissa Leo and “Starring Austin Pendleton,” which won the Best Documentary (short) at the Anchorage International Film Festival in 2016.
Debra is a graduate of the London Shakespeare Studio and The Ohio State University. She received a Masters Degree in Theatre from Kent State University. In addition to being the AD of Chatillion Stage Company, Debra is on the Board of Directors for the Shaw Project. She is a proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA and SDC.
