معرفی
Deborah Stein is a distinguished faculty member in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where she teaches playwriting and theatrical collaboration. She is also Co-Artistic Director of Stein | Holum Projects (SHP), a collaborative laboratory for creating innovative performances. Her work bridges academic scholarship and professional theatre, with national commissions and festival premieres.
- BA, Swarthmore College
- MFA, Brown University (studied with Paula Vogel)
Her research and creative practice focus on playwriting, experimental performance, and interdisciplinary collaboration. She explores narrative innovation through devised theatre, often working with ensembles and MFA students to create original works that challenge traditional forms. Her work emphasizes emotional depth, physicality, and social themes.
The 15 most recent creative projects reflect a strong trend in collaborative, experimental, and socially engaged theatre. They span festival productions, commissioned works, and student collaborations, often developed in residency settings. Keywords include immersive storytelling, devised creation, and political resonance, with subfields ranging from physical theatre to identity exploration.
Deborah has received numerous honors and grants supporting her artistic research:
- Drama Desk Award Nomination (CHIMERA)
- National Theatre Project Award (2015)
- NYSCA Grant
- Bush Artist Fellowship
- Two Jerome Fellowships
- McKnight Advancement Grant
- Alumna, New Dramatists
She actively mentors MFA students, having co-created THE BITTER GAME with Keith Wallace and MOVERS + SHAKERS with graduate students. Her advising integrates creative development with academic rigor. She has secured external funding from NEFA, ArtsEmerson, and foundations to support collaborative projects. Her work has been developed in partnership with institutions such as Playwrights’ Horizons, HERE, and La Jolla Playhouse.
Deborah leads creative research through Stein | Holum Projects, which functions as a performance laboratory. This collective has developed work at major venues including FringeArts, the Playwrights’ Center, and Perry-Mansfield, fostering a national network of experimental theatre makers.
