Meet the Playwright

Deanna Duplechain

Deanna Duplechain is a writer, theatre director, and educator who has practiced her craft for over 45 years.

She holds two Master of Fine Arts degrees, one in directing from the University of Virginia and the other in creative writing from Eastern Washington University, having received full assistantships for both, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.

Her current project is REvamping REstell, a kaleidoscopic play that excavates the life and times of Madame REstell, female physician and notorious abortionist in the 1800s. The play was first presented in a workshop production at Ten Fifteen Theater in Astoria in August 2026. Deanna is focused on the future life of this play and sharing its words with ever-increasing audiences.

Directing Background

Deanna is also the artistic founder of two theatre companies: Women's Workshop in New York City and Nevada Theatre Company in Las Vegas. She has directed more than 40 plays across a career that's ranged from assistant directing on Broadway at Circle in the Square, to helming large outdoor summer Shakespeare and musical productions in Las Vegas, to writing and directing The Venetian casino's original environmental entertainment program, to leading underserved youth in creating and acting in their own original shows.

She also wrote a series of plays for Books Alive!, which toured schools and community centers in culturally underserved areas of Nevada, Utah, and Idaho for three years, reaching over 50,000 audience members.