photo by George Courtney

About Tanya O'Debra
Former welfare kid and Boston-area guttersnipe Tanya O'Debra is now a screenwriter/director/playwright in NYC. Her short film HALF-PINT is in post-production with producer Suzy Izzard. Screenwriting accolades include: BAD DENTIST (Semifinalist:  Humanitas College Comedy Award, Final Draft Big Break), THE LITTLE DEATH (Quarterfinalist: PAGE Awards, Final Draft Big Break). Playwriting highlights: HOCKEY WIVES (Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival, Goldberg Prize Finalist, Relentless Award Honorable Mention, O’Neill Playwrights Conference Semifinalist, $4,000 LMCC Creative Engagement Grant), JUDITH ($10,000 NYSCA Support for Artists Grant), THEM WHAT BRUNG YOU ($10,000 NYSCA Support for Artists Grant), SHUT UP, EMILY DICKINSON ($25,000 Ada Comstock Magic Grant, Abrons Arts Center, Academy of Music). MFA: NYU DDW.
Career Highlights

SELECTED PLAYS

Hockey Wives

2025     Production, Oklahoma City University

2025     The Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival 

2025     Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference Semifinalist 

2024     Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Creative Engagement Grant

2024     Reading,  Provincetown Playhouse B-Plot Reading Series

2024    Goldberg Playwriting Award Finalist

2024     The Relentless Awards Honorable Mention 


Them What Brung You

2021    Bay Area Playwrights Festival Semi-Finalist            

2019    The Denis Johnston Playwriting Award, Smith College Theater Department                

2019    The Elizabeth Wanning Harries Prize, Smith College English Department 

2019    Reading – Smith College


Shut UP, Emily Dickinson 

2022    Production – Abrons Arts Center (New York, NY) 

2019    Ada Comstock Magic Grant ($25,000), Smith College and the Helen Gurley Brown Foundation

2019    Production – The Academy of Music (Northampton, MA)

2018    Workshop – The Kraine Theater (New York, NY)    

2018    The Jill Cummins MacLean Prize, Smith College Theater Department           

                                                       

The Secrets of Avondale Falls  (Co-written with Diane O’Debra)

2016    Production – Cincinnati Fringe Festival

2016    Workshop – The Celebration of Whimsy (New York, NY)                                      

2013    Reading – Dixon Place (New York, NY)               

                                        

RADIO STAR 

2022     Production, Provincetown Theater

2016    Production, Edmonton Fringe Festival

2014    Production, The Academy of Music (Northampton, MA) 

2013    Production, OBERON (Cambridge, MA)                                        

2013    Production, Horse Trade Encores (New York, NY)                                    

2012    Production, New Orleans Fringe Festival                            

2012    Production, Cincinnati Fringe Festival                                                         

2012    Production, Joe’s Pub (New York, NY)                                                                                         

2011    Production, Redhouse Arts Center (Syracuse, NY)                         

2011    Production, San Francisco Fringe Festival (Best of Fest Winner)

2011    Production, Festival St-Ambroise Fringe de Montréal (Just For Laughs Best Comedy Nominee, Best English Language Production Nominee)                                

2011    Production, Orlando Fringe Festival                                   

2010    Outstanding Full Length Script Nominee, New York Innovative Theatre Awards   

2010    Production, Ars Nova’s ANTFest (New York, NY)                                                

2010    Production, Horse Trade Theater Company (New York, NY)                                

2009    Production, Edinburgh Fringe Festival                                                                       

                   


EDUCATION

New York University, Tisch School of the Arts: Master of Fine Arts, Dramatic Writing; 2023

Smith College: Bachelor of Arts, English Language and Literature major with a Theatre minor; 2019

Borough of Manhattan Community College: Associate of Arts, Liberal Arts; 2016