Debra Wise

Debra Wise co founded Underground Railway Theater in 1978 and has served as Artistic Director since 1998. For 25 years, URT toured nationally and abroad a repertoire of original socially-engaged productions, as well as puppet spectacles commissioned by major orchestras. In 2007, She co founded Central Square Theater, where she has helmed award-winning productions as Artistic Director (including Vanity Fair, black odyssey boston, a co-pro with The Front Porch; Constellations; The Convert), and director (an original adaptation of Christmas Carol). As an actor, she has most recently appeared in The Half-Life of Marie Curie, Vanity Fair and Homebody (Central Square Theater), Escaped Alone and Dolls House 2 (The Gamm), People Places & Things (Speakeasy). She founded and now directs Central Square Thearter’s science/theater partnership, Catalyst Collaborative@MIT, and has co-authored an ebook with videos documenting Underground Railway’s first decades as a puppet & actor, socially-engaged touring company: www.URTheaterEbook.com.