This is Debera’s debut at Mt. Hood Rep. Recent directing credits include “Twelfth Night” for PAE’s 33rd annual Shakespeare in the Parks and “Rashomon” for Theatre Vertigo. She is a 20 year veteran performer. She performed the role of Ursula/ First Watch in last fall’s production of “Much Ado About Nothing” ( Portland Center Stage). Debera has toured the west coast with Master Magician “Dr. Wilderness” and she has performed in improvisational comedy shows throughout Western Europe for the Department of Defense. Recent roles include, Charlotte Malcom in “A Little Night Music”, Mae Tuck in “Tuck Everlasting”, Catherine De Medici in “The King Has Gone to Tennebrae”, and a multitude of characters on the Mt. Hood Railroad’s Murder Mystery Train. She is also a member of the teaching staff at Young Audiences, RACC Sun Schools, Northwest Children’s Theatre Academy and The Northwest Academy.

"In the summer of 1984, Duane Hall and James Lawrence, made me sit down and watch a Marx Brothers film. I didn't think I would like something as antiquated as the Marx Brothers.

Now, maybe it was because I had just been in the Sandy Community Players' production of Anything Goes or because I was in college and therefore smarter, but I laughed until I hurt. I had heard all of these jokes before. RE-hashes of these jokes. But it was crystal clear that The Marx Brothers were the geniuses who created these jokes. These jokes were finally funny in the hands of the masters. Funny to the point of asthma attacks funny.

I couldn't get enough of them. To this day, Animal Crackers, Duck Soup and A Day at the Races are in my top 10 movie picks.

In 1989, I scored my first full time acting gig with the Carousel Company Theatre for Children. Our training included studying the classic comedians. Naturally, I focused on the Marx Brothers. Chris Herman was part of that company and he proved to be just as big a Marx Brothers fan as Duane and James and myself.

The longer I work in the theatre, the more Marx Brothers afficianados I find. I pegged Jim Caputo as a fan back in 1993 while working on Blue Plate Special, and Tyler Hughs is the 6th Marx Brother.

So, when Tobias asked if I was interested in this reading series, I knew in 5 seconds what I would be doing and who I wanted to do it with. Here they are! Enjoy."