Oyster Bay actor is on a lead role at festival

One to watch, the rising Oyster Bay actor has been honing her performance skills in theatre, and is starring in a new play by Frank Leggett in Short+Sweet Sydney 2024, continuing a collaboration that won the pair a clean sweep of awards at the 2022 festival - including People's Choice and Best Actress.

And In the End this time round is Frank's 12th play - of many performed in 26 festivals around the world, and marks Debbie's 11^th year in the festival known as the Biggest Little Theatre Festival in the World - a partnership with TAFE NSW.

She has written, directed or acted in 23 plays during that time, including Short+Sweet Cabaret. This piece features in week three of the festival from February 29-March 3, Thursday to Sunday evenings at the new Turner Hall venue, Ultimo.

And In the End is about two characters Matt and Sophie. It's all over for them - Sophie has moved out and there is a new guy in her life. But Matt just can't let it be. They share too much history. He still loves her and will do everything in his power to see their relationship continue.

Frank Leggett also created the ITC, Ampullae of Lorenzini, so he could work with Debbie in Short+Sweet 2022. The one-actor play he wrote and directed, You Won't Believe, made the gala finals, won the People's Choice Award, and Debbie won an inaugural Actors Circle Award. The play was also performed at Short+Sweet Illawarra where it won Judge's Choice, People's Choice and Debbie won Best Actor.

Debbie graduated from Screenwise with a diploma of screen acting. Her latest film credit is the Australian film on Amazon Prime Fragmentary directed by Jace Pickard. A highlight from Short+Sweet is a play Debbie wrote and acted in, Not So Enchanted with George Burgess and directed by David Berry.

Debbie has always had a passion for musicals as she loves singing and tap dancing on stage. She is currently in rehearsals for Anything Goes with Engadine Musical Society as Erma. Other musicals included: 42nd Street as Peggy with The Hills Musical Society as well as Fiddler on the Roof, Les Misérables, Spelling Bee and Footloose.

Debbie also has a passion for classical plays such as Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, where she played Marianne at Manly Star of the Sea. As well as Peggy in Come Blow Your Horn with Lane Cove Theatre Company, she played Mary in Coward at Christmas at the Genesian theatre. Debbie was able to play one of her dream roles as Dorothy in Strathfield Musical Society's The Wizard of Oz, and the lead in Little Voice at the NEW theatre.

Debbie has toured for eight years with Meerkat Productions a Melbourne based theatre and education company that travel all over Australia performing Children Book Council of Australia short listed picture and younger reader books of the year, which are adapted into musicals.

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