News
I am honored to be a recipient of the 2026 Orlin Corey Medallino Award for my work in Theatre for Young Audiences! Thank you committee, and especially my dear friend, collaborator, and theatrical sister-in-arms Karen Zacarias for nominating me. :)
A co-commission by 7 professional regional TYA theaters, the show enjoyed rolling co-world premieres at Seattle Children’s Theatre, Main Street Theatre (Houston), Dallas Children’s Theater, First Stage (Milwaukee), The Rose Theater (Omaha), Children’s Theater of Madison, and next season at The Coterie Theatre (Kansas City). When Mo Willems’ characters get together for the holidays, it’s […]
The She Persisted cast album is officially available for streaming and purchase on Spotify and all major music platforms! Thank you to Adventure Theatre MTC, my co-producer Heidi Gerber-Salins, and the incredible cast that made it possible. Stream it. Download it. Love it. Be inspired by these stories of women making the world a better […]
I am honored to be the recipient of the 2024 Harold Oaks Award for Sustained Excellence in TYA, which highlights the achievements of individual leaders and companies that have made a significant and lasting impact on the field of TYA.
Congratulations to the Cast and Crew of “The Velveteen Rabbit” at PACT! With book and lyrics by Adam Tobin and directed by Marieke Gaboury, this new piece based on the classic holiday story by Margery Williams was created to highlight a large youth cast . If you are in the Bay Area, enjoy some holiday […]
If you missed it on HBO Max, the animated musical special “NAKED MOLE RAT GETS DRESSED: The Underground Rock Experience” is now available for streaming free on the Mo Willems Workshop YouTube channel!
Rock your socks on HBOmax and Cartoonito: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience. So proud of this silly yet rockin’ story of individuality! https://youtu.be/BOxZhXzjROQ
Excited to be a part of Music Theatre International’s new educational initiative “Dramatic Moments” – where performers can dig deep into individual songs from musicals, with behind the scenes insights from the creators! Featuring songs from “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”, “Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed”, “Elephant and Piggie’s We Are In A […]
UNMUTED, part of First Stage Milwaukee’s new Amplify BIPOC Virtual Short Plays Series, is a lively new musical by First Stage Playwright in Residence Alvaro Saar Rios, with Music and Lyrics by composer Deborah Wicks La Puma and directed by Anna Skidis Vargas, Producing Artistic Director for Theatre Nuevo in St. Louis. This Amplify production […]
Enjoy 30 minutes of funky silliness with the original cast from the Kennedy Center Premiere! Available on Spotify, iTunes and Amazon Music.
Thank you to the Off Broadway Theatre Alliance and congrats to the whole team at the Atlantic Theater!
Congrats to Ohlook Performing Arts in Grapevine, Texas, on your New Works Showcase performance of “Elephant and Piggie’s ‘We are in a Play’ Jr” at the Junior Theatre Festival in Atlanta. What a joy for Mo and I to introduce you and watch you shine! Congrats to Marty Johnson, Tim McDonald, and the whole iTheatrics […]
In the season preview article by TYA/USA, the National Organization for practitioners of Theatre for Young Audiences, I am listed as the most produced TYA artists of the 19-20 Season! It really helps when you work with amazing playwrights like Karen Zacarias and Mo Willems… “For the second year in a row, Deborah Wicks La Puma is […]
This weekend audiences in Berkeley, California got to see the premiere of SHE PERSISTED: The Musical (based on the book by Chelsea Clinton with illustrations by Alexandra Boiger), and hear the inspiring story of American Women who changed the world! Book and Lyrics by the wonderful Adam Tobin and directed by the amazing Khalia Davis. […]
In a recent article by TYA/USA, the National Organization for practitioners of Theatre for Young Audiences, it appears I am the most produced TYA artists of the 18-19 Season. Crazy, right?!? Most Produced TYA Artist: Deborah Wicks La Puma is the most produced TYA artist of the upcoming season. As the composer of Elephant and […]
Our musical adaptation of Charles Dicken’s classic novel set on the street of Rio de Janeiro is now available through the good folks at Dramatic Publishing!
ELLA ENCHANTED wins “Outstanding Play or Musical Adaptation” for its Adventure Theatre premiere in the DC area! My third nomination and first win. :) Congrats to all those who made it possible!
This original musical, exploring Shakespeare’s story of jealousy, love and forgiveness as a celebration of Dias de los Muertos is coming to the Grand Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah! Opening October 12th. Tickets and Information
Mo Willems and I had the honor of having our show run off-Broadway at the New Victory Theatre this February! As part of its national tour with the Kennedy Center, this two week sit-down was a treat, featuring a live band. We got to share the excitement with the crowd at a talk back […]
OLIVERio: A Brazilian Twist opened to rave reviews! “A story of female empowerment that can charm both girls and boys.” (DC Theatre Scene) “Oli learns tough lessons about what it means to have hope, and share that hope in a world that no longer believes. What ensues is a rollercoaster chain of events with beautiful connections, […]