Deborah Andrews

In February 2002 Deborah co-founded Solar Bear Limited, of which she was Artistic Director from 2002-2009. For Solar Bear Deborah directed the award-winning production Seeing Voices, led a wide range of outreach workshops in theatre and new writing, and project managed several productions and events. In May 2007, Deborah was awarded an RNID Community Award, for making a difference to the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people in the local community. Deborah has a special interest in inclusive, multidisciplinary theatre, and studied British Sign Language (BSL) to Pre-Level Ill at Deaf Perspective. She developed new, integrated aesthetics for Solar Bear. In August 2007 she established the UK’s first Deaf Youth Theatre (DYT) within Solar Bear and devised and directed its two main-stage productions - DJ Sparky Blows a Fuse and GONE.  In 2009 she developed and supported an Apprenticeship for an emerging Deaf theatre practitioner, which included writing and directing a new pilot production - Skin Soul.

Deborah trained in dance at The Arts Educational School and drama at the RSAMD. She has worked extensively in Scotland as a freelance director, writer, choreographer and workshop leader. In 1999 her theatrical adaptation of Dream State: The New Scottish Poets won a Scotsman Fringe First Award. In 2008 she gained a MLitt Creative Writing (Distinction) from Glasgow University. Her short story UFO was published in the anthology The Research Club in 2007, and Static was published in Let’s Pretend in 2008. In 2009 she was awarded an AHRC studentship to undertake a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow. She remains connected with Solar Bear as an Artistic Associate.