Deanie Vallone
Deanie Vallone is a dramaturg, writer, and producer based in Wisconsin. For five years she worked in new play development at Milwaukee Rep, shepherding new work by Ayad Akhtar, Dael Orlandersmith, Lloyd Suh, Idris Goodwin, Eleanor Burgess, Kimberly Belflower, and others. She's also worked as a dramaturg with Baltimore Center Stage, Asolo Rep, the Kennedy Center, and Forward Theatre. Since 2019, she's served on the leadership team for World Premiere Wisconsin, a one-of-a-kind state-wide new play festival. She's been a reader for the Yale Drama Prize, the O'Neill, Great Plains Theater Conference, and the Playwrights Center. She received her MA in English literature from the University of Cambridge. Proud LMDA member.
DRAMATURGY: For five years I worked in new play development at Milwaukee Rep (the last two as Literary Director), overseeing commissions, development, workshops, and full-productions of every new play in the theater. In addition to new work, I also served as dramaturg on extant productions--everything from musicals to straight plays to TYA. I've worked with writers at every stage of the new play process, some for as many as six years on a single show. I've also had the opportunity to mentor young theater-artists coming through Milwaukee Rep. Outside of the Rep, I've worked in new play development with several other theaters and have been part of the World Premiere Wisconsin Leadership team since 2019. I'm also a writer myself, and believe trust and respect are core to the dramaturg-writer process. In late 2022, I decided to go freelance and since then have worked on three world premiere productions and one Shakespeare adaptation, among other in-the-works projects.
HOW I IDENTIFY: I identify as part of the LGBT+ community.
LANGUAGES: English -- and very beginner Norwegian!