Born a performer, I am still performing today. I was 4 years old and began singing along to Dakota Staton’s jazz music. It was a breeze to become a professional singer. I was a singer in clubs, on stage musicals, and then in studios recording jingles. My first album, “Pearl,” on London Records was with my brilliantly talented singer/songwriter/harpsichordist sister, Leslie, who wrote the Folger’s “best part of wakin’ up” jingle. I sang commercial jingles for Honda, Telecheck, What-A Burger, and recorded backup for Neil Young to Linda Ronstadt. His “Living With War” session was an amazing experience! In addition to the studio work, I sang with Severin Browne (Jackson’s brother), and then moved into jazz with Lou Forestieri Trio. However, I was always driven to do more, and eventually became a professional writer. After working on many sitcoms, including the highly acclaimed “Designing Women”, I was able to become a writer/producer in television. I fell in love with theater through that experience and spent many nights writing plays at the studio. My collection, “About Sex” was produced at the MET Theatre, Los Angeles. It was a finalist in HBO’s Comedy Fest and was selected for the Samuel French One Act Festival, New York. Screenwriting was my next step. My short film, “Waiting for Yvette”, starring Wendie Maick, came in third place in Logo Networks Click Fest. It was also awarded audience awards at various film festivals across the country. Thor Freudenthal, a brilliant director, was my screenwriter. I also wrote screenplays (“Hotel For Dogs,” and “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”) that are currently in development. I had a great time writing “At The Bistro Garden,” a musical with David E. Kole. It was a workshop production that Lucinda Bridges (Jeff’s sister) produced, where I was one of the leads. My big number, “My Ex-Husband Gets Married Today”, can be found on my VIDEOS page. My critically-acclaimed one-woman show “Chick Singers,” which I developed at HBO Workspace, was performed at The Cinegrill and Odyssey Theaters in Los Angeles. You can also find excerpts from “Chick Singers”, on the VIDEOS page. My singing credits include Grace Under Fire, Grace Under Fire, Frasier, and ER. I also performed at many Hollywood fundraisers for heavy hitters. From Johnny Carson to Steven Speilberg, to Barbra Streisand… (who reminded of my sister so it was both a pleasure and a great deal of ease – she was so wonderful to me!) My current project is a singer/lyricist that combines my singing and writing in “Souvenir of You” – new lyrics to Benny Carter Classics. Writing lyrics to Benny Carter’s tunes has been the greatest honor of my life. This is thanks to Hilma Carter, Benny Carter’s widow, as well as Ed Berger (Benny’s assistant director at the Institute for Jazz Studies, Rutgers University). Now, I am working again with Lou Forestieri to create what we hope will make Benny proud. I am excited to sing his incredible songs in my show, “Singing Benny Carter”. I’m an associate artist at the award-winning Interact Theater Company and member of the Actor’s Studio Playwrights/Directors Unit. One of my proudest achievements is co-founding and directing the The National In Choir. This volunteer holiday choir has hundreds of singers from the LA area and goes to homeless missions, old age homes, and hospitals every December. Since many years, I have been singing at Temple Isaiah in Los Angeles and at Cedars Sinai Medical Center’s High Holiday Services. I am proud to be a cum-laude graduate from Barnard College, Columbia University. from http://www.deborahpearl.com
