“Jackie and Clarisse” is Deborah Vines’ surprising two-character tragic-comedy about
life, love, and long distance…[Jackie] is smitten by [Clarisse’s] “liquid Velveeta voice”; she
recognizes the “real” man behind the bravado. He sings her corny songs and she opens up like a
time-elapsed photograph of a flower. Vines handily sidesteps the obvious pitfalls of a two-character,
2 ½-hour play in which the characters never meet – or ever leave their respective offices. She’s
given them each a good story to tell… Vines even introduces an element of danger without it seeming
contrived… You may be reminded of “Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune,” although Vines has
another kind of love story in mind, more of “The Slender Thread,” about a phone call to a suicide
prevention center. Vines’ desperation may be quieter, but the connection is no less dramatic.
‘Jackie and Clarisse’ at the Hudson Backstage Theater
BACKSTAGE WEST – by Madeline Shaner
In Deborah A. Vines’ play, Jackie and Clarisse are two ordinary people with
ordinary problems… While they’re both stuck in dead-ends jobs, with loneliness and boredom
as their constant companions, the relationship that develops between the two on a long-distance
phone is anything but ordinary… they bring out the best in each other – the sweetness and
honesty of the Jersey-talking rough diamond with a hard of gold is hard to resist, and the
plain speaking and obvious goodness of the tentative young woman who’s been victimized by
life are potent truth serum. Drama is about change, and it happens here – not in any obvious
way, but in a gradual unraveling of facades until both players are emotionally naked…. There’s
no staginess or acting schoolwork evident in either of their performances. When they weep,
we weep with them.
Comedy Makes a Point About Female Friendship
The Kathy and Mo Show – Written by KATHY Najimy and Mo Gaffney, Produced by Barry Crites and
Deborah Vines, starring Susan Bryan and Deborah Vines
THE DAILY NEWS – Reviewed by Lynn LeGendre
Kathy and Mo: Parallel Lives… brings comedy with a twisted bite to [the 200-seat
Firehouse Theater]. Enthusiastically received by a capacity crowd last Saturday night… surprisingly,
in the midst of all this maniacal humor, [the play] slips in a quite, timely revelation or two…
More importantly… Bryan and Vines personally transcend the lines of their off-beat, off-Broadway
material, and make a real statement about the powerful possibilities of mutually respectful,
mature female friendship.
The Playroom – Theater Rapport
DAILY VARIETY – LEGIT REVIEWS – Los Angeles
The Playroom resurfaces at Theater Rapport as a fascinating little gem of a
thriller…Four performers are superb… Vines captures the stepmother’s plight well…
One-Act Festival at Depot Theater Presents
Variety of Mood and Styles
Also engaging is Control, a comedy by Deborah Vines…
Love! That 4-Letter Word, the musical
PERFORMING ARTS NEWSLETTER – Reviewed by W. Wuhrman
… the playwright tackles the many different sides of romantic (and often times
unromantic) love in a fresh, very funny, and upbeat manner… the author has injected each of
the nine characters with a quirkiness and likability that ultimately elicits a sense of
recognition and empathy. There seems to be a little bit of “something for everyone” in the
array of characters… The music is the true highlight of the show and… includes several
memorable numbers.