Debbra Liverman is an American playwright and author, born and raised in New York
City. This self-proclaimed “round peg in a square hole” is a product of the civil rights era
and expressly attributes her outlook on life to the murders of President Kennedy, Malcolm
X, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. respectively. Liverman writes:
“These men were murdered. They were struck down in the prime of their lives
because they chose to speak up. These selfless individuals were less concerned
about the eminent danger that their beliefs posed, but rather, they were determined
to bring an end to the marginalization of minorities, the socio-economic disparities
between black and white Americans, and of course racial discrimination.”
Born into a close-knit family, Liverman and her kin shared a traditional railroad flat in
Lower-Manhattan, where a great emphasis was placed on the importance of education. As
a child, Liverman’s father would often challenge her to express her feelings on paper. Of
this experience she writes, “Starting at the age of five, my father made me write him notes.
He would say, ‘Debbra, if you have something to say, put it in writing.’ I use to hate that
so much.” With an instilled appreciation for knowledge, Liverman devoted many hours to
her studies, but her efforts were often overlooked by her teachers. As one of only a
handful of minorities in a predominately white school, Liverman’s willingness to
participate in class activities was often dismissed and she was repeatedly discouraged from
furthering her education. Never one to be stifled, Liverman intensified her studies and
would eventually go on to graduate with an MPA from John Jay College.
Although writing had long played an important role in Liverman’s life, she developed her
writing style while attending Columbia University. As a student at one of New York City’s
foremost institutions, she was often told by her professors that she possessed an approach
to writing that was all her own. In describing her own style, Liverman sums it up by
simply saying, “I don’t write like an average woman of color… I don’t write about the bad
times… It is my belief that if a person advocates negativity, that is exactly what he or she
will invite into their life.” Inspired by poetry and rap, Liverman would go on to write and
produce a number of plays, the first of which sold out in record time and created a demand
for her unique style of writing.
As a writer, Liverman wields an honest pen- using the world as her muse to bravely
examine the issues of religion, family life, sexuality, economics and politics. Her approach
is like no other, and her passion is unbridled. Debbra Liverman is on the path to become
arguably one of the most preeminent new playwrights to come along in quite some time.