Deborah Salem Smith

Biography

Smith was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and grew up in Charlotte. She graduated cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in Art and Archaeology, where she wrote an additional thesis in poetry for the Creative Writing Program. She intended to become a poet or painter. During her undergraduate studies, Smith took a class with renowned South African playwright Athol Fugard, who encouraged her to merge her interests and become a playwright.

After completing her undergraduate studies, Smith ultimately decided to receive her MFA in poetry at the University of Michigan. Her thesis adviser in Michigan echoed the words of Fugard, noting Smith's theatrical use of dialogue and strong visual instincts in her poetry.

She published poems, including "Material Origins of Ethics" and "A Preface: The Diminishment of Infinity" in the Berkley Poetry Review, under the name D. Salem Smith.

In 2002, Smith's long poems evolved into her first play. She was awarded the 2004-2005 Fulbright Emerging American Artist (Playwriting) Fellowship in Dublin, Ireland, where she worked in the Abbey Theatre, and the 2004-2005 Rhode Island School of Design Humanities Travel Award to Belfast.

After returning from Ireland in 2005, Smith was commissioned by Trinity Repertory Company to write her first play, Boots on the Ground. The play premiered in 2006 and was directed by Laura Kepley. That same year, Smith was commissioned by Trinity Rep to write Some Things Are Private. The play premiered in 2008 and was named a "Critics Pick" by The Boston Globe.

Smith's 2012 play, Love Alone, received an Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award and an Honorable Mention by the Jane Chambers Playwriting Award. In addition, Love Alone was an IRNE Award finalist for Best New Play of 2013. Love Alone was also an Indy Week (North Carolina) Best Play of 2014 selection; and a National Lambda Literary Award finalist in Drama, 2016. The play is currently produced in multiple theaters across the country.

Faithful Cheaters, a comedy, premiered at Trinity Repertory Company in April, 2017.

Anna K. (new play-in-progress) had a reading in the Breaking Ground Festival at the Huntington Theatre.

Since 2007, Smith has been the playwright-in-residence at Trinity Rep. She also teaches the playwriting curriculum for the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Program.

Personal life

Deborah Salem Smith is married to Dr. Christine Montross and together they have two children.

Full-length plays

Boots on the Ground
Some Things Are Private
Love Alone
Faithful Cheaters

Anna K. (new play-in-progress)

Reviews

Louise Kennedy of The Boston Globe says of Smith's Boots on the Ground:

Kennedy also writes of Some Things Are Private, saying:

Dr. Pauline W. Chen of The New York Times says of Love Alone:

The Providence Journal's Channing Gray writes of Smith and Love Alone:

Larry O’Brien of Broadway World says of Smith’s Faithful Cheaters:

"This is a screwball comedy that would have made George S. Kaufman proud."

David Christner of The Newport Daily News says:

"Faithful Cheaters’ is as frantic a farce as any Frenchman ever formulated, but underlying all the good humor and physical comedy is a touching story about love. The structure of Smith’s comedy follows a formula that is centuries old, only deviating from the form when the playwright momentarily puts the hijinks aside and allows the emotional side of her characters to be exposed. It is in these small moments where Smith’s gift for exploring the fragility of the human heart through her words truly shines and makes this production so extraordinary.”