DEBORAH D.E.E.P. MOUTON
LIBRETTIST
BIOGRAPHY
“[H]er homage to Black womanhood has resulted in a work of art that defies categorization.” – The New York Times (Review of D.E.E.P.’s debut memoir Black Chameleon: Memory, Womanhood, and Myth)
Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton is a dynamic force in the literary and performing arts, renowned for her multifaceted talents as a poet, director, performer, and critic. As Houston’s inaugural Black Poet Laureate, she has been a trailblazer in the world of performance poetry, previously holding the distinction of being the #2 Best Female Performance Poet in the World (PSI).
D.E.E.P.’s artistry extends to the stage with groundbreaking theatrical works that include operas, poetry slam, and musicals.Her upcoming productions, such as She Who Dared (ChicagoOpera Theater, 2025) and Future of Dreams (Kennedy Center,2025), showcase such versatility. Her other notable works include On My Mind (Opera Theater St. Louis, 2023), Atlanta: 1906 (Atlanta Opera, 2022), and The Forest of Secrets (National Sawdust, 2022). Her choreopoem Plumshuga: The Rise of Lauren Anderson (Stages Theater, 2022), which graced the cover of the NYT Culture section, and The World's Intermission (Performing Arts Houston, 2021) highlight her genius as both playwright and director. She has also collaborated with the Houston Ballet, Houston Rockets, and performed for a crowd of over 30,000 at the Texans' 50-yard line.
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CRITICAL ACCLAIM
"The libretto, by Houston Poet Laureate Emeritus Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, is clear-eyed and quietly confrontational." – Houston Chronicle
Marian's Song – "Among its loftier artistic achievements, “Marian’s Song” packed a lot of history, and a lot of subtext, into a similar running time as the average Netflix drama. The libretto, by Houston Poet Laureate Emeritus Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, is clear-eyed and quietly confrontational."
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"Deborah is a phenomenal poet and spoken-word artist…" – Arts and Culture Texas
Marian's Song – "Deborah is a phenomenal poet and spoken-word artist… It has never been done this way, the way Deborah has done it, which is very ingenious… Having the spoken word take place while there’s singing going on is a very delicate, intricate thing to do.”