Debra Barsha

Composer Pianist Singer Songwriter Actress

Work With Debra

Who I Am

Thank you for visiting! If you have journeyed this far to find out who Debra Barsha is, congratulations! You’ve come to the right place. Glad you’re here. Breathe.

A little bit about me: I love what I do.

A little bit more about me: I asked someone to write my bio. I think they did a good job.

If you are looking for Debra Barsha, you will find her hopscotching across the boundaries of contemporary music. Gleefully defying classification, Barsha is that rare talent that sees show business itself as a medium. Singer, songwriter, actress, composer, pianist, raconteur, Barsha is just as comfortable fueling the grooves on a George Clinton album as she is composing the score of an off-Broadway musical about pop-art icon Keith Haring (RADIANT BABY). With a career that includes television soundtracks, one-woman shows, children’s musicals and international tours with post-mod British pop-stars (Thomas Dolby), Barsha manages to put the undeniable stamp of her own musical personality on the full spectrum of her work.

photo: Joe Henson

Debra won the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Award for the score to RADIANT BABY, which was produced at the Public Theater, directed by George C. Wolfe. Radiant Baby received 3 Lucille Lortel nominations including Outstanding Musical. As a co-lyricist in addition to composer, Barsha worked alongside THE LIFE’s Ira Gasman (lyrics) and FOREVER PLAID’s Stuart Ross (book & lyrics) to create a musical inspired by the life of graffiti artist Keith Haring, which conceptually captured the spirit of 1980’s New York Club scene. “Throbbing melodies” (The New York Times), “a bright boisterous lullaby” (Theatre Scene), a “show stopping hedonistic inferno” (Curtain Up) were words that described Debra Barsha’s pop/soul/disco/funk infused score.

Additional composer credits include: SOPHIE (Jewish Repertory Theatre), and A TASTE OF THINGS TO COME (written with Hollye Levin) which ran at The Bucks County Playhouse, Broadway Playhouse (Chicago), and off-Broadway at The York Theatre directed by Lorin Latarro, published by Concord Theatricals.

Barsha was a composer for New York Theatre Workshop’s song cycle SONGS FROM AN UNMADE BED (Ghostlight Records) and wrote book, music and lyrics as well as performing her one-woman shows GO TO YOUR WOMB and A WOMB WITH A VIEW (Cherry Lane Theatre), which won the All For One Theatre Festival. Debra’s musicals (co-written with Sheilah Rae) include EVERY OTHER THURSDAY and OUR VERY BEST PEOPLE (both adapted from Edna Ferber short stories), performed at NJ Rep in an evening called FIVE BY FERBER (published by Smith and Krauss).

Barsha is one of the playwrights of the live-streamed Period Piece directed by Karen Carpenter. Debra’s songs have been recorded by the late Rebecca Luker, Parliament Funkadelic’s George Clinton and she sang the soundtrack to NBC’s Policewoman Centerfold. Barsha also sang on Prince’s album 1-800 New Funk, George Clinton’s R&B Skeletons in the Closet and Thomas Dolby’s May The Cube Be With You. She co-wrote the title cut on George Clinton’s album T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M. (The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership), and played keyboards and sang on Thomas Dolby’s Flat Earth Tour. Her song We’re Still Here (a tribute to our healthcare workers) can be viewed on Barsha’s YouTube channel, performed by her plus luminaries such as Joy Reid, George Clinton and Jonatha Brooke.

Debra originated roles and was the music director for the original Off-Broadway companies of both Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding and Charles Busch’s Swingtime Canteen. She also served as music director for the Steven Sater/Serj Tankian world premiere of Prometheus Bound at A.R.T. directed by Diane Paulus. She was also the music director and onstage performer for the world premiere of the Steven Sater/Burt Bacharach musical NY ANIMALS at The New Ohio Theatre in NY.

Barsha has recorded with Bootsy Collins, Dave Stuart, Patti Austin, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs among others. She conducted Karen O’s opera Stop the Virgens! at St. Ann’s Warehouse and at the Sydney Opera House. Barsha wrote the vocal arrangement for the gospel choir on the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s single Sacrilege (conducted live on Letterman with Broadway Inspirational Voices). Her appearance inspired SPIN magazine to write: “pay close attention to the choir’s absolutely mind-blowing conductor, who arrives at the 2:29 mark. Watch this woman, people, and don’t stop. She is embodying the spirit of Yeah as few others have done.”

She also performed with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on The Jools Holland Show and at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. She arranged and conducted vocals for Awolnation’s single I Am (Late Night with Seth Meyers). Barsha also arranged vocals and conducted the recording session for Orange Is the New Black star Lea DeLaria’s David Bowie tribute album House of David .

Barsha collaborated with director Spike Jonze and music producer Sam Spiegel (Squeak E. Clean) on the recent Squarespace commercial starring Idris Elba, which she played piano on and vocal coached.

On Broadway, Barsha served as Associate Conductor for Broadway’s smash hit JERSEY BOYS and SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL. She currently plays piano for Broadway’s TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL. She played keyboards with TINA on Late Night with Steven Colbert.

Recent Work

A Tribute to Our Health Care Workers

- We're Still Here

Her song We’re Still Here (a tribute to our healthcare workers) can be viewed on Barsha’s YouTube channel, performed by her plus luminaries such as Joy Reid, George Clinton and Jonatha Brooke.

NY ANIMALS at The New Ohio Theatre in NY

- How The Heart Knows

She was also the music director and onstage performer for the world premiere of the Steven Sater/Burt Bacharach musical NY ANIMALS at The New Ohio Theatre in NY.

Live on Letterman with Broadway Inspirational Voices

- Yeah Yeah Yeah’s single Sacrilege

Barsha wrote the vocal arrangement for the gospel choir on the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s single Sacrilege (conducted live on Letterman with Broadway Inspirational Voices). Her appearance inspired SPIN magazine to write: “pay close attention to the choir’s absolutely mind-blowing conductor, who arrives at the 2:29 mark. Watch this woman, people, and don’t stop. She is embodying the spirit of Yeah as few others have done.”

Played piano and vocal coached

- Squarespace Commercial

Barsha collaborated with director Spike Jonze and music producer Sam Spiegel (Squeak E. Clean) on the recent Squarespace commercial starring Idris Elba, which she played piano on and vocal coached.