MIDDLE AGED MAGICIAN follows forty-something Cassie as she juggles her oddball NYC magic gigs with taking care of her aging parents, and fighting for the survival of her family’s restaurant that they all financially depend upon... and also she’s a witch.
MIDDLE AGED MAGICIAN follows Cassie Bloom, who is cursed with being capable. Her parents and siblings depend on her for everything, from managing the family restaurant to navigating her parents’ doctors’ appointments. They’ve all benefited from her only being moderately successful, juggling magic gigs with restaurant shifts, remaining available to solve any crisis that arises. Cassie regularly secretly utilizes her underdeveloped witchy magic powers, in conjunction with sleight-of-hand tricks, both in her act, and to solve everyone’s problems. In the pilot, Cassie is chosen for a high-profile gig with famous Las Vegas magician Jerry Wells, which promises to bring her magic career to new heights – and take her away from NYC. Soon after, her Dad is diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Between that and her mom’s ongoing battle with Parkinson's, she makes the painful decision to turn down this opportunity to stay and help her family. Right when Cassie is ready to give up her career altogether, her best friend Allie helps Cassie aggressively market her magic in New York, and encourages Cassie to fully own her magic powers enough to actually prioritize her magical self.
Debra creates painfully honest stories about goofy, flawed women like herself. She is best known for writing, directing and producing the indie feature THE TOLLBOOTH, which starred Marla Sokoloff, Idina Menzel, Tovah Feldhuh and Rob McElhenney. Her latest feature script, MALLWALKERS, won the NYWIFT/Ravenal Grant, and invitations to Cine Qua Non Lab and Stowe Story Lab, and a spot on the Wscripted List of Excellent Scripts at Cannes. Her pilot SKETCH was developed at the 2021 Athena Film Festival Television Writers Lab and went through the 2024 Cinestory Lab, winning the Bellem Entertainment Scholarship. Previous work includes the pilot Frog Kissers, the web series The Happy Mommy Hustle, and the short, Changing Clothes. She has also written, directed and produced several promotional videos and EPKs as well as activist videos for the group Rise and Resist. Debra started and led a creative writing program for homeless adults at the Hoboken Shelter and led a creative writing workshop for “Prime Time” Women over sixty in Brooklyn, who helped inspire MALLWALKERS. Currently Debra teaches Screenwriting at Brooklyn College and Digital Video Production at Fordham University.
