What happens when you choose the "safe" path and it nearly kills your soul? Debra Martin Chase went from Harvard Law School to becoming the first Black woman producer with a major studio deal. In this episode of The Messy Parts, she shares her journey from corporate lawyer to Hollywood trailblazer, including the near-death experience that made her quit law, the weekend of initiative that launched her film career, and why Vernon Jordan told her she was "too old to start over." It's a masterclass in reinvention, taking risks, and betting on yourself.

Guest: Debra Martin Chase - Producer, Entertainment Executive, Broadway Producer 

Follow Debra on: 

• Instagram: https://tinyurl.com/bdhyj35x 
• LinkedIn: https://tinyurl.com/36zh39tz
• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0153846/ 

Notable Productions: The Princess Diaries, Cinderella, Cheetah Girls, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Equalizer, A Strange Loop (Broadway), The Outsiders (Broadway), Purpose (Broadway)

Topics Covered 

• Harvard Law School
• USC Film School
• Vernon Jordan
• Nina Shaw 
• Frank Price (Columbia Pictures)
• Doug McHenry (producer)
• Nina Jacobson (Disney executive)
• Pearlena Igbokwe (Universal Television)
• Denzel Washington
• Whitney Houston
• Marc Platt (Broadway producer)
• David Stone (Broadway producer)
• Michael Dukakis campaign
• Princess Diaries
• Cinderella (Rodgers & Hammerstein)
• Cheetah Girls
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
• The Equalizer

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