{{short description|American dancer and actress (born 1970)}} {{Infobox person | name = Deborah Yates | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|6|5}} | birth_place = Jacksonville, Texas, United States | years_active = 1994–present | occupation = Actress, dancer }} '''Deborah Yates''' (born June 5, 1970) is an American dancer and actress. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/1566496%7C0/Deborah-Yates|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208040800/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/1566496%7C0/Deborah-Yates/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 8, 2018|access-date=2023-09-03|title=DEBORAH YATES - Actor, Dancer}} (not available in Europe)</ref>
==Biography== Deborah was born and raised in Jacksonville, Texas. The daughter of Bronwyn (née Betts) and David Yates (1938–2006). Her father sold industrial supplies and her mother is a psychologist. She has two sisters, Victoria and Hillary, and a brother Brian<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://jacksonvilleprogress.com/obituaries/x154950100/Obituaries-for-Sept-6|title=Read recent and archived obituaries and memorial notices from Jacksonville Daily Progress}}</ref> Yates started dancing around age 6 and moved from her small hometown to Austin, Texas at age 16 to study dance. She moved back to Jacksonville for her senior year of high school. During her college career she traveled around Europe. She graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Communications.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=20000413&id=0FdPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rAMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2826,4126513|title = Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search}}</ref> Yates is a member of Mensa.
==Theatre== After graduating, Yates moved to Chicago and danced with the Hubbard Street Dance Company<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1k115/id70.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908234324/http://mysite.verizon.net/vze1k115/id70.html|archive-date=2014-09-08|title=A Conversation with Deborah Yates|first=Thomas|last=Cott|date=2000-05-17|access-date=2023-09-03}}</ref> while waiting tables on the side. She gained her Equity card by performing on a cruise ship for 6 months. She moved to New York City and in 1994 joined The Rockettes. During this time she took additional singing, acting, and dances classes at Steps and The Broadway Dance Center. Yates stayed with the Rockettes for 4 years before making her Broadway debut as a swing in the 1997 revue show ''Dream'' also starring Lesley Ann Warren. The show played for 109 performances. In 2000 Yates received rave reviews and a Tony Award nomination for originating the role of 'Girl in a Yellow Dress' in the musical Contact.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.playbill.com/features/article/64978-PLAYBILL-ON-LINES-BRIEF-ENCOUNTER-with-Deborah-Yates |title=PLAYBILL ON-LIne's BRIEF ENCOUNTER with Deborah Yates - Playbill.com |access-date=2012-04-21 |archive-date=2014-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502212423/http://www.playbill.com/features/article/64978-PLAYBILL-ON-LINES-BRIEF-ENCOUNTER-with-Deborah-Yates |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ben Brantley of The New York Times referred to Yates as ''a razor edged Grace Kelly''. Contact played 1,010 performances and won the Tony Award for Best Musical. The show was directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman and also starred Karen Ziemba and Boyd Gaines. Yates also performed the role of 'Girl in a Yellow Dress' on tour.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/69369-Deborah-Yates-to-Join-Contacts-US-Tour-May-7-June-16 |title=Deborah Yates to Join Contact's U.S. Tour, May 7-June 16 - Playbill.com |access-date=2012-04-21 |archive-date=2014-05-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502211051/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/69369-Deborah-Yates-to-Join-Contacts-US-Tour-May-7-June-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/3669 |title=Charlie Rose - A conversation with Deborah Yates |access-date=2012-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116214606/http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/3669 |archive-date=2012-01-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Film and television== In 2004 Yates appeared in ''National Treasure'' as Rebecca and also appeared in the film ''Shall We Dance?'' as a dancer. She also played a supporting role in the 2002 television movie ''Warning: Parental Advisory'' as Pamela Stone. Additionally, she appeared in the 2008 film ''Deception'' as a tango dancer and had a several episode stint as Tea on ''As the World Turns''.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/1566496%7C0/Deborah-Yates/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208040800/http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/1566496%7C0/Deborah-Yates/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 8, 2018 | title=Deborah Yates }}</ref>
==Video games== In 2008 Yates appeared in ''Grand Theft Auto IV'' as Sara, the ''random character''.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/person/deborah-yates | title=Deborah Yates | website=Metacritic | date=29 April 2008 }}</ref>
==External links== *{{IBDB name}} *{{IMDb name|0946737}}
==References== {{reflist|2}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Yates, Deborah}} Category:Living people Category:1970 births Category:American actresses Category:American female dancers Category:Dancers from Texas Category:People from Jacksonville, Texas Category:Southern Methodist University alumni Category:Mensans Category:21st-century American women