Discover empathy’s radical power in ‘Wilma, Wu and a Stripper Named Lorraine’

Debra De Liso on Wilma, Wu and a Stripper Named Lorraine: "Unity among haters is possible"

At a time when much of America seems trapped in ideological trenches, filmmaker Debra De Liso is betting on something radical: empathy.

Her debut feature, Wilma, Wu and a Stripper Named Lorraine, closes the 2026 edition of the Dances With Films festival with a story that sounds delightfully absurd on paper. Set in a small Arizona town in 1967, the film follows an aging exotic dancer who sobers up and launches a community talent show to save a local cantina from closure.

Yet beneath the comedy lies something deeper. The film tackles addiction, motherhood, forgiveness, community division, and the possibility that people who dislike each other might still find common ground.

Written, directed, produced by, and starring Debra De Liso, the film draws heavily from her decades as an actor, teacher, playwright, and mentor. It also reunites her with fellow cult horror icon Michele Michaels more than forty years after The Slumber Party Massacre.

With veteran actress Colleen Camp leading the ensemble alongside Alexandra De Liso Bobo, Elizabeth Wu, Michele Michaels, Time Winters, and Christopher Fairbanks, the project represents the culmination of a dream that has been developing for more than fifteen years.

As De Liso tells Film Daily, this isn't simply a comedy. It's a story about people learning to see themselves in one another.

"We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike."

A little movie with a big heart

The story follows Lorraine, a hard-drinking exotic dancer whose life is thrown into chaos when she discovers her daughter Lexi is following in her footsteps. Facing the possibility of losing both her daughter and her community, Lorraine embarks on a journey toward sobriety while organizing a talent show designed to unite a town split between Madame Wu's Cantina and the local church.

The premise sounds quirky, but the emotional foundation comes from deeply personal experiences.

De Liso drew inspiration from years spent teaching theatre, directing hundreds of autobiographical performances, and watching storytelling transform people who initially viewed each other as enemies.

The result is a warm ensemble comedy that recalls films like The Full Monty, Steel Magnolias, and the community spirit of Ted Lasso while maintaining a distinctly theatrical heart.

Interview: Debra De Liso

Film Daily: Wilma, Wu and a Stripper Named Lorraine blends comedy with themes of recovery and community. What inspired you to tell this particular story?

Debra De Liso: I started writing scenes for actors in my acting class around 15 years ago, prompted by wanting to keep my teenage daughter near me, as she was befriending people that were using her. As the scenes developed so did this small town of characters at odds with each other.

Film Daily: The film closes the 2026 Dances With Films festival. What does that recognition mean to you?

De Liso: Our placement on the final day of the festival is magical. Perhaps the DWF folks see the potential in this little movie with a big heart. Wilma, Wu and a Stripper Named Lorraine has a timely message of unity when even haters can find common bonds when they share their stories.

Film Daily: Lorraine is an exotic dancer, a mother, and a woman fighting for redemption. How did you develop such a layered protagonist?

De Liso: I am a dancer, ex-gymnast, a mother healing family dysfunction, and a passionate supporter of underdogs. I wanted audiences to initially judge Lorraine, then gradually understand her perspective and recognize the courage she finds as she works to change herself and her town.

Film Daily: Why set the story in 1967?

De Liso: I spent summers in a small Arizona town during the 1960s. There were church dances, local bars, rodeo cowboys, and families with very different beliefs who still shared the same community. I wanted to capture that feeling.

Film Daily: The film explores the divide between church and cantina culture. What do you hope audiences take away?

De Liso: That it's possible for people who dislike each other to realize they have more in common than they think. The film isn't preachy. It's fun. Comedy can be a powerful salve for our wounds.

Film Daily: How did your decades of experience prepare you for your first feature?

De Liso: I've taught theatre and dance for over forty years, directed more than 800 original solo plays, and worked extensively with actors. Those experiences gave me confidence and prepared me to guide a large ensemble while staying focused on character and story.

Film Daily: Why was the mother-daughter relationship so central?

De Liso: I have one daughter, and our teenage years were challenging. I wanted to explore the realization that eventually our children have to learn their own lessons. Letting go is one of the hardest things a parent can do.

Film Daily: What was it like casting your daughter Alexandra as Lexi?

De Liso: She's a generous performer who commits completely. Because we trust each other, we could tackle emotionally difficult scenes without hesitation. It was incredibly rewarding.

Film Daily: What made Colleen Camp right for Wilma?

De Liso: She understood the comedy and heart immediately. She found the humanity beneath Wilma's bitterness without overplaying anything.

Film Daily: You reunited with Michele Michaels after more than forty years. How was that experience?

De Liso: It felt like no time had passed. We were bonded for life after making The Slumber Party Massacre. Bringing her into this world was incredibly meaningful.

Film Daily: Your work often focuses on compassion through storytelling. Have you seen that happen in real life?

De Liso: Absolutely. When I taught playwriting in a women's prison, people who initially wouldn't even sit together ended up collaborating and creating powerful work. Storytelling revealed their shared humanity.

Film Daily: Madame Wu is battling cancer while saving the cantina. Why give supporting characters such rich struggles?

De Liso: Because that's real life. Everyone carries something. Those struggles are often what make us admire and connect with each other.

Film Daily: How did you balance serious subjects with comedy?

De Liso: I grew up around addiction and hardship. Humor helped me survive. I love character-based comedies that find absurdity in human behavior.

Film Daily: What conversations do you hope audiences have afterward?

De Liso: I hope people speak to the neighbor they dislike, the coworker with different politics, or the family member they've written off. Listening can change everything.

Film Daily: Ryan Rude's cinematography has been praised. What did he bring to the project?

De Liso: Ryan completely invested himself in serving the story. Through lighting, color, framing, and movement he helped create a believable 1960s small-town world despite our limited budget.

Film Daily: Why is empathy such an important theme right now?

De Liso: I've never experienced more division in our country. People have become entrenched in their positions. If we spent more time listening, we'd discover how many dreams and fears we share.

Film Daily: Why does the talent show become the emotional center of the film?

De Liso: Because performance brings people together. What starts as competition eventually becomes connection. Music, dance, and storytelling create a shared experience.

Film Daily: What did you learn about yourself while making this film?

De Liso: That it's never too late for a dream project. Don't give up.

Film Daily: If audiences remember one thing, what should it be?

De Liso: That unity among haters is possible. Try listening, and your heart may open.

Why this film matters now

The most striking aspect of Wilma, Wu and a Stripper Named Lorraine is how unapologetically hopeful it is.

In an era when division dominates headlines and outrage often feels like the default setting of public discourse, De Liso offers a different proposition. Her characters don't overcome their differences because they suddenly agree on politics, religion, or morality. They connect because they begin telling the truth about themselves.

That philosophy comes directly from the filmmaker's own life. Whether teaching acting students, mentoring performers, or leading theatre workshops in prisons, De Liso has repeatedly seen storytelling dissolve barriers.

The film's central talent show functions as more than a plot device. It becomes a metaphor for the director's lifelong belief that performance can reveal the humanity hidden beneath labels.

The result is a comedy that embraces outrageous situations while remaining rooted in emotional authenticity.

Closing night at Dances With Films

For De Liso, the film's selection as part of the closing-night features at Dances With Films represents the culmination of years of persistence.

The project began as scenes written for acting students and evolved into a fully realized feature populated by characters inspired by people she has encountered throughout her life and career.

Now, with audiences preparing to experience Lorraine, Wilma, Madame Wu, and the rest of the town, the filmmaker hopes viewers leave with a simple message:

Sometimes the people we believe are our enemies are simply people whose stories we haven't heard yet.

Wilma, Wu and a Stripper Named Lorraine screens as part of the closing-night programs in Los Angeles at the Dances With Films Festival on June 28, 2026, at the TCL Chinese Theatres in Hollywood. Trailer, production materials, and additional information are available through the film's official website and festival materials.

Peal back the curtain

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