Biografia
Based in Los Angeles, Deirdre Lyons has appeared in over 75 film and theatrical productions across the West Coast. In L.A., she co-founded T.H. Espian Productions with her partner Stephen Butchko. Their debut production was the Los Angeles premiere of Dawson Nichols' Escher's Hands, which ran for six weeks at the Lillian Theater. Together, they produced and starred in the award-winning short film Katrina, the web series The Fantasy State, a documentary, and the critically praised short film Good Behavior, which won Best Short Film at the Temecula Film Festival.
Starting in 2016, Deirdre ventured into immersive theater, joining the original cast of JFI Productions' The Willows, which was remounted seven times due to its success. Other immersive works include JFI Productions' Creep LA shows: Entry, Lore, Awake, Haus of Creep, and Creep (2021). She portrayed the "Lost Princess" in the final chapter of Speakeasy Societies' Kansas Collection and participated in the Spy Brunch weekend event Cold War Lounge: the asset. Deirdre has also been involved in various activations, including one-night launch events for the films Ma, Birds of Prey, and The Conjuring 3. She appeared at Comic-Con promoting Sacred Lies and AHS 1984 and was cast in Tyra Banks' immersive experience Model Land.
Her exploration of virtual reality began with two 180-degree films, The Willows and Freakin' Weekend, and expanded through her roles in Tender Claws' The Under Presents and The Under Presents: Tempest, which received the VR Awards Experience of the Year and an Emmy nomination.
As a co-founder of Ferryman Collective, a pioneering VR theater company, Deirdre has contributed as a performer, producer, and director on award-winning virtual reality productions. Her VR credits include PARA, Krampusnacht (a PGA Innovation Award finalist), Welcome to Respite (winner at Tribeca, Venice, and Raindance), and Gumball Dreams, her directorial debut that won the SXSW Audience Award and premiered at the 79th Venice Film Festival. She also assistant directed Uncanny Alley: A New Day, which debuted at the 81st Venice Film Festival and earned XR Must's "Best Interactivity/Performance" award.
In 2023, Deirdre served as an SXSW mentor, was honored as XR Must's 2022 "Creator of the Year," and was recognized among the Top 100 Original Voices in XR, the XR Women's 2023 Innovation Award recipients, and Women of the Future's Global 100 in Emerging Tech. A sought-after speaker, she is a member of the Television Academy and the Producers Guild of America and teaches immersive storytelling and VR performance, including courses at Chapman University.
