Originally coming on board as consultant for the refitting of the Maryott Theatre, Dea stayed on as Cultural Arts/Theatre Manager for the newly established Palmdale Playhouse (PP), managing a $1.5 million annual budget for the facility that became home for the local community arts organizations. Her love of sharing the arts experience expanded into creating and developing several youth and community performance groups (orchestra, choir, dance companies, art gallery, writers’ workshop, children’s theatre camp, etc.) as well as teaching for many of the programs. She especially enjoyed the chance to perform with the PP Community Choir under the baton of John Rutter in his “Requiem” at Carnegie Hall.

Acting, participating on SAG and AFTRA committees, volunteering with Veterans groups, serving on the City of El Segundo Arts Commission, gardening, working her family’s avocado ranch, travel, art, photography, biking, swimming and church activities all have important roles in her schedule.

From her years involved in high school theatre, earning a Texas District One Act AAAA Best Actress Award, Dea went on to receive degrees in Speech/Drama and Physical Education/Dance at Texas State. While there, she had the honor of stage-managing a command performance of  “A Raisin in the Sun” for President Lyndon Baines Johnson at his ranch in 1972. This was followed by additional studies and a Master of Arts degree in directing (with an emphasis in Black Theatre) from the University of Texas, El Paso and more post-graduate work in theatre and film at the University of California, Los Angeles.

In addition to her work as an actress, Dea has been recognized for her many additional achievements: from doing acclaimed PR as a Continental Airlines Flight Attendant for 13 years, receiving honors for her appearances as on-camera host (Country Music Academy for Chuck’s Country, Best Host) and publication design (PP theatre brochures 5 years running, CAPIO), to accomplishments in television production (documentary “To Russia With Love,” ANGEL AWARD, Excellence in Media). Dea also received recognition in 1999 as one of the 300 Outstanding Women in 100 years of Texas State University history. In 2009, her hometown honored her with the key to the city as one of the Outstanding Alumni from San Marcos High School in Texas. She even took her place as representative for the City of Palmdale on their Past President’s Award-winning float in the 118th Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.

Dolores “Dea” Elbe-Aguirre McAllister, daughter of a native Texan father, a proud WWII veteran of Mexican-American heritage, and German-born mother, is fully committed to the arts. Having a proven record of accomplishment in related areas, the limelight always beckons her back to her work acting and directing; storytelling in the most compelling manner… giving the breath of life to vivid characters through thought, word and deed.

Happily, Dea made the move from the Antelope Valley back to the heart of Los Angeles. She is excited about the opportunity this affords her to concentrate once again on her original passion for acting and directing. This passion was ignited in her at the age of 6 when she saw her first live theatre production, “Hansel and Gretel,” at the opera house in Munich, Germany, where her parents were stationed at the nearby U.S. Air Force Base.

Another heart-issue for Dea was her establishment of the Cultural Historical Education series of annual productions that focused on social topics: the Holocaust, war, right to life and abortion, breast cancer and more. “Exonerated,” relating the story of the wrongfully incarcerated freed through the science of DNA, and “A Piece of My Heart,” about the women who served in the Vietnam War, are just two examples. She also initiated and produced yearly commemorative events honoring Martin Luther King, jr., Cesar Chavez, Holocaust Remembrance and Gospel Jubilee.

Dea directed three live youth arena events with 75,000 participants for the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. For five years she also chaired the script committee for the television series “This is the Life.”

Home life for Dea McAllister now centers around her husband of over 30 years, Jack, her mother Ingeborg, and her family of critters: keeping track of Freddie and Jerry (the cats) and Mac the dog.

Throughout her career, Dea McAllister has shared the set with leading actors as a thespian, director and producer. She produced mass events nationwide featuring stars like Johnny Cash and directed stage plays for The Los Angeles Children’s Theatre that were honored with a special commendation by the mayor of Los Angeles. Dea worked with celebrities such as Shelly Duvall, Craig T. Nelson and JoBeth Williams for these productions on behalf of numerous children’s charities. Among her accomplishments during her 17-year tenure managing the Palmdale Playhouse, Dea developed a mobile Viet Nam Veteran’s Memorial, created a full spectrum of participatory arts programs for the Antelope Valley community, founded a Cultural Historical Educational Theatre Series and even constructed a scale replica of the Old Globe Theatre for her annual Shakespeare Festival (15 seasons) presenting the Los Angeles-based Equity troupe Will & Co.. ​

Without doubt, one of her most cherished accomplishments has been the continued honoring of America’s servicemen and women by twice producing and acting in “A Piece of My Heart,” which raised $25,000 for the Lancaster Veterans Home. In addition, she was instrumental in the effort to establish the mobile Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Wall in Palmdale, California. Dea undertook the chairmanship of the 27-member committee that raised the  $110,000 needed to emplace the memorial wall at Joe Davies Airpark, dedicated in 2010.