Kyiesha blog

'Jamaica, Farewell,' Comedy About Journey to America, Gets L.A. Run; Rita Wilson Produces

Debra Ehrhardt's solo show Jamaica, Farewell, "based on a mostly true story" about her journey to the U.S. from Jamaica in the turbulent 1970s, will get a run at the Falcon Theatre, the Burbank, CA, venue known for comedies.

Presented in association with Rita Wilson, and directed by Joel Zwick ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding"), the production begins a five-week run March 16 and opens March 25. Performances play to April 17.

Jamaica, Farewell is billed as "a hilarious and touching story of how one woman risked everything in order to fulfill her lifelong dream of starting over in America. Debra's tour-de-force performance is a wild roller coaster ride of suspense, intrigue, seduction, humor and manipulation brought to you from the producer of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding,' Rita Wilson."

"At the age of seven," according to Falcon production notes, "Kingston, Jamaica native Debra Ehrhardt knew her dream was to come to America. By 17, her dream was realized. After a brief sojourn in Miami, she headed north to New York. She studied acting with Katherine Kerr from Playwrights Horizons and Suzanne Esper at the William Esper Studios in New York City. After honing her craft on the East Coast she concluded that her tropical blood would never get used to the winters. She threw away the ice scraper and moved West. Los Angeles has been her home base for the past ten years."

Her previous productions include Mango, Mango, which received two NAACP Awards, and Invisible Chairs, which was produced by David Strasberg at the Marilyn Monroe Theatre in West Hollywood (and later optioned as a situation comedy by FOX). She was also a 2007 NYC Fringe Festival award winner and has performed her solo shows in the U.S., Canada, Bermuda, England, Scotland, Mexico and Central America.

Performances will play Wednesday-Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 4 PM.

For tickets and information, visit www.FalconTheatre.com or call (818) 955-8101. For more information, visit www.jamaicafarewelltheplay.com.