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.

Former St. Louis Cardinal given Medal of Freedom

ST. LOUIS – Baseball great Stan Musial already has a statue outside of Busch Stadium and a plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y. On Tuesday, the former St. Louis Cardinal received the nation's highest civilian honor, the presidential Medal of Freedom.

Musial was among 15 recipients honored during a ceremony at the White House. President Barack Obama called the Hall-of-Famer "a gentleman you would want your kids to emulate."

Musial, 90, wore his familiar Cardinals-red sports coat during the ceremony shown on St. Louis television and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website. He beamed as the president placed the medal around his neck.

Missouri politicians said the honor was appropriate for the baseball immortal whose nickname, "The Man," was as appropriate for his philanthropy and kindness as for his on-the-field success.

U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, a St. Louis Democrat, recalled watching Musial from the stands of Sportsman's Park as a boy, then getting to know him as an adult. He said Musial showed great courage in 1947 by welcoming Jackie Robinson, baseball's first black player, into the National League.

"Stan Musial is a national treasure," Clay said. "His remarkable life represents the very best of America."

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said Musial was not only the greatest Cardinal ever "but a great philanthropist who's used his notoriety to help others in need."

Gov. Jay Nixon said the medal was "appropriate for a man who is both a baseball immortal and an extraordinary American and gentleman."

Musial, a native of Donora, Pa., was signed by the Cardinals as a pitcher but converted to the outfield after a shoulder injury in the minor leagues. It worked out well.

He was a 24-time All-Star who retired after the 1963 season with a .331 batting average and 475 home runs. Of his 3,630 career hits, exactly half came at home and half on the road.

He earned the nickname "The Man" in 1946, when Post-Dispatch sportswriter Bob Broeg heard fans at Ebbets Field welcome Musial to the plate by saying, "Here comes the man."

Musial was the general manager of the 1967 Cardinals team that won the World Series against the Boston Red Sox.

He has remained a beloved figure in St. Louis. In fact, it was a grassroots "Stand for Stan" campaign that helped convince the White House to honor Musial with the Medal of Freedom. The Cardinals promoted the idea through Facebook, Twitter and other social media, and politicians quickly joined in letter-writing campaigns.

Musial is held in such high regard by the team and its players that current Cardinals star Albert Pujols agreed to extend to Wednesday his deadline to sign a contract extension or test free agency after the 2011 season. The previous deadline was Tuesday, but Pujols and the Cardinals didn't want to distract from Musial's honor.

The Medal of Freedom is given to those who have made important contributions to U.S. national security, world peace, culture or other significant public or private endeavors. Other recipients on Tuesday included former President George H.W. Bush, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, basketball great Bill Russell and businessman Warren Buffett.

3 Philly priests named in sex report are suspended

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia archdiocese has suspended three priests accused in a scathing grand jury report of being child molesters and has pledged to reopen complaints made against 34 others still on the job.

Joseph Gallagher, Stephen Perzan and Joseph DiGregorio are being removed from ministry while their cases are reviewed. Gallagher has no listed phone number; Perzan and DiGregorio haven't returned messages.

A city grand jury last week charged four current or former priests and a teacher with raping boys in the 1990s or endangering children by covering up the crimes.

Cardinal Justin Rigali says former child abuse prosecutor Gina Smith will examine the complaints made against the 34 active priests. Church investigators previously said they couldn't substantiate the allegations.

Smith is a veteran of the Philadelphia district attorney's office, which issued last week's grand jury report.

Simon Cowell: US 'X Factor' panel yet to be set

LOS ANGELES – The judging panel for Simon Cowell's U.S. version of "The X Factor" has yet to be set and he suggested Paula Abdul is in the running.

During a teleconference Monday, Cowell reaffirmed that he's a "massive fan" of Paula Abdul, his former "American Idol" colleague. But he's still deciding who will join him in judging his new talent contest and the panel won't be announced for several weeks.

"The X Factor" is set to debut next fall on Fox. Cowell exited the network's "American Idol" in part to focus on the new show, which has been a successful format in several countries since its debut in Britain in 2004.

The winner of "X Factor" will get a $5 million record deal, which Cowell said won't be a "dressed up" sum: The top contestant will get $1 million a year for five years, separate from the costs involved in recording and promotion.

"It's a massive, massive risk but it's also an incredible incentive. It puts everybody, rightly, under an enormous amount of pressure," Cowell said, adding, "I believe I can find a star."

Rangers, Celtic to clash in Scottish Cup round five

GLASGOW (AFP) – Rangers and Celtic clash in the Scottish Cup fifth round on Sunday with the winners guaranteed to stay on course for a domestic treble.

The Old Firm will meet at Ibrox just a month after the sides last clashed there in the league.

That day Celtic gained revenge for their 3-1 defeat earlier in the season when a double from Georgios Samaras secured a 2-0 win that sent the Hoops top of the Scottish Premier League.

The victory seemed to kick start Celtic's season and Neil Lennon's side have won six out of the seven games since.

Celtic captain Scott Brown says he wants to add to Rangers' woes by dumping their rivals out of the Scottish Cup as well.

"If you look at our team now, you could maybe say we've moved forward because we have a lot more creative players and goalscorers," he said.

"The players who have come in will learn a lot more from these games. Those who have been in Scotland for a long time will know what Rangers are all about now."

The Hoops have been forced to play the last two games with full-backs Charlie Mulgrew and Mark Wilson in the centre of defence after injuries to Glenn Loovens, Daniel Majstorovic and Thomas Rogne.

And with Darren O'Dea, Jos Hooiveld and Josh Thompson out on loan it has left manager Lennon light on options.

However both Rogne and Majstorovic have returned to training and could feature on Sunday but James Forrest and Shaun Maloney will miss out.

Rangers also have their injury worries after influential midfielder Lee McCulloch limped out of their 1-0 win over Hearts on Wednesday while Croatian striker Nikica Jelavic missed the match with a groin strain.

But assistant manager Ally McCoist says he is hopeful of having Jelavic available for the tie.

"Jelavic is a lot better," said McCoist. "It has been natural progress and he is feeling a lot better today, so we will be giving him right up until the match and we are very hopeful he will be involved.

"Lee McCulloch is going for a scan, but I would hazard a guess and say he would be extremely doubtful. It would be a big blow to lose him. He has been a big player for us, but that's the nature of it.

"You need winners in Old Firm games and Lee is one of them, but we have a team full of winners, so we are hopeful it won't be too much of a problem if he doesn't make it.

"Celtic have been on a good run and we have maybe not been firing on all cylinders, but we are confident we can win the game.

"With the personnel we have available, we feel we can get a victory."

Sunday's match could see Old Firm debuts handed to new Rangers signings David Healy, Kyle Bartley and El-Hadji Diouf, who is sure for a hot reception after he was fined at Glasgow Sheriff Court in 2003 after being convicted of spitting at a Celtic fan in a UEFA Cup between the Hoops and his then side Liverpool.

Sunday

Rangers v Celtic, Aberdeen v Dunfermline