'Jamaica, Farewell' Opens at SoHo Playhouse March 3

Darren Lee Cole presents the Off-Broadway premiere of NAACP Award-winning playwright and actor Debra Ehrhardt's Jamaica, Farewell, based on her true-life story, which opens Monday, March 3rd at 7PM at the SoHo Playhouse (15 Van Dam Street).  Directed by Wallace Norman, previews begin February 22nd. Tickets are $20 during previews and $25-$40 for all other performances.  For tickets, group sales and special packages, please call (212) 691-1555 or visit www.sohoplayhouse.com.

A 2007 NYC Fringe Festival award-winner, Jamaica, Farewell returns to the SoHo Playhouse to receive its full Off-Broadway commercial production.  The show has been performed in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Atlanta, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa and Toronto (January 2008)

"Jamaica, Farewell tells the story of Debra Ehrhardt's journey in which she escapes revolution-torn Jamaica in the 1970's.  Left to her own devices, she risked prison time, and even death in an attempt to pull off a daring and dangerous caper with the unwitting help of an infatuated American CIA agent to fulfill her lifelong dream of starting over in America," explain press notes.

Debra Ehrhardt (Writer/Performer). A native of Kingston Jamaica, Debra Ehrhardt fled to the US during the politically unstable seventies.  This is her third one-woman show.  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 received a 2007 Proclamation from the City of New York for Jamaica, Farewell for her "Outstanding Contribution to the Jamaican Community." A member of the Writer's Guild of America, Ms. Ehrhardt is currently adapting Jamaica, Farewell for the big screen.

Wallace Norman (Director) is the founder and Producing Artistic Director of Woodstock Fringe, an award-winning theatre company in its sixth season. Prior to his work with Woodstock Fringe, Norman has co-produced and directed more than 35 works for the stage including many world premieres. Recent directing credits: Women on Fire by Irene O'Garden (Woodstock Fringe), The Great Nebula In Orion a chamber musical by Lanford Wilson with music by Kenneth Fuchs (Judson Poets Theatre), Greetings From Yorkville (78th Street Theatre Lab, York Theatre), Voices From the Fringe, and TheaterSounds, a Kingston-based play reading series.

The playing schedule for Jamaica, Farewell is as follows:  Fridays at 8PM, Saturdays at 3PM and 8PM and Sundays at 3PM and 7PM.  There will be a performance on Thursday, February 28th at 8PM.  Tickets are $20 for previews and $25- $40 for all other performances. For tickets, group sales and special packages, please call (212) 691-1555 or visit www.sohoplayhouse.com

Debra Ehrhardt (photo by Monique Lai)