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Stories of escaping Cuba by boat are a dime a dozen in the Magic City. But it isn’t every day you hear about the struggles of a Jamaican immigrant. The play Jamaica Farewell, written and performed by Debra Ehrhardt, is a real-life account of leaving the island during a particularly violent time of political unrest in the ’70s. Ehrhardt tells the story of her dangerous attempt to enter the United States at the age of 17 by smuggling money into the country with the help of an unassuming American.
After finishing drama school, Ehrhardt was told she would never make it because of her heavy island accent. Now the two-time NAACP award winner’s play has been produced by actress Rita Wilson (yes, Tom Hanks’s wife) and directed by Joel Zwick, director of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The play has been performed in several countries and is being adapted for the big screen. See Jamaica Farewell Sunday at the Colony Theatre.
Sun., July 17, 4 p.m., 2011
