Corine Cohen: Debra, I was really impressed with the positive energy in the show. Was this all true? Or was any of the story made up to make an interesting play?
Debra Ehrhardt: 95 percent of the story is true; I had todramatize
certain scenes to enhance the drama – and comedy (Any writer
worthy of the pen, typewriter – or laptop computer they use
- does this).Take for example, when I first met the CIA Agent,
the first time an agent meets someone they would never tell them
right that they work for the CIA. But I must say that these are
facts: political violence in Jamaica; and the CIA there to do
what they do best - or worse.
Corine Cohen. Sad to hear that! Now that you live in
The United States are you sad that you left Jamaica? I mean we
don't have the beautiful beaches here. I guess we have The Hamptons
but it is not the same!
Debra Ehrhardt: Hey, I return two to three times a year! Yes. Jamaican beaches are incredible!....
Corine Cohen: They are! I used to work with The Jamaican Tourist
Board! You say you are multi-racial. What do you mean by that?
Is your Mother white and your father was Jamaican?
Debra Ehrhardt: My ancestry is English, Spanish Jewish and Black.
Most people living outside of Jamaica think for some reason Jamaicans
only have dark-skin. Our motto is “Out of Many – One
People.” Jamaicans have a rich history: Africa, Asia, India,
Europe. Go to Jamaica now and you can see all this in play, in
the racial composition of my people, in the food, and in the language.
Corine Cohen: I have been to Jamaica a few times, it is a beautiful place to visit. Do you visit any family there now and if so what ever happened to the rest of your friends?
Debra Ehrhardt: I enjoy going to Jamaica at least three times a year and still have many family and friends who couldn’t get a visa or who just didn’t want to leave. I see them every time I return and we just pick up where we left off!
Corine Cohen: Do you plan on writing any more plays?
Debra Ehrhardt:Yeah, man! (A popular Jamaican phrase)
Corine Cohen: Laughs! What do you want to do next? Jamaica, Farewell the TV film?
Debra Ehrhardt: I would like to do more plays. I like the live
audience interaction. Each day it brings something new and exciting.
However, I would like to see Jamaica Farewell turned into a movie. I will be too old to play the lead. But I might play my mother. How weird is that?...LOL!
Speaking of TV and movies I wouldn’t mind doing that kind
of work. I hear there’s a screenwriter from Jamaica working
on a script for me….Is this a rumor or a fact? Gotta’
check it out!
Corine Cohen: Did you want to get married and have kids and
would you ever want to go back to the Islands to live?
Debra Ehrhardt: Ok, two questions here: One - I am married to a wonderful Italian guy and I have two gorgeous kids! All I do is for them. I want them to look to me to be their role model! I want them to see me struggle and fight for what it is I want in life. I want them to learn from my life story…that you must be proactive in life if you want something badly enough.
(would you ever want to go back to the Islands to live?)
Two – Yeah, man. Jamaica irie ( Irie= anything positive,
nice, good, etc) My hope is
to retire there on a quiet beach somewhere…
Corine Cohen: Yeah, man! Does your Mother like the states and
did she come and see the show?
Debra Ehrhardt: My mother loves living in America and she has seen the show. She’s still very Jamaican in that she’s a little embarrassed that I’m telling my story to the world. I ask her, ‘Mom what are they going to do with the information?” But Jamaicans are very private people and will always put on a smile even if their hearts are breaking because appearances are everything. Upon hearing the compulsion to share my story, my slightly distressed mother insisted upon a few key name changes so that the integrity of the family would not be infringed. She begged me not to put her name in any newspaper or ever introduce her at any of the performances, preferring to stay incognito!
Thank you for the interview Debra and thank you for your passionate
and interesting play. This show is a Corine's Pick. To buy tickets
to this interesting play:
Photo by Aaron Epstein
Interview conducted by Corine Cohen
