The three actress/authors that perform Divas would never be described as such. Each of them has a tale to tell and the gritty and candid portrayal of their unlikely personal histories has been variously described as “mesmerizing” Washington Post, “harrowing” and “hilarious” Grunion Gazette.
The spirited and comedic actress/author Debra Ehrhardt knows “Jamaica Farewell” is more than a song. With the unwitting help of a CIA Agent, she risked her life escaping her home in Jamaica to fulfill her dream of becoming an American during a violent revolution. The Washington Post says, “Debra Ehrhardt possesses a rare ability to mesmerize.”
Brenda Adelman’s true tale (taken from her one-person show, “My Brooklyn Hamlet) is equally compelling and equally unlikely. Her mother was shot and killed by her father, who then, almost immediately married her mother’s sister. Her life lesson was to forgive the unforgiveable. San Diego Examiner writes, “Brenda, her family and the audience become a life’s lesson in forgiveness, love and acceptance.”
On a lighter, although equally shocking note, author/storyteller Mariana Williams delivers comic relief with her bizarre account of life as one of the other 99%. Lamenting, “It sucks to be vain and poor,” she describes undergoing budget plastic surgery—with a doctor practicing out of his suburban home in Park City, Utah.
The Grunion Gazette writes, “This talented trio relates personal tales that skillfully manage to be both harrowing and hilarious, sometimes simultaneously. The full house responded enthusiastically to ‘Divas in Danger’ and it’s well worth checking out…Williams has a winning, personable storytelling style for sure!”