FORT LAUDERDALE – The Victory Black Box Theatre is excited to showcase Look What Fell Out De Mango Tree, starring renowned actors Debra Ehrhardt and Christopher Grossett. Look What Fell Out De Mango Tree is Ehrhardt’s newest play. Two performances of the show will take place on Saturday, September 28 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Sept 29 at 4 p.m. Both shows will be held at the Victory Black Box Theatre at the L.A. Lee YMCA/Mizell Community Center. The center is located at 1409 NW 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311. Tickets are $39.00 and are available at eventbrite.com.
Look What Fell Out De Mango Tree is based on Ehrhardt’s true-life story and is about the importance of forgiveness and the power of vulnerability as she uncovers a long-held secret, unlocking her ability to forgive and transforming her relationship with men.
Debra Ehrhardt: Award Winning Actress-Playwright
Actress-playwright Debra Ehrhardt has made her home in the U.S., while maintaining an unquestionable passion for her native land. She has performed her own stories all over the world based on her colorful life in Jamaica. Debra is the recipient of several awards and has garnered rave reviews of her plays over the years. Previous solo productions include Mango Mango, Invisible Chairs, Cock Tales: Shame on Me! and Jamaica Farewell which was produced by Rita Wilson- Hanks and Garry Marshall and has been optioned for film.
Debra received a Proclamation from the City of New York for her “Outstanding Contribution to the Jamaican community” and was named one of Jamaica’s top ten news makers for 2010.
In addition, Ehrhardt has performed at the storytelling center in Jonesboro, Tenn., the Taos Storytelling festival in New Mexico, Ojai storytelling Festival in California, and she was the winner in 2017 for the Best Storyteller in Long Beach, Calif. Ehrhardt founded “What’s Your Story Jamaica,” a million-dollar storytelling competition in Kingston a few years ago and returns to Jamaica every year to produce and promote the competition.
Debra firmly believes that the most important aspect of her work is the content itself. She infuses her work with care, nuance, and passion, always aiming to highlight the true emotional depth that makes art impactful.
Christopher Grossett
Actor Christopher Grossett attended the Julliard School of the Performing Arts. He is know for the films Last Life, Something About a Business, and Speed of Life, among others. He was in a production of the award-winning A Raisin in the Sun at Syracuse Stage. At New York’s Lincoln Center he performed in A Wrinkle in Time. He also performed in productions of Lynn Nottages Intimate Apparel at the Nevada Conservatory Theatre and in Shrinks at the L.A. Hudson Theatre.
Director Paul Williams is a composer, singer, songwriter, actor, and is known for writing and co-writing iconic songs such as Three Dog Night’s “An Old Fashioned Love Song” and “Out in the Country,” Helen Reddy’s “You and Me Against the World,” Biff Rose’s “Fill Your Heart,” and the Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.”
Williams is also known for writing the score and lyrics for Bugsy Malone and his musical contributions to other films, including the Oscar-nominated song “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie, and the lyrics to the #1 chart-topping song “Evergreen.” He won a Grammy for Song Of the Year for the love theme from the Barbra Streisand film, A Star Is Born, as well as an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Williams said although he is writing two musicals and had very little time to spare, he was so impressed with the material and quality of the actors, he wanted to direct this piece.
The Victory Black Box Theatre presents a variety of arts and entertainment programs and activities. You can find out more information by going to YMCASouthFlorida.org.