An interview with Serena Ebhardt and David zum Brunnen
This interview may be reprinted freely with acknowledgement to EbzB Productions.
Q: What is “War Bonds: The Songs & Letters of World War II?”
SERENA: It’s fond memories. It’s a sentimental journey, and it’s a reminder of how we
as individuals and as a country face incredible challenges and difficulties. As for the type
of piece it really is, it’s a cabaret performance arranged out of letters and interviews from
actual World War II veterans. The letters are interspersed with popular music from the
period. It’s a historical and musical journey through a war that redefined the world.
Q: What was the inspiration for War Bonds: The Songs & Letters of World War II?
DAVID: It grew out of several things…
SERENA: David was fortunate to be able to interview his father (before his death in
2000) on videotape. A few of those hours that David was able to record include
memories of his father’s World War II experiences and his service in the European
Theatre of Operations. One of those memories and a series of letters that David’s father
wrote to his parents from Germany were about the liberation of a concentration camp.
DAVID: We include one of those letters in the show. And out of that came the
realization that there were so many stories from the war that showed the beauty of the
human spirit at such a challenging time.
SERENA: We felt it was important to bring those stories to light to perhaps inform
future generations of how war affects relationships – both personal and political.
DAVID: And honor that war’s veterans at the same time— all veterans, really. Also
important in creating this is that Serena has always been asked to perform music from
that period. Not to mention that she loves those songs! The music is lyric based and
reflects the current events and emotions of the time. For quite some time, Serena’s mom
had been urging her to develop something with all those wonderful tunes—before the
people that remembered them weren’t around to enjoy them anymore. All of this
combined to move us to create the piece. Of course, new & younger audiences enjoy
many of the songs now. There seems to be a bit of resurgence in interest.
Q: What has the response been to the show?
DAVID: It’s been overwhelming! That said, we’ve been humbled by those who want to
share their stories with us after each show.
we first put together the cabaret. We’ve heard so many individual stories from audience
members. People who tell us that they remember the events that we talk about – they
knew where they were and who was with them. We’ve had children of veterans ask if
they could submit their parents’ letters for use in the production. One man even asked us
to wait at the theatre after a performance so that he could go home and get his war
uniform to give to us. He had no heirs and felt we might be able to use the uniform with
honor in our production.
DAVID: He brought it up to me and said “I think this just might fit you better than me
now” (David laughs).
SERENA: The wonderful stories we hear from audience members after a performance
equal the performance itself. As David said, we’re humbled to be the conduits for such
an outpouring of memories, reflection, and acknowledgement. The show is more
meaningful than we ever imagined it would be. We also perform an abridged version of
this show for schools. We have been surprised that the students have drawn parallels to
the Iraq conflict. The questions from young audiences usually astonish us with their
depth and thoughtfulness.
DAVID: Only until we began regularly performing this did we realize that this show and
all that it’s about is really ‘bigger’ than us.
Q: Are you trying to make a political statement with this show?
SERENA: No— And Yes. We specifically chose not to promote any viewpoints or
opinions of our own – or others. The show is not meant to take sides in any current
conflict or promote any agenda.
DAVID: If there’s any political statement we make, it is that war affects relationships –
personal and political – no matter what the outcome. In the past, war has been inevitable.
We’ll always hope for a world without war, but it seems to be part of human nature so
far. Perhaps what we’re trying to say is that the beauty of the human spirit always
prevails.
SERENA: War is hell, but the human spirit always triumphs.
Q: What is EbzB Productions?
DAVID: We are a professional touring theatre company founded in 1998. Serena is the
Artistic Director and I am the Producing Director. We’ve made a specific effort to design
our productions for flexible and easy touring to all types of venues.
SERENA: We wanted to use drama to promote integrity, self-discovery, and positive
transformation of individuals and communities.
DAVID: We felt that after spending years managing professional companies (both large
& small) for other visionaries and working as actors in all types of productions, that it
was important for us to create stories that we felt truly needed to be told on the stage.
SERENA: Once we felt we had enough experience and a world-view of our own, we
wanted to create a company that could develop and produce work we felt passionate
about. We create many of our own productions, but we also produce work written by
others that we feel meets our mission.
DAVID: We continue to grow, and now we employ several different associate artists at
different times in our production calendar. It’s a busy time.
SERENA: We have worked hard, but we have also been blessed. Additionally many of
our mentors and peers in the field have contributed to our success. We are grateful.
Q: What other kinds of shows does EbzB Productions do?
SERENA: One of the first shows we produced is our signature piece– Dr. Elliot Engel’s
The Night Before Christmas Carol. It is a popular holiday piece. David stars as the
famed author Charles Dickens as well as all the other 16 characters he creates in his
classic Christmas story.
DAVID: I’ve most recently done a piece called Via Dolorosa – It is a fascinating, and
rather intellectual, tour of the Middle East; quite relevant to the events happening there
now.
SERENA: It receives accolades everywhere it is done. The Charlotte Observer called it
a highlight of a theatre festival in Asheville last year.
DAVID: Also, Serena has a cabaret called In One Era and Out The Other: A
Newsworthy Cabaret. It is a time-travel of songs and headlines through the 20th Century.
Julie Florin – who is the musical director for WAR BONDS – appears with Serena in that
one, too. We also have a youth series that includes a show called The Wrights of Passage
about the Wright Brothers in which we actually build an abstract replica of the Wright
Flyer on stage – it’s 21 feet long! Another popular production is Brown v. Board of
Education. It chronicles the story of integration in the schools over the past 50 years.
I’ve seen students and general audiences offering a standing ovation in a lot of different
places at Serena’s direction of Mike Wiley, who performs in it. He is really amazing to
watch.
SERENA: Ah, yes. If you haven’t guessed it, we are married. We met in 1986 at the
University of North Carolina. We were married in 1988. We had a son in 2002. He is
the “greatest achievement since our marriage” – to quote Bob Cratchit in the Night Before
Christmas Carol.
Q: What is it like to work together?
DAVID: I’m what I consider a relatively smart man…. I know who’s boss. (David
points at Serena). Seriously, I trust Serena’s direction implicitly. There’s a reason she
keeps getting asked to direct over and over again with other professional theatres, too.
She delivers good work.
SERENA: Yes, well, David is my good work in progress. (David laughs, Serena
laughs). I think we work together well. It can be tough – a married couple working
together. But we have a respect for each other’s abilities that has matured over the years.
DAVID: Wow, we have been together for practically 20 years. Did you realize that?
SERENA: (laughs) Yes, Dear. (They both laugh). It’s actually wonderful. Yes, it can
be difficult. It’s always a work in progress. We’ve had to learn how to work together.
We have to remember to be professional towards each other and treat each other with the
same respect we would other artists. Sometimes it’s easy to cut to the critical chase
because we know each other so well. But we share a vision. We have different skill sets
and we know what they are and we honor them.
DAVID: I couldn’t have said it better. One of the most difficult things working together
is that sometimes our son doesn’t get either one of us because we are both on the road.
Fortunately we have amazing support from our families who make sure he’s cared for
when have to go on the road together. We all make a good team – onstage and off.
Q: What have you done in your individual performance careers?
DAVID: Well Serena is a former “child star” akin to Bette Davis in Whatever Happened
To Baby Jane! She started performing professionally at the age of six. She was Gretel in
The Sound of Music. Along the way, her work took her to Europe and Off Broadway.
She’s done it all. I got my start a little later – landing my first professional job while in
college. We’ve both performed in a variety of places – New York, Canada, Serena in
Europe, the eastern United States – and with some great people. We are not ‘stars’. We
are not famous. That has never been our goal. We made the decision long ago to base
our work out of North Carolina for a variety reasons (Family being a prominent one).
SERENA: One interesting aspect of our careers lately is that we were asked to train with
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (in Washington, DC) as Teaching
very rewarding.
DAVID: We think it’s crucial to nurture the audience of the future, among other
important issues that you can address with students through the performing arts.
Q: Why do you do theatre?
DAVID: When I first started performing – and I’m thinking back when I was a kid, and
then a theatre student – it was probably to get immediate attention. Over time, it’s
become more than that. Being involved in the performing arts and doing theatre helped
create a strong bond between my father and myself that may not have existed otherwise.
Additionally, I would say that I’ve found that by doing theatre, you can discover
solutions to a myriad of things in ways that you’d never expect – and still have a lot of
fun and be entertained along the way.
SERENA: Theatre has been an expression of many things for me over the years. At
present I realize that it is one of the best mediums I have for communicating. It has
audio, visual, kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, textual and musical aspects. It can
reach every audience member regardless of how they process. I understand the Art of
Theatre better than any other communication tool. I think it is the most powerful and
dynamic way to share the lessons and meaning of Life.
http://www.ebzb.org
