{"id":1390,"date":"2010-04-20T23:21:00","date_gmt":"2010-04-20T23:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebzbproductions.ebzb.org\/ebzb-compliments\/"},"modified":"2010-04-20T23:21:00","modified_gmt":"2010-04-20T23:21:00","slug":"ebzb-compliments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/2010\/04\/20\/ebzb-compliments\/","title":{"rendered":"EbzB: Compliments"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDavid [zum Brunnen] \u2013  absolutely becomes my great grandfather on stage!\u201d
\n-Cedric Charles Dickens
\nGreat Grandson of author, Charles Dickens<\/p>\n

First of all, Bravo! for a terrific performance last Wednesday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and was thinking how much it related to the Veterans History Project. I regret I got away that evening without thanking you for what you are doing\u2026. keeping the memories of our WWII generation so alive through your performances.
\nBob Patrick, Director
\nVeterans History Project
\nAmerican Folklife Center
\nLibrary of Congress<\/p>\n

Speaking of \u201cWar Bonds:  The Songs and Letters of World War II\u201d, we are still getting comments about what a great event that was.  The Veterans really appreciated being honored and enjoyed the program completely.  The comments many of them made to the performers during our \u201cMeet the Artists\u201d reception were quite poignant and moving as they shared some of their own memories of that time in our history.  In spite of the rain and threatening weather that evening, we had a great audience and they were treated to a truly professional performance by some wonderful entertainers.
\nThe Ritz Review \u2013 monthly newsletter, October 2007
\nThe Arts Council of Mississippi County
\nBlytheville, AR<\/p>\n

Alkahest, You were right about WAR BONDS being a unique and audience-pleasing show.  We had a good crowd and more people in walkers and wheel chairs than for any show I can remember.  David, Serena and Julie were such nice people with whom to work.  The performance was very well received.  Thank you for helping arrange (and encouraging us to present) this quality production!
\nWabash Valley Arts Council
\nMt. Carmel, IL
\nNovember, 2007<\/p>\n

\u201cWar Bonds was one of the best shows, if not THE best.  It brought back many good memories.\u201d \u2013 Lester Caufman, 405th Infantry, 102 Division.  Alabama.<\/p>\n

\u201cWar Bonds was excellent.  Best I have ever seen at The Library Theatre \u2013 and I\u2019ve been coming here for years!\u201d \u2013 Nancy Sumpter, Alabama.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnjoyed War Bonds so much.  The cast, music, singers were great and broght back old memories.\u201d  \u2013 Joanne Lewis, Alabama<\/p>\n

\u201cWar Bonds was fast moving \u2013 uplifting and very enjoyable.\u201d -E. Laynson, Alabama<\/p>\n

\u201cWar Bonds was a great trip into our past.  Even though it was wartime, it showed how we persevered and came into the future.\u201d \u2013 Anon.  Alabama.<\/p>\n

Thanks again.  You guys were great!  Have you ever thought of being ambassodors to the trade??
\n-Leslie Hamlin
\nDavie County Arts Council, NC<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a very well received show and one I am sure we will consider again.\u201d
\nRussell J. Wicker
\nDirector \u2013 Performing Arts Center
\nIsothermal Community College<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cast & musical team of \u2018War Bonds\u2019 were great to work with.  They were very prepared and professional, and made the day very easy.
\nThe musical\/historical presentation was a wonderful way to educate the audience on the era of World War II.  We had several generations of families in the crowd for the performance \u2013 it was interesting to watch grandparents explaining the details to their grandkids. Beautiful voices and talented musicians made for a stunning performance. The cast was great about meeting our guests in the lobby following the show.  They graciously had photos taken and talked until the last person left well after the show.\u201d
\nShirley Stary
\nVice President for Programming
\nLakeside Association, Ohio<\/p>\n

\nIt was a pleasure for the Hawkinsville\/Pulaski County Arts Council, Inc. to have David zum  Brunnen and Serena Ebhardt of EbzB Productions to grace our stage for this great performance Was Bonds: \u201d The Songs & Letters of WW II\u201d\u2026 what a journey of days gone by and the nostalgic tunes of the times.  I highly recommend this musical production for the entire family.  Top notch entertainment and delightful to work with. Thank you for a great experience.
\n-Julie Stewart
\nProduction Coordinator
\nOld Opera House, Hawkinsville, GA<\/p>\n

\nJust wanted you to know I have heard nothing but accolades for the performance in Hawkinsville Opera House, Sat. May 19.  It was a fantastic show and well received by everyone!! Thanks so much for coming here.  It was a pleasure to work with all of you.
\n-Nellie Coley
\nOld Opera House, Hawkinsville, GA<\/p>\n

\nI have nothing but great things to mention. In five + years as a cultural arts rep at an elementary school, I can say I have dealt with a lot of people. Your business professionalism is unmatched. Truly I appreciate all of your well written contracts as well as somehow taking responsibility for my blunders! Thank You! Your show was extremely well done. War Bonds was entertaining and educational. In both shows you had the rapt attention of at least 100 8th graders, who were a little jaded since it was nearly the last week of school. Your show kept their undivided attention. They laughed. They sang along. Theywere frequently silent during solemn moments. Their questions following the program told me that you had sparked an interest. Thank you for your professional business skills, your fine acting and singingskills, and also for a wonderful show. I am still thinking about your characters and stories a few weeks later.
\n-Terry Smith
\nCultural Representative
\nDavis Drive Elementary School<\/p>\n

\n\u201cOur audience\u2019s response following WAR BONDS: The Songs and Letters on W. W. II  included: AMAZING, ASTOUNDING, FABULOUS, INCREDIBLE, MARVELOUS & WONDERFUL. We will definitely have this unbelievable, talented troupe back very soon.\u201d
\nPaul Lormand, Director,
\nFine and Performing Arts Center
\nWestern Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC<\/p>\n

\nMr. zum Brunnen,
\nAlmost said Mr. Dickens. Saw you last night at Mid Continent Public Library in Independence. Awesome! Thank you so much, your performance made me want to rush out and read some of Dickens\u2019 novels. My 7 year old daughter and I were enthralled. Hope to see you again in the future. Thank you.
\nHave a very happy Holiday!
\nHarold Edwards Jr., Independence, MO<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI want to thank you again for the wonderful performance for War Bonds.  We received nothing but positive responses from our audience members who were touched by the respect and reverence given to the period.  They especially enjoyed you reading the letters written by local servicemen.  Thank you and we at Kaskaskia College look forward to working with EbzB on future productions!\u201d
\nTravis Henson
\nDirector of Marketing
\nKaskaskia College
\nCentralia, Illinois<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMy wife and I really enjoyed your show at the Warren Performing Arts here in Indianapolis. I was a POW in Germany in World War 11 and you folks really brought back some memories. Thanks again for a great show!\u201d
\nRoland Hiles, Audience Member
\nIndianapolis, IN<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMy wife, Erica, and I attended your WONDERFUL production of War Bonds at the Dublin Senior Center.  As an oldie WW 2 vet the songs really brought back a lot of memoris.  Its amazing how -OUR- dear God guided your memory processing to sing and vocalize so many many songs without pages upon pages of music at your finger tips.  Again <> and AGAIN <> thanks for a truly lovely inspiring musical.\u201d
\nEd Haney
\nDublin, Ohio<\/p>\n

\n\u201cMy father was killed in action during WWII; along with my good friend\u2019s dad\u2026as a matter of fact he died on 11\/18\/1944\u2026the same date as one of the letters you read\u2026that really hit home\u2026 The reason why I wrote\u2026outstanding performances\u2026it touched the heart of all the silver and white haired audience members\u2026me included.\u201d
\n-Walt Linne, Audience Member
\nIndianapolis, Indiana<\/p>\n

\nI just saw War Bonds on UNC TV.  It was wonderful.  You were superb.  I am being honest, it is my favorite TV special of my whole life- and I am pretty old!!!!!! Thank you so much for this fabulous production. It must have been a huge amount of work, but I want to say it needs to be shown many more times, so many more North Carolinians can see it.  Your hard work will be appreciated over and over. I look forward to you two doing many more similar performances.  In fact, I hope you are already working on a new script!!!   I will be watching for it.
\nMary Bastin
\nChatham County Line
\nDirector of Marketing<\/p>\n

\nWhat a Magnificent Occasion Tues. Nite. You two are Exceptional \u2013 A Joy to behold.  Serena ,Your impersonation of Marlene Dietrich was so real- like she was there, also Rosie the Riveter, same for the stories\/letters- done to perfection.
\nMarilyn & Hal Shook
\nWWII Veteran and Audience Member of
\nWar Bonds at Holly Springs Cultural Center<\/p>\n

\nThank YOU for War Bonds! What a beautiful experience! What a gift it is to trace so much universality in the human experience via correspondence exchanged between loved ones. It was just wonderful, and I can imagine the catharsis and impact it provided for audience members of \u201cthe greatest generation\u201d as well.
\nMolly Matlock
\nDirector
\nChatham Arts Council<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSerena,  You\u2019re my benchmark for excellence in putting what you\u2019ve got out there.  It\u2019s brief, relevant, accessible.\u201d
\nAnna Ludwig Wilson,
\nArtistic Director
\nMallarme Chamber Players<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI am sorry to take so long to get back to you about a superior performance the Vietnam show was- It was the best thing I had seen in years. you may not be aware but I was a Vietnam era vet- never served there but was on active duty during Vietnam. That performance brought back memories that I had long buried- There are friends I had that went there and never returned. I remember wearing my uniform and being spit at, cursed out , had food thrown at you and called a \u2018 baby killer\u201d- Memories I had not dealt with and thought long forgotten until that performance. Please understand it was great and I am glad I saw it but it was and still is a highly emotional thing for me\u2013 Thanks for listening and thanks for being as great as you are.\u201d
\nBill Moore
\nPrincipal, John A. Holmes High School, Edenton, NC
\nEbzB Conducted Residency Work to help students write and perform \u201cVietnam Voices\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\u201cOn behalf of the Holly Springs Cultural Center staff, I wanted to say thank you for a very successful inaugural theatrical performance. Rachel was very easy to work with and we got through a light focus and cue recording with plenty of time to spare. Your performance was amazing and I know that the audience felt the same. I hope we can work together on future shows as we bring the cultural arts to this community. Have a warm and wonderful holiday season.\u201d
\nBarry Jaked
\nTechnical Director
\nHolly Springs Cultural Center<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI\u2019d like to offer my sincerest gratitude to EbzB Productions for not only making this event a success for our Newspapers-In-Education program, but also for bringing history to life for our students!  Thank you for your caliber of performance and flexibility.\u201d
\nBeth Greenwaldt,
\nNewspapers-In Education Director
\nWilson Daily Times<\/p>\n

\n\u201d David, Serena and Rachel,  Thank you, Thank you! for your time with us at the ArtsCenter.  \u201cNight Before Christmas Carol\u201d definitely goes on the top of my list of shows presented this year! I hope you\u2019ll come back!
\nLauren Bromley
\nPresenter\/Programming Coordinator
\nCarrboro Arts Center, Carrboro, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI\u2019ve told all our friends just how enjoyable \u201cSongs and Letters of World War II\u201d  was.  I was deeply moved. Those were the days, the good old days. Thank you.\u201d
\nDorothy Muller
\nUSO Performer in World War II
\nSt. Raphael\u2019s Catholic Church<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI have heard such wonderful comments about your program.  It is one of the best performances I\u2019ve ever seen, in Wilkes or anywhere.  We were truly privileged to have you at Benton Hall and the library.  I\u2019ve told many people who did not attend about the wonderful show they missed. Elliot Engel\u2019s script for the play is magnificent, and I\u2019m sure he is extremely happy with your performance.  Dickens came to life in Wilkes County that day!\u201d
\nLouise Humphrey
\nDirector
\nWilkes County Public Library
\nWilkesboro, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThank you for your spectacular performance at our fourth annual Dickens holiday fundraiser.  It was a success on all fronts and our members have expressed their admiration for the production and for your ever-apparent talent. It has been a delight to continue with EbzB Productions, your dedication, professionalism and spirit are truly essential to the success of this fundraiser and we look forward to working together in the future.\u201d
\nExecutive Board of Trustees
\nChapel Hill Museum
\nChapel Hill, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSerena, both you and Mike Wiley have done an outstanding job! The standing ovation the Brown vs. Board of Education performance received in Fayetteville was well deserved, and is a tribute to both of you.\u201d
\nHoward Fox
\nNorth Carolina Association of Educators<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe Wrights of Passage performance was superb! Thank you!\u201d
\n-Deborah J. Porter
\nManager of Events Development for the Aeromat Conference
\nDayton, Ohio.<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis team [EbzB] expresses what is best in an actor.  And should you ever have the opportunity to work with them you will be blessed with all the good energy, and their commitment to how they work.\u201d
\n-J.D. Demers
\nStudio In The Woods
\nCreative Action Actors Network<\/p>\n

\n\u201cDear David and Serena- Thank you so much for such a wonderful performance. In carpool line I heard many of the kids talking about the performance and about World War II. I think you really got many of them thinking. I personally, really loved the music. It was wonderful. I was also very moved by many oft stories. The letters really make it so personal\u2026I would like to have you come in to perform the Wright Brothers this spring. We will definitely have you back next [year].  Again, thank you so much for bringing a new appreciation of that time to our students and staff.  If you ever need a reference I would be glad to to talk to anyone about how professional, educational and entertaining you were.\u201d
\n-Elizabeth Iaquinta
\nSt. Raphael\u2019s School
\nRaleigh, NC.<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThank you Serena for working with us through it all. It is hard to describe what we go through here to present quality programs. You are a dream, a doll, for putting up with us.\u201d
\nJackie Vaughn
\nNorth Carolina Association of Educators
\nCommissioned  \u201cBrown vs. Board of Education\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe Wrights of Passage\u201d was a great success and the zum Brunnens are wonderfully talented and a pleasure to work with. Thank you for providing this fun and educational presentation for the children of Dare County.\u201d
\nBillie B. Boyd
\nProgram & Arts Director
\nRoanoke Island Festival Park
\nManteo, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cEbzB Productions and David zum Brunnen are wonderful to work with \u2013 very accommodating and eager to please. \u00a6New Bern loves him and is excited about having him back again next year.\u201d
\nNew Bern Women\u2019s Club
\nNew Bern, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe show was wonderful. You should be very proud!! Thank you for a great evening of theatre.\u201d
\nD. Rae Geoffrey
\nDirector of Outreach and Education
\nDiana Wortham Theatre<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThanks again.  You guys were great!  Have you ever thought of being ambassodors to the trade?\u201d
\nLeslie Hamlin
\nDavie County Arts Council, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cYou are obviously a favorite among those who attend here.  Can you fit us in again for next year?\u201d
\nMary Steward
\nDirector, Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts
\nCape May, NJ<\/p>\n

\n\u201cI cannot begin to tell you how much we enjoyed working with you for our presentation of The Night Before Christmas Carol. You did such a good job of supplying us with material for publicizing the show and helping us help you make it a successful performance. We really appreciate your assistance. Then the show itself:\u00a6 to watch it was to be transported back in time and space.\u201d
\nNancy Womack
\nArts & Sciences Dean
\nIsothermal Community College
\nSpindale, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cSerena: I wanted to let you know how much your work was appreciated. Unbeknownst to me, the front row of the amphitheatre was full of actual survivors of domestic violence who were present to speak to the students.  Many of them sought out the professor to comment on what a genuine and sensitive portrayal you gave. That has to be the highest praise possible. On behalf of the students, faculty and guests, thank you for the gifts of your time and talent.\u201d
\nR. Scott Pollard, MSW, LCSW
\nDuke University School of Medicine<\/p>\n

\n\u201cCool Play.\u201d
\nMary Schafer
\nStudent,  Thomas Jefferson Academy, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cGreat job.  Thanks for making my Christmas better.\u201d
\nBrad J. Christian
\nStudent, Thomas Jefferson Academy, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cDavid performed three times for us on that day, two school shows and one full evening performance.  The audiences for each production were enthralled.  The school shows were appropriate for students of any age\u2013\u00a6with our adult audience leaving the hall that evening with a feeling that they had not only witnessed an excellent bit of acting, but an engaging performance as well.  This was the perfect show to kick off our holiday season!  We look forward to bringing EbzB Productions back to the civic center for both our school programs as well as our Performing Artist Series.\u201d
\nDavid Briggs
\nDirector J. E.. Broyhill Civic Center
\nCaldwell Community College & Technical Institute, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cEbhardt stops the show with a Communist striptease replete with red ribbons.\u201d
\nCharleston Post & Courier review of Travesties
\nPiccolo Spoleto Festival, Charleston, SC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe closing scene between Ebhardt and David zum Brunnen shines with poignancy and clarity.\u201d
\nThe Independent Weekly, review of Travesties
\nRaleigh, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis year\u2019s \u201cDickens of a Christmas\u201d event at the Chapel Hill Museum was another resounding success, thanks in great part to your wonderful production of Nicholas Nickleby.  The Dickens event has become a very important fund raiser for the Museum (as well as a fun tradition), and we sincerely appreciate your participation.\u201d
\nMorgan Kenney
\nDirector, The Chapel Hill Museum
\nChapel Hill, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThis season we presented Mike [Wiley’s] production of Jackie Robinson in the fall,  and last week Brown vs. Board of Education \u2013 but that\u2019s not why I\u2019m writing. Last week we also presented Dar He: the Lynching of Emmett Till. This is an incredibly powerful piece written and performed by Mike and directed by our own Serena Ebhardt.  Dar He is a production that deserves to be on every stage in North Carolina, and I encourage all into making that a reality.\u201d
\nJohn Ellis
\nManaging Director, Diana Wortham Theatre at Pack Place
\nAsheville, NC<\/p>\n

\nI did want to take a moment to thank you for all of your incredible work on getting \u201cChristmas Pageant\u201d in such great shape.  I have every confidence that this will be a very rewarding production and tour, and a lot of that is due to your outstanding talent and ability! I consider myself very blessed to have had the privilege of working with both you and David these past months (or should that be years now!).  I hope you realize how much I admire you and enjoy working with you.
\nStephen Wall
\nEbzB Productions Actor, The Wrights of Passage
\nWWJ Productions Actor, Best Christmas Pageant Ever
\nRaleigh, NC<\/p>\n

\nDavid and Serena,
\nYou are both fantastic.  How does so much talent reside in just two people?
\nBruce Ladd
\nGovernors Club
\nChapel Hill, NC<\/p>\n

\n\u201cThe zum Brunnens and Dickens have become a Chapel Hill tradition and a major fund raiser for the Chapel Hill Museum \u2013\u00a6as for the Nicholas Nickleby \u2013 a little over an hour of rollicking fun, watching David and Serena slipping seamlessly from part to part, male and female, old and young.\u00a6 We love you!\u201d
\nBitty Holton
\nChair, Chapel Hill Museum
\nFund-Raising Events, NC<\/p>\n

The Paramount did more to improve race relations in Goldsboro, than any focus group or town hall meeting has in at least 5 years.  Thank you to Sherry Archibald and the Paramount for bringing \u201cLife is So Good\u201d to our town.  The two man play chronicled the life of Richard Glaubman, a man who learned to read at the age of 98.  The play was a poignant, yet humorous reflection of the history of racial inequality<\/i> in America.  Ironically, through a weaving in and out of over 20 characters throughout the play, Mike Wiley and David zum Brunnen provide us a glimpse of true racial equality<\/i>; even if only on that stage.  They each played white and black characters and were critical and sympathetic to both.  It transformed them from a white man and a black man into actors, with no affiliation of skin color.  The story they told was not black history or white history, but American history.  And as I looked around the audience, the equality that began on the stage was contagious to us all, as we became not white people and black people but just people; just good people, enjoying an evening at the Paramount, all together.<\/p>\n

\nMATTHEW L. YOUNG, Lt Col, USAFR, Seymour Johnson AFB, NC<\/div>\n
\n<\/div>\n
EbzB Productions – Your World Is Our Stage!
\nhttp:\/\/www.ebzb.org<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cDavid [zum Brunnen] \u2013  absolutely becomes my great grandfather on stage!\u201d -Cedric Charles Dickens Great Grandson of author, Charles Dickens First of all, Bravo! for a terrific performance last Wednesday evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and was thinking how much it related to the Veterans History Project. I regret I got away that evening […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[29,40,47,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1390","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-compliment","category-in-one-era","category-life-is-so-good","category-war-bonds"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1390\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ebzb.org\/WPress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}