Thirty children benefited from Purple Arts Production’s annual drama workshop this year and displayed what they learned at a show, Emerge 8, last Saturday evening at the Theatre Guild in Kingston.
Among the things they learned was using modules for street theatre, outdoor or mobile performances. This was displayed in the skit “Home of the Johnsons” at Emerge 8. The space used as part of the Johnson’s home was transformed into a hospital where a baby was delivered. This is an early 21st century technique where actors pick up, pack up, move to another space and perform.
The scenario in the skit was a dysfunctional home. A pregnant teen daughter wished out loud that she wasn’t born, but her mother reminded her that she was loved. The children’s father was a drunkard who was unable to work after an accident. The mother was the sole breadwinner. She later learned that the father of her unborn grandchild was sexually assaulting another of her daughters and paying her to keep quiet.
A cycle of sexual abuse and secrets emerged after the young man shared that he had been sexually abused by his godfather. In the end, the family decided to seek counselling and be more open with each other to break the cycle of abuse.
The children amazed the audience by remembering all of their routines and lines in the intricate drama. The evening also saw choral speaking, spoken word, poetry and a dance to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk”. Then after a brief speech by Purple Arts director Simone Dowding, the children ended the evening by freestyle dancing.
Simone was awarded for her 34 years of contribution to the performing arts in Guyana by the Guyana Cultural Association of New York last week.
As usual, the entire programme was run by the children with guidance from Sydney Henry, Jennifer Kendall and Simone. This year UG students Lashonn Bess and Tatiana Miller did they internship at the workshop and 2 former beneficiaries of the programme, Yohance Kaoma and O’Neilka Bacchus, returned to give back.
Simone launched Purple Arts Productions in 2012 and held the first children’s drama workshop that year over the 2-month school holiday. The workshop is designed for children ages 9-16 and they are taught 6 different disciplines – acting/drama, directing, stage management, property management, costume management and play writing. They also mastered the art of listening, stage geography and stage breathing.
Among last Saturday’s audience was former first lady Deolatchmee Ramotar who met some of the actors after the show.
Purple Arts Productions thanked its sponsors Basil Mahadeo, NALICO/NAFICO, Clyde de Haas, Courts and Unicomer, Miranda Thakur-Deen, Give Another Chance Foundation, Abbigail Waterman, Grooming Place Salon and Barbershop.
