George Carter the man behind the scenes Very often, although we deservedly heap loads of accolades on thespians, magnifying their contribution to our cultural heritage, and in particular their meteoritic rise in theatre, we forget, that they are not singular in their achievements. We tend to pay scant regard to those who facilitated them in their upward mobility, including the persons who operate the lights and sound, designers of sets, props and the stage hands, who are hubs of the entire operation. These persons, though not under theatre lights as actors creating laughs, work in the background enhance the visual and add, to a great extent, an extra dimension. Most of them have given their entire lives to this craft. This explains why 85-year-old George Carter decided from his high school days at St. George's College on North Street, Kingston, to be one of those behind-the-scenes persons who work assiduously in theatre for the benefit of school theatre and the school's arts programme. St. George's "I was fortunate in 1935, being a student at St. George's to have come under the tutelage of the Reverend Joseph Krim, SJ. He trained me in elements of the theatre - all the areas." Mr. Carter told Showbiz. According to him: "Greta Fowler, wife of Henry, co-founder of The Little Theatre Movement, visited St. George's and observed my work in the school's drama society and requested that I join the LTM and I referred her to Father Krim. And guess what? Father agreed. I was invited to watch performances of the LTM, which even took me backstage". Subsequently, this talented technical personality aligned himself with other stalwarts of the theatre, including Noel Vaz, who at that time was director of most of the LTM productions. He assisted technically in the production Aladdin and the pantomimes Cinderella (1947) and Beauty And The Beast (1948). Then in 1948, after his apprenticeship, he reached peak level. "I was asked by Mr. Vaz to be stage manager for LTM's productions Noah, Brer Anancy and Blue Beard (1949). I did the set and assisted with lighting among other things. This came off very well. However in 1952-53 the LTM produced a second Aladdin and Robinson Crusoe. The sound was excellent by Eugene Findlay, but the lighting was never correct", he explained. Because of Mr. Carter's admirable theatrical knowledge and creative ability, he was spotted by the LTM as one who could lead in the technical aspects of their productions. "In 1954, I was asked to make my debut as lighting designer for the LTM's pantomime Anancy and Magic Mirror. In that same year Mr. Carter, under the auspices of St. George's College, attended a conference on Ecclesiastical Studies in Boston, Massachusetts. Black Lighting "Here I got a chance to study the use of 'Black Lighting' - the use of ultra violet lighting. On my return to the island I practised extensively using the Black Lighting technique. I had very good results in productions such as Anancy and Pandora (1956) and Busha Beard (1957)" he said. He added: "Theatre lighting in my early years was just a hobby. My substantive job was an Electro Metallurgist and as a director of the company of the same name." During the second world war years, Mr. Carter was able to produce chemicals needed in the electroplating business. Yet his skill at his theatre craft did not go unnoticed. He was awarded in 1959 a Travel Great (Scholarship) by The Jamaican Government Arts Council, which took him to pursue studies in lighting in Britain and North America. While on scholarship he gained valuable experiences with the world-famed Sadler Wells Ballet, Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, at Stratford, Upon-Avon and, in the United States, worked with the Western Spring Theatre, Chicago, among other renowned institutions. "Again in 1962, I received a state US Department Fellowship to ULCA, Washington. During my stay their I taught part-time". Mr. Carter returned to the island the same year and went back full-time into his Carter Electroplating Works while doing lighting for almost every production in the island. In 1976 he was invited to join the Carifesta Organisation as technical director and associate producer/director of the Carifesta Gala, held in Kingston, Jamaica. "My job with the organisation was for a year. Six months preparation for the shows and the remaining for meetings and staging of shows. At the same time I was employed as a training officer at the National School of Drama in lighting, stage hands and sound technique. Little Theatre It was in 1980 that Mr. Carter accepted the job as full-time general manager of The Little Theatre, home of the LTM. "This was a very demanding job. It left me to oversee all the facets of the theatre." Mr. George Carter, now retired, has no regrets about his many years spent in the theatre. "If I had to start over again in the theatre, I would do things a little differently. I would undertake a study of individuals in theatre. Theatre today is so demanding, so many persons are involved and we need to know about them. This would give us a better understanding of theatre in Jamaica and elsewhere, coupled with this I would do studies pertaining to technology, which would make one a complete theatre practitioner". George Washington Carter also has a very humorous disposition and he never failed to demonstrate this when in the company of others. "I remember I was in Trinidad for the launch of the West Indies Federation. We took the production Busha Blue Beard. While in Trinidad I requested a photographer to do photographs of the official launch, which was highlighted the presence of Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II. However, on arrival at the function, the photographer became extremely busy taking various shots of the princess, only to discover at the end of it all, there was no film in the camera". Mr. Carter in concluding, lamented the fact that: "Theatre is so lacking today in knowledgeable technical persons. Theatre practitioners need to be educated in all facets of the theatre - staging, production designs, including sets and props." Mr. Carter attributes most of his successes to the co-operation he receives from his wife Celia, who was front-of-house manager at the Little Theatre for many years.
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