Tanya Batson-Savage, Freelance Writer
The Haramble Cultural Club tackled the spectre of HIV/AIDS with the production 'Hell Bruck Loose' at the JCDC national drama finals on day two at the Little Theatre last Thursday. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE NATIONAl finals of the performing arts in the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) festival competition came to an end with two days of one-act plays at The Little Theatre, Tom Redcam Avenue, Kingston. There were 14 performances across two days, July 13 and 14.
Between them the Excelsior Community College, which had three productions in the competition, and St. Jago High captured most of the top awards. Indeed the two schools tied for the trophy of Best Overall Production with EXED's Another Dilemma and St. Jago's The Missing Link.
St. Jago, under the leadership of Pauline Matthie and EXED have been consistently producing good dramatic works over the past few years so their wins were by no means surprising.
The second day of performances saw pieces tackling HIV/AIDS, the story of Alexander Bedward, and abuse in the senior and adult categories. Intermediate and junior competitors vied for trophies on the first day. Along with the regular JCDC awards the competition also featured productions vying for trophies and cash from the Ministry of Health for HIV/AIDS related stories.
The One Man Show, Save Us performed by nine year-old Kavaughn Kalvin a student of Little London Primary in Westmoreland was dubbed the best of the HIV/AIDS productions. Indeed, despite the age of the performer, Save Us proved a far more cohesive production than the adult community drama Hell Bruck Loose which was badly hampered by its script and conception.
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AWARDS
1. Best Production (Western Region)
Save Us - Little London Primary
2. Best Production (Central Region)
Hell Bruck Loose - Harambe Cultural Club
3. Best Actress in an HIV/AIDS Production
Juliene Fogo, The Bug - Howard Cooke Primary
4. Best Actor in an HIV/AIDS Production
Kavaughn Kalvin, Save Us - Little London Primary
5. Best Overall HIV/AIDS Production
Save Us - Little London Primary
CLASS AND CATEGORY AWARDS
1. Best Actress - Senior
Hope Bloomfield, St. Jago - The Missing Link
2. Best Actor - Senior
Shawn-Jay Brown, Knox College Bedward
3. Best Actress - Adult
Deondra Solomon, Excelsior Community College - Another Dilemma
4. Best Actor - Adult
Godfrey Rocke, Harambe Cultural Club - Hell Bruck Loose
5. Best Farce
The Proposal - Excelsior Community College
6. Best Fantasy
The Gingerbread House - St. Catherine Preparatory
7. Best Straight Drama
The Missing Link - St. Jago High
8 Best One Woman Show
Thinking - Donna Harriott, St. Hugh's High
9. Best Community Drama
Safety - Excelsior Community College
10. Best Director (Senior)
Pauline Matthie, St. Jago High
11. Best Senior Production
The Missing Link - St. Jago High
12. Best Adult Director
Orville Hall, Excelsior Community College
13. Best Adult Production
Another Dilemma, Excelsior Community College
OVERALL AWARDS
1. Best Technical Management
The Missing Link - St. Jago High
2. Best Design
The Gingerbread House - St. Catherine Preparatory
3. Best Dramatic Presentation (Special Award)
Bedward - Knox College
4. Best Script
The Missing Link - St. Jago High
5. Best Overall Director
Pauline Matthie, The Missing Link - St. Jago High
6. Louise Bennett Award
Deondra Solomon, Another Dilemma - Excelsior Community College
7. Ranny Williams Award
Shawn - Jay Brown, Bedward - Knox College
8. Best Production Overall
Another Dilemma, Excelsior Community College and The Missing Link - St. Jago High
