Members of Ashe are seen performing in 'Curfew' in 2006. Ashe will perform at the International Theatre Institute/Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists theatre workshops this week. - File

The clothing advisory was not in UNESCO International Theatre Institute Dramatic Theatre Committee president Faynia Williams' official message, read by Scarlett Beharie. That focused on the committee's first visit to Jamaica and the Caribbean this week.

But Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists (JADA) president Dorothy Cunningham said last Tuesday morning that Williams had asked her to pass on a message about the appropriate attire for the theatre workshops which will be incorporated into the committee's visit.

"Tell people to wear comfortable clothes. It is not a lecture," Cunningham relayed to those gathered in the Ministry of Information, Youth and Culture's conference room and, by extension, those who will attend the workshops from Thursday to Saturday.

There will be two workshops at the Theatre Place, New Kingston, on Thursday, 'Making The Play' starting at 8:30 a.m. and 'Hamlet' following at 2 p.m. 'The Fool on the World/Jamaican' stage is on at Jamaica Trade and Invests New Kingston headquarters on Saturday, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Resolving conflict, violence

The 'Theatre in the Conflict Zones' symposium is slated for Friday at 2 p.m. and will draw on the experience in the Philippines and Cyprus in focusing on how theatre may be utilised in resolving conflict and violence in Jamaica.

The total cost for all the sessions is $4,500, with special rates available for individual workshops. They are open to the public, to persons with or without theatre experience, and participants may pre-register, or sign up at the venue on the day of the event. Through corporate sponsorship, as well as the assistance of theatre practitioners who conduct regular summer workshops, 18 students will be attending the workshops free.

Cunningham said that the Dramatic Theatre Committee's visit to Jamaica is "a landmark occurrence for Caribbean theatre and is certainly another major milestone in the history of Jamaican theatre". In addition, as the committee members who will participate in the workshops are "all internationally recognised and award-winning writers, producers and directors", the workshops present a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our practitioners to learn from such internationally acclaimed theatre professionals".

In addition, Cunningham said, "the workshops will not only be a learning experience for our people but will also allow the Dramatic Theatre Committee team to gain insight into aspects of Jamaican theatre and the abundance of theatre that exists in our island".

The inspiration

The visit comes from Cunningham and International Theatre Institute Jamaican representative L. Nicole Brown's visit to Madrid, Spain, in September 2008 for the World Congress of the International Theatre Institute. The two were elected to a number of committees, Cunningham named Jamaica's representative on the Dramatic Theatre Committee.

And they learnt there that at least one Jamaican name was well known, as twice people asked if they knew 'Sister'. They were actually referring to the Sistren Theatre Collective, which they had seen perform many years previously.

Sistren will participate in the workshops, along with Amba Chevannes, the Little Theatre Movement, Ashe, Stages Productions, Area Youth Foundation and Children First.

Director of Culture Sydney Bartley referred to a recent rating of Jamaica as the second happiest country in the world, attributing much of that to theatre and its ability to make us laugh at ourselves. He said that theatre is part of the process of self-recognition, self-identification and, in many ways, self-appraisal".

Referring specifically to the Dramatic Theatre Committee's visit, Bartley said, "as good as we are, it is always good to be seen as good in the world".

And speaking to the title of the Saturday morning workshop, 'The Fool on the Jamaican/World Stage', Cunningham reflected on how some of those now called icons were once ridiculed.

"Marcus Garvey was considered a fool. Bob Marley was considered a fool. Mary Seacole was considered a fool. Now we laud them," Cunningham said.

Director of Culture, Sydney Bartley (left), speaks at last Tuesday's press conference announcing the workshop schedule for next week's visit of the ITI Dramatic Theatre Committee, held at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports' New Kingston offices. Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists president, Dorothy Cunningham (centre), gave details of the events, while the ITI's Jamaican representative, L. Nicole Brown (right), hosted the conference. - photo by Mel Cooke