EVENTS and THINGS
GIMISTORY
FESTIVAL The only
storytelling festival in the West Indies and one of the most
important cultural mini festivals in the Caribbean. It
is the highlight of my year since 1998. Nine days in the Cayman Islands during
the last week in Novembers. Produced by the
Cayman Islands National Cultural Foundation, it is the most relaxed, holidayish,
sociable festival imaginable. Venues include the town's
amphitheatre square , schools and a different beach each evening
Super Memory Man GODFREY CHIN launched his book NOSTALGIAS at the Brooklyn Library Friday 31st August. It is a remarkable recording of his wondrously detailed memories of growing up and living in Guyana during the 1940's to the 70'. He has also launched it in Vancouver, in DC, Orlando, Miami, Toronto and most recently in his homeland, Guyana. Plans are afoot for Barbados and Toronto launchings. NOSTALGIA has been praised as a social history gem by literary and cultural heads throughout the diaspora.
THE
LAST OF THE REDMEN is Michael
Gilkes' very unique cultural biohistory one-man play of growing up in "The
Taitt's Yard" in Georgetown, Guyana. "Woodbine" was a one and
only house and yard that foundationed some of Guyana's top athletes,
dancers, actors, artists and musicians. Ex professor of literature, now
playwright, director and actor, Michael wrote, directed and acts all seven
characters in this tour de force theatre piece that has won him the Guyana New
Play Award. REDMEN was workshopped in the Cayman Islands for five days in
December and is being rewritten to make it more "universal" in
theme.
A DVD of
REDMEN (performed in Toronto) is now available from Hewley Chung in Toronto at hewley@thechungs.ca
and Michael Gilkes in London at ikael2000@yahoo.com
THE HISTORY
OF GUYANA THEATRE, the long awaited book by Frank Thomasson (one
of the founder members of the unique Theatre Guild of Guyana) has now been
mismanaged by the original publisher, and the already year late launching will
again be delayed as Frank works with a new publisher. We can only hope that
it is available at August's CARIFESTA in Guyana.
CARIFESTA
X , the only comprehensive cultural festival
in the Caribbean, is scheduled in Guyana, August 2008. Within minutes of Bahamas
backing out of hosting it because of lack of time and preparation (they had two
years run-in time) the Guyana government leaped into the breach and
declared they would host it with just eleven months preparation time. Despite
much misgiving by a few older (wiser?) artists in the diaspora, most Guyanese
artists everywhere are already thinking of their participation. CARIFESTA has
become stale over the past decade and needs a rejuvenation of concept and format.
Although Guyanese artists are overjoyed, time will tell if the rest of
the Caribbean responds with equal enthusiasm. For more information -
CARIFESTA Secretariat, attn. Col. Linden Ross, at
carifesta10guyana@gmail.com.
For more information on CARIFESTA X, you may visit www.carifesta.net
Look out for a symposium on the aesthetics of
Caribbean Theatre with the classic Earl Jones play MOON
ON A RAINBOW SHAWL as centerpiece - in the Caymans. For more
information try Henry Muttoo at director@candw.ky
- he is the artistic director of the Caymann National Cultural Foundation.
Probably in April. I'll keep you updated.
Look out for a symposium on the aesthetics of
Caribbean Theatre with the classic Earl Jones play MOON
ON A RAINBOW SHAWL as centerpiece - in the Caymans. For more
information try Henry Muttoo at director@candw.ky
- he is the artistic director of the Caymann National Cultural Foundation.
Probably in April. I'll keep you updated.
Henry Muttoo's model of MOON's set for the production at the U. of South
Florida.
KEN'S
CHOICES -
a fortnightly series with tidbits of interesting
arts/cultural events and people that get little or no widespread media
attention. Go to my KEN'S CHOICE page.
Ken has produced four
CD's
He lives with his wife Elizabeth Barnum, in Long Island, NY.
Contact - (631)744 3127 email kcorsbie@optonline.net