Applause as Roots Play Awards a actuality | Leisure

Led by the primary organiser Everton Dawkins, the refrain “We did it!” rang out on the finish of the inaugural staging of the Roots Play Awards final Saturday night time on the Hibiscus Lodge Resort in Ocho Rios, as roots theatre practitioners have been honoured by their very own for many years of service to the business.

The occasion was extra akin to an enormous unscripted comedy fest, with a few of Jamaica’s main comedic actors on present.

Spoken about for years however solely now turning into a actuality, the occasion was staged by the Jamaica Roots Play Basis, in affiliation with Everton Dawkins’ Dynamite Productions and Lacell ‘Mr Good-looking’ Parnell’s Lacell Leisure, and honoured a number of stalwarts in roots theatre.

Maxwell Grant, at 75 years previous, and who for the previous 59 years has saved audiences entertained; Garfield ‘Dangerous Boy Trevor’ Reid, who has been in theatre for 43 years; Andrea ‘Delcita’ Wright, and Juliet ‘Dell’ Shank, who’ve each gone over 30 years in roots theatre, have been amongst these honoured with lifetime achievement awards.

The keenness of scores of roots theatre practitioners and supporters who turned out made it clear that the Jamaican roots play sector is alive, even after a long time of bashing and snobbery by practitioners of the so-called ‘uptown’ theatre, who themselves got here in for a mountain of tongue-lashing on the night time.

The view from a number of in attendance was that the awards ceremony has actually served to embolden roots theatre practitioners to proceed giving Jamaica one thing to giggle about and relieve stress on the identical time.

Lacell ‘Mr Good-looking’ Parnell, Luke Ellington and Joshua ‘Brother Desmond Tomlin have been additionally honoured. So too have been Orville Corridor, Irvine Forrest, Bob Clarke, Margaret Wilson, Trudy Campbell, Norris Chambers, Suzette Barrett, Marshall Pottinger, Percival Francis, Daniele Harvey and Bevin Campbell.

There have been honorary mentions for a number of theatre stalwarts who weren’t in attendance, together with Ian Reid, Stede ‘Jookie Jam’ Flash, Balfour Anderson, Michael Denton and Keith Ramsay, amongst others.

A minute’s silence was noticed for a number of late roots play personnel, together with Ralph Holness, Paul O. Beale, Clive ‘Chu Chu’ Warren and Clive Duncan.

Delcita encapsulated the sensation amongst all those that have been being honoured.

“I really feel superior,” Wright informed The Gleaner. “It’s not nearly me, it’s about all my theatre practitioners who’re being honoured, an’ mi simply really feel so superior to know that lastly we’re recognising ourselves.”

She named her most unforgettable performs as Cash Worries, Courthouse Drama, The Plumber and The Driver.

“These 4 performs, they’re epic,” she identified. “ Granny Rule, the place I play Pumpkin, the place individuals met me first earlier than they met Delcita, with the nation woman with the handicap, I loved that and my followers get pleasure from it; so it’s my absolute pleasure to be at all times pleasing my followers.”

Grant, who expressed delight on the event, listed his favorite performs.

“ Passa Passa is wha actually ship me abroad and all that, Maama Man and Bashment Granny.”

Reid paid tribute to Grant, describing him as “the godfather of the theatre”.

Visitor speaker Kenny Salmon, in hailing the institution of an awards occasion, mentioned the event requires a celebration.

He blasted “uptown theatre” for adopting components of roots theatre of their productions regardless of hating roots theatre, reminding the viewers that he predicted this may occur in a newspaper article 20 years in the past.

“Initially, them capturing a few of the youths who would have been nice actors in roots play, Courtney Wilson, for instance. They seize them, put them within the play, and so they’re performing rootsically, however not in roots play. So we’ve to actually, actually arise,” Salmon mentioned, including {that a} e book is required that target the roots play phenomenon.

Opposition Spokesperson on Tradition Denise Daley, who introduced greetings, spoke in assist of the sector and urged these concerned to guard their rights to it.

“I’m sure that Jamaicans right here and overseas know each one in all you on this room greater than how they’d in all probability find out about individuals who’re in politics,” she remarked.

“I simply need to say to all those that made it attainable tonight, attempt to personal it; declare it as a result of there are others who, after this, would possibly need to take it and personal it. So I’m begging that you just be sure you copyright [your works], in order that nobody will be capable to take it and personal it; that is your blood, sweat and tears,” Daley mentioned.