The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

Summer Theatre in the Park made stops in Fox Hill, Masons Addition, and Centreville on the weekend, quenching the thirst of the community for positive entertainment.

The travelling theatre made its first rounds, Community members lined the parks to watch the showcase. The actors brought to life two plays: Talk To Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen, and This Property is Condemned. Talk to Me Like the Rain and Let Me Listen was written in 1953 as a series of one acts by Tennessee Williams. There are two unnamed characters in the play, man and woman. They live in a cold-water flat and are bound together in an endless cycle by their hopeless poverty. The man is played by David Maycock and the woman is played by Stacey Stubbs.

The plays present subject matters common to many Bahamians - financial crisis, and love. The theme of financial crisis came to life in The Property Is Condemned, also written by Tennesse Williams.

Lesile Vanderpool organiser of Summer Theatre in the Parks said Bahamians will be able to relate to the subject matters as they are en-grained in our society.

At the end of the play, audience members shared their experience at the summer event. They also had the opportunity to show a little bit of their acting.

“It is always great to get the reaction from the audience. We had their attention from the beginning to the end. We also allowed them to come on stage and do impromptus of different parts of the play. That was a way of actually seeing who has talent, because there may have been some people in the audience who are future stars,” she said.

“We were quite surprised by the response we got from people in those communities. There were so many people in the community that came out. What we realised by that response is that there is a hunger for entertainment in a positive way,” said Leslie Vanderpool coordinator of Summer Theatre in the Park.

By staging plays at parks in different communities on New Providence, this sends the message that performing arts is not only entertaining for a specific class of people, Ms Vanderpool said. She also said this event can help build and rebuild communities while promoting unity.

“In most cities around the world there are events like this. Sometimes we think if we have an event people are going to come out to see it. But sometimes you have to go to the people. I have had people calling asking whether or not the play will be in their area. If the plays were not being held in their area I asked them if they lived close to the park or if the park is in walking distance. We just got an overwhelming response,” she said

Several actors made their debut in Summer Theatre in the Parks. They were products of an acting workshop conducted by Ms Vanderpool.

“With the event we intended to show the talent of these actors. They had no prior training. I was so impressed with their performances because they had a strong desire to act and during their training they overcame shyness and fear.”

The event continues tomorrow at Montague Park starting at 8pm.