Akiba Abaka Arts presented the conversation Afro-Futurism and the Jamaican Stage as a part of the 10 Weeks in Jamaica series livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Sunday 3 January 2021 at 1 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 3 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 4 p.m. EST (Kingston, UTC -5).
10 Weeks In Jamaica: Theater Conversations from Jamaica to The World!
Often seen as an ideal tropical vacation destination, the island nation of Jamaica is a tourism and cultural hub of the Caribbean known globally for its ska and reggae music, world class sprinters, high grade ganja, endless sunshine and beautiful beaches. Yet, Jamaica possesses a theatrical legacy that contains catalytic approaches to decolonization, language reclamation, indigenous narrative formation, community development and nation building. As the world focuses on achieving racial equity, the rich history and contemporary narratives of the Jamaican stage provides valuable learnings for theater practitioners and audiences in search of models and memories of progressive community building through the arts.
Afro-Futurism and the Jamaican Stage
Afro-Futurism is a practice that elevates black liberation, survival, and advancement. It is represented in the arts, literature, science-fiction, fashion, spirituality and aspirations of African-diasporic people coming of age in the 21st Century. In the theatre Afro-Futurism caters to the creation and the uncovering of myths that inform blackness. As we enter the third decade of the 21st Century two leading Jamaican playwrights and renaissance artists join us for a conversation on how Afro-Futurism shows up on the Jamaican stage.
About the Speakers
Tanya Batson-Savage is a writer, filmmaker, publisher and creative consultant, with a love of mangoes. She is currently publisher and editor in chief of and the online magazine Susumba and its literary offshoot Susumba’s Book Bag as well as the award-winning independent publishing house, Blue Banyan Books – the fastest growing tradebook publisher in the English-speaking Caribbean. Tanya has written for the page, stage, screen and radio (and one day she will write a story about a mango). Her love of stories grew while she was seated at her grandmother’s feet, where she developed a passion for folktales that shines through in her first collection of stories of children Pumpkin Belly and Other Stories (Blue Banyan Books/ Blue Moon Publishing). Her play Woman Tongue received 8 Actor Boy Award Nominations (2016) and her short film script ‘Endeavour’ earned the award for Best Script in the Kingstoon Anime Festival (2013). Her career has crisscrossed the cultural landscape including cultural policy, teaching, cultural criticism, journalism, advertising, and publicity. She is ‘head cook and bottle-washer’ of Blue Banyan Books and its imprint Blouse and Skirt Books. Her writing has appeared in The Caribbean Beat, Bim, The Jamaica Journal, The Caribbean Quarterly, the Skywritings Magazine, Moods of Jamaica and Pree Caribbean Lit Magazine. Her film credits include producer for the animated short film Agwe (2018), production manager on the short film City of Mine (written and directed by Danielle Russell, 2017) and has produced her own student film The Secretary. She has also been creative consultant with the Auntie Roachie Festival and Arts in the Park arts project, is the Chair of the Lignum Vitae Writing Awards and president of the Jamaican Writers Society.
Michael Holgate has spent over two decades exploring the world of theatre, dance, music, film and writing. He holds a BA (Literatures in English) and an MPhil (Cultural Studies) from the University of the West Indies. He is currently the Head of the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts at the University of the West Indies and also Artistic Director of The ASHE Company. His body of work includes writing, directing and choreographing 'Garvey The Musical' (theatre) and a new TV series - CHILL. Holgate's novel is entitled 'Night Of The Indigo' and he is co-author of the self-help manual 'Your Empowerment GPA.' Holgate is also a part time lecturer and external examiner at the Edna Manley College. He is a prolific creative artist and consistently produces works in multiple disciplines. For screen he has worked as performance coach and audition judge with the Digicel Rising Stars. His forays in film include him playjng the featured role of ‘Bobo' in the 2004 Jamaican Film ONE LOVE. He also played the part of a don dead in two minutes of screen time in the Jamaican film "Ghetta Life." Holgate has also directed music videos, mini-documentaries and edutainment docudramas for the screen.
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