Akiba Abaka Arts presented the conversation The Business of the Jamaican Stage (Jambiz and Whirlwind Entertainment) 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 22 November 2020 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.
The Business of the Jamaican Stage (Jambiz and Whirlwind Entertainment)
There truly is no business like show business and the business of practices for producing theatre in Jamaica illustrates this in unique and dynamic ways. From local and international touring models that follow the movement patterns of traveling sound systems, to artist led theatres that attract massive audiences, Jamaican theatre producers have created business models that fosters a thriving industry throughout the country and its Diaspora. Week 4 of our series on Jamaican theatre will feature 3 prominent Jamaican producers' stories of making theatre in Jamaica, before, during and after COVID 19.
This conversation will be followed by a live audience Q&A segment with the speakers.
Speakers: Lenford Salmon, Glen Campbell and Andrew Roach
English born Jamaican actor Glen Campbell has been performing commercially for over 39 years. Mr. Campbell has performed in more than a dozen US states, most of the countries in the Caribbean Islands, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and India. He became a household name among Jamaicans locally and overseas when he featured in the sitcom “Titus in Town” which aired on the Jamaica Broadcast Corporation (JBC). Mr. Campbell has performed in more than 70 stage productions. Some of his most memorable productions include: Bedward, River Mumma & The Golden Table; Smile Orange; Ras Noah & the Hawk; Love Games; and Straight Jacket. Mr. Campbell's television and film credits include: Third World Cop; Going to Extremes on ABC; Small Island on BBC One and the recently released Jamaican feature film Sprinter, produced by Will Smith. Mr. Campbell was recently conferred with the Jamaican national honor – The Order of Distinction – Officer Class in recognition of his work in theatre over the past 39 years. Mr. Campbell has received more than 20 Actor Boy nominations, Jamaica’s highests critics circle awards, and has won the award six times. A graduate of Jamaica College, Mr. Campbell studied Public Relations at the Jamaica Institute of Management and the Institute of Management and Production (IMP); completed voice and speech courses at the University of the West Indies Radio Unit, as well as doing his formal training in Theatre Studies at the Rose Bruford College in Kent, United Kingdom. He is a Company Director for Jambiz International Ltd., and a national adjudicator for Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Speech and Drama
competitions. He regularly conducts theatre workshops or assist Theatre Arts students with assignments, and whenever he gets the chance, jumps at any opportunity to meet with young people, share his experiences, and try to motivate his listeners to strive towards finding their true calling and making a positive contribution to their community and Jamaica on a whole. And as if that isn’t already a jam packed itinerary, he still finds time and enjoys spinning music as “DJ Glen C” with the legendary Merritone Sound System!!!
Lenford Salmon is one of the founding Directors of Jambiz International having started the organisation in 1998. He holds a master's in business administration from the University of the West Indies and is primarily responsible for the sales and marketing of Jambiz International. He started his career in entertainment as an actor back in the 70s and has performed in numerous productions on stage and in film and television. No longer acting, Mr. Salmon spends most of his time actively involved in the business of theatre.
Andrew Roach has been in the business of theatre for over 35 years. He started as a Stage Manager working as a stage manager with Ginger Knight in 'Boy Blue' starring Oliver Samuels. He has stage managed with Jambiz International and Blue Mountain Productions in the UK. Roach wrote and produced Strength of a Woman that won Best Comedy at the ITI Actorboy Awards. Andrew Roach is currently the artistic director and Whirlwind Group of Companies for the past 5 years.
Comments
The article is just the start of the conversation—we want to know what you think about this subject, too! HowlRound is a space for knowledge-sharing, and we welcome spirited, thoughtful, and on-topic dialogue. Find our full comments policy here