CCT to Honour Trevor Rhone In New York

Jamaican playwright and screenwriter, Trevor Rhone, best known for co-writing the internationally acclaimed film, ‘The Harder They Come’, will be the focus of the Caribbean Cultural Theatre’s (CCT) upcoming Classic Caribbean Stage and Screen Series.
The six-day event, starting on March 17, 2006, will pay homage to the writer, producer, director, and actor who has worked for more than 40 years in the cultural arts, and has been the backbone of Jamaica’s indigenous film and theatre industry.
There will be a reception at the Jamaican Consulate in New York on March 17, and the contribution of Caribbean writers to world literature, theatre, and film will be highlighted.
Producing Director of the Caribbean Cultural Theatre, E. Wayne McDonald, told JIS News that it was impossible to pay tribute to the masters of Caribbean Drama and not include Trevor Rhone. “He is the father of Jamaica’s film and theatre industry,” he said.
In 1969, Rhone co-authored the script for ‘The Harder They Come’ with Perry Henzell. The film, released four years later, explored the complexities of inner-city life in Jamaica and its effect on everyday life and livelihood, wrapped in the gripping tale of Ivan Martin, a restless young man who moves from the country to the big city with the mission of becoming a star, by any means necessary.
The Classic Caribbean Stage and Film Series will feature Mr. Rhone’s involvement in Jamaican films over the past 30 years. In addition to The Harder They Come, the festival will feature Smile Orange (1974), the 1988 Toronto Film Festival Genie Award winning Milk and Honey, and the 2003 Cannes Film Festival favourite One Love, a stirring love story starring Ky-mani Marley, son of the late reggae legend, Bob Marley.
The CCT is dedicated to using the arts as a tool for preserving the culture and artistic legacy of the Caribbean; fostering cultural identity, inspiring audiences, and empowering communities while being sensitive to the linguistic, social, political, and economic influences that give rise to Caribbean cultural heritage.
For more information about the Classic Caribbean Stage and Film Series, contact the Caribbean Cultural Theatre at 718-783-8345 or caribbeantheatre@yahoo.com