Plans For Performing Arts Festival In St. Catherine Well Advanced

There will be some 776 performances in music, dance, speech, drama and traditional folk forms during the annual parish finals of the St. Catherine division of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).The performing arts festival will be held from April 27 to May 19 at the Ascot Hall in Old Harbour under the theme: ‘Excellence begets Excellence’.
Cultural Officer of the JCDC in St. Catherine, David Reid told JIS News that the highest entries were in Music with 379; followed by Speech, 276; and Dance, 121. He said that performances in music would take place on May 3,4,11,12,14, 17 and 18, while performances in the speech category would be held on April 30, May 10,13 and 19. There will be two days of dance, April 27 and 28; two days of traditional folk forms, May 6 and 7; and one day of drama, April 29.
Mr. Reid said that participants involved in the competitions ranged from 3 to 24 years of age, and were drawn from schools, youth clubs and churches throughout the parish.
He pointed out that due to the lack of funding, only a limited number of workshops were held. Mr. Reid told JIS News that four zone eliminations were held in Portmore, Old Harbour, Spanish Town and Linstead. However, he said eliminations were not held in the categories of music and drama.
“For music, it is more technical, because they will have to come with their equipment to the zonal eliminations and then back to the finals, and it’s costly; so we’re trying to cut out one of the rounds,” he said, adding that after the parish finals the best performances selected would proceed to the regional finals at the Little Theatre in Kingston. The Cultural Officer said that judges for the performing arts competition would be assigned by the JCDC head office in Kingston.