JAMAICAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HEAD TO BARBADOS FOR DRAMA FESTIVAL DECEMBER 8-15!

A scene from ‘Wi Love Wi Self’, the piece which a delegation of students will be using to represent Jamaica in the Caribbean Schools’ Drama Festival in Barbados next week. – Contributed


The group comprises of students from various high schools in Jamaica who have participated in the Schools’ Drama Festival of Jamaica.

The Jamaican delegation includes six students from Ardenne High School: Jomo Dixon, Darian Reid, Johnique Francis, Chantae Martin, Jonathan Dwyer and Jadon-John Barton-Williams.

Completing the list are Mandie Salmon of Munro College, Teona Wesley of Mona High School, Jevone Andy of Black River High School, along with Oleta Livermore and Raheem Wallace of Waterford High School in St Catherine.

Jamaica’s entry to the regional festival is a devised theatre piece called Wi Love Wi Self, which examines and articulates self-awareness, self-love, tolerance and acceptance.

Wi Love Wi Self is cutting edge popular theatre and is a collection of dub poetry, skits, songs and movement which targets young people as a means of social change.

The production is directed by Akeem Mignott, a final-year student of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Leading the Jamaica delegation are Quindell Ferguson, chairperson of the Schools’ Drama Festival of Jamaica, and local playwright Aston Cooke, who serves as facilitator for the Jamaica Youth Theatre.

The trip to Barbados for the Caribbean Secondary Schools’ Drama Festival is made possible by the CHASE Fund.