NAPA's temporary closure pushes production to August

FOR the first time in playwright and producer Earl Bagot's 20 years in the industry, he was forced to face the audience much earlier than usual to announce that the show would not go on.

This was because the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA) – the venue of his production The Prophet and The Prostitute – had to close temporarily owing to a faulty AC system.

But with repairs now complete, Bagot said it had been pushed to sometime in August.

On Sunday morning, the Tourism Ministry said NAPA's management was sorry as the show – set for Saturday and Sunday – had to be cancelled.

It added that the ministry was "working assiduously" with NAPA's facilities manager to resolve the issue.

Tourism Minister Randall Mitchell revealed to Newsday that the facility's AC chiller system was down.

On Wednesday, the ministry said NAPA has been reopened to the public.

Speaking to Newsday on Thursday, Bagot said his team – IAM Productions – was only notified the show had to be called off two hours before it was set to begin on Saturday.

"In our deliberations in trying to find out why and what we can do differently to ensure that the show starts, we realised after that, that there was no way the show was going to take place on the Saturday. So 15 minutes before, at 5.45pm, I had to face the patrons to let them know there won't be a show."

Asked how that felt, he said: "I don't think that's a feeling that could be described in words. But at that point in time, you just need to do what needs to be done."

He said his team had been preparing for six months and would have further rehearsals until a new date was set.

For now, he said, NAPA has indicated that the show will happen in August and he is awaiting a letter saying when.

Bagot said patrons have been very understanding and only a few have requested refunds.