New Play Festival celebrates fresh voices

THE New Play Festival (NPF) 2024 Workshop Performances will showcase work of new and veteran playwrights. The festival began on November 28 and continues to December 1 at Theatre 2, UTT Academy for the Performing Arts, NAPA, Port of Spain.

This year's festival features three original plays: Gideon Hill by Ahalia St Bernard, Monkey Bone on the Spring Bridge by Josiah Moodoo, and The Arrival of Scald by Judith Theodore.

After five months of dedicated script development and three months of collaborative play-building, these productions are ready for their next phase of audience feedback, crucial for their continued evolution, said a media release.

Hill tells the story of Crystal, a young woman from a communal neighbourhood yearning for meaningful change. She attracts a suitor, Gorg, and is faced with the harsh reality of the "standpipe life."

Playwright St Bernard said in the release that she was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the festival, which saw the scripts going through play development and play-building phases and dramatic readings.

“It has been a learning process that has been taking me through the transition from actress to playwright to be able to merge the technicality of the creation and character.”

The Arrival of Scald introduces the titular character, who makes the transition from country life to the city in the early 70s. As he integrates into a lively group of friends, Scald encounters a series of comedic misadventures, provoking reflections on luck and friendship in a vibrant urban landscape.

This is veteran playwright Judith Theodore’s second entry into the festival, as her play Dey Dey Gets a House was featured in the 2019 NPF.

“The process thus far has shown me that I must be more precise with my explanations and directions in my writing. While I am grateful for the opportunity given to me by NPF in staging my play to learn more about the play-building process, I am even more grateful for the patience and grace it afforded me.”

In Monkey Bone on the Spring Bridge, set in Moruga, follows Jeremiah Kanhai as he grapples with the challenges of adulthood against the backdrop of his village, navigating his path after the sudden loss of his father.

Moodoo said getting to revise the play during the many phases of the festival was essential for ensuring it could be staged in a way that would make sense to the audience.

“When you finally get it down and bring it to be read, and the actors say, ‘This makes more sense, this is something we could do,’ you feel a sense of relief and say ‘I have it down.’”

The New Play Festival promises to be a dynamic celebration of emerging voices in theatre, underscoring the significance of storytelling in shaping the cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago, the release said.

Playwrights Workshop Trinbago invites the community to join it for this exciting festival, aimed at elevating the voices of new playwrights and fostering a vibrant future for Trinidad and Tobago's dramatic arts.

Tickets are available online via https://npf2024.suntixx.com.

For more info visit Playwrights Workshop Trinbago on social media @playwrightsworkshoptt, e-mail playwrightsworkshoptt@gmail.com, or call 351-6293