BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – TWO ‘quality’ performances which took place in the last month highlighted the pressing need for a home for the Performing Arts in St. Kitts. How long will it take?
The CFBC Choral Ensemble’s Annual Concert (Songs We Love To Sing) and the Nubian Arts production “Closing the Devil’s Workshop”, while they could be described as quality performances, did not scale the heights they had achieved in previous performances and it appears that there was not a holistic approach to provide excellence in all aspects of their productions.
While we recognize these to be trying times financially and we recognize that much effort must have been put into creating these productions, there was a lack lustre approach to the marketing of these productions resulting in scanty attendances which could not have been inspiring for the participants.
In the reviews of last year’s productions this was said of the Nubian Arts Production: “The combination of dance, drama and song made the production an enriching experience and each art form scaled the heights of excellence in its own right.”
Of the CFBC Chorale, the reviewer said: “The CFBC Chorale Ensemble did take the audience to ‘higher ground’ and ‘there was something in the air that night’ that would make the audience want ‘to do it all again’.”
Why then was the attendance so poor at both performances?
It is extremely important for producers to realize that each production should have an advertising committee that ensures that everyone knows about the production. E-mailing and Facebook are not enough. Why would anyone want to sacrifice so much time and energy on a performance to titillate only a few dozen patrons?
It would be a pity if these two productions were to be discontinued due to poor attendance because we would have lost a growing potential in the Arts that could hold its own on any stage regionally if not internationally.
As Principal of the CFB College said at the end of the Chorale’s performance, the audience got an earful of the “quality of voice” that we have been able to produce here. In addition the range of music that the students performed so confidently and joyously enriched our appreciation of music.
Further, under the superb guidance of Gairy Knight, Director of Music at CFB, there was a wonderful blending of the voices whether the songs were moody, joyful, bluesy or groovy.
The Nubian Arts productions, under the clever guidance of Keisha Isaac has brought a broader perspective to dramatic productions by incorporating dance and song and using a ‘double layer’ which provides an analysis of the forces of good battling with the forces of evil as the audience observes the ‘mere mortals’ playing out their scenes.
But much of this is lost if the audience is not given a programme or ‘road map’ of the production. While the CFBC production did produce a programme, the lighting of the room was so inadequate that one could hardly read it.
Creative Director of Nubian Arts Productions, Ms. Isaac, has rightfully said, “People need performing arts. They relax, inspire and change us. Without the arts, we wither intellectually and creatively. Having a proper place to display performing arts, whether spoken, sung, acted or danced is of utmost importance.”
Having a permanent home for the Arts will dramatically improve the many aspects of production we often overlook. Workshops could be held in Marketing, Lighting, Stage Management, Voice production and enunciation – all of which will help us to zoom in on the aspects that make each production one of excellence.
The Methodist Church Hall and the Basseterre High School auditorium were not really meant for high level productions. We heard years ago that plans were afoot towards having a Centre for the Performing Arts on Porte Zante but with the change of government plans were revamped.
If we do not pay urgent attention to developing this aspect of our creativity and culture, then we will not get maximum benefit from the the labour of the performing artistes. It is unfair to them and to us.
