Ruined gets four Actor Boy Awards
RUINED, a production by the School of Drama at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, was the big winner at the Actor Boy Awards held at The Little Theatre in St Andrew on Monday night.
The production won four of the night’s major categories — Best Production; Best Drama; Best Actress in a Leading Role (RisAnne Martin); and Best Director (Eugene Williams) from its eight nominations.
Speaking to the Jamaica Observer following the event, Williams said he was pleased with the awards having put on what he described as a strong production.
“We started off with a wonderful script by Lyn Nottage set in the Congo, and a cast which included two graduates of the School of Drama — Carl Samuels and RisAnne Martin, as well as students at the school. I was really pleased to see the growth of the students as they took on their roles, it was a wonderful, inspiring process,” he said, while clutching an armful of trophies.
It was an emotional Martin who took the stage to accept her Best Actress trophy. Afterwards, she said Ruined was her first real experience as an actress.
“It was a dark, exhausting and a very emotional experience. The role dealt with sexual violence, so I was scared to approach it and had to totally lose myself in the character…It was very hard but I have to thank my director,” the Trinidadian explained.
Jambiz International’s Glass Slippaz which had the most nominations going into Monday night’s ceremony, went home with three trophies. The Jamaican take on the popular Cinderella fairy tale — Cinderelisha — was awarded Best Comedy, Best Special Effects and Best Costume Design.
Three productions took home two awards each.
The revival of Stanley, Fae, Pularchie & P took home Best Actor in a Leading Role (Donald Anderson) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Suzette Barrett).
Father Richard Ho Lung’s musical The Messiah won for Best Choreography (Paula Shaw) and Best Musical. While Mr & Mrs Blacke snagged a pair for Best Set Design and Best Lighting Design.
It was then up to six other plays to take the remaining awards.
Winston Bell won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for the revival of Trevor Rhone’s classic Old Story Time. Jamaica 50 to Rahtid received the award for best Original Song. The National Pantomime Skoolaz, received the award for Best Original Score. God’s Way 2: Carlton’s Redemption was awarded Best New Jamaican Play.
In the category Best Children’s Theatre, One Smart Pig was the winner. Yard 2012 won for Best Revue.
Theatre practitioner Cathi Levy received an award for her contribution to the develop-ment of children’s theatre.
Efforts were made to improve this year’s show. But, despite the best of intentions, the production of the premier theatre awards was
still lacking.
There were, however, some moments of high entertainment. The Jamaica Musical Theatre Company’s performance from Alice In Wonderland; the excerpt from 1865 by The University Singers, and the skits — the rehearsal and audition — by comperes Jean Paul Menou and Nadean Rawlins ranked high on the entertainment scale.
