THE one rule that theatre students are taught as being the most valuable is the one which states that no one individual in a group of actors is more important than another. Every person involved in a production – the lead actor, the director, the stage hand, the production manager, the lights guy, and everyone else has the same amount of importance and relevance because without that individual and their specific set of skills, the production would be missing a vital component and, therefore, it would be impossible to perform the play or impossible to perform it in a way that would showcase the best of what it has to offer. Theatre is built on teamwork and everyone is worthy, everyone is important, everyone is essential for success.

However, sometimes, especially in media coverage, some people get lost and some people are left out. News reports and articles on account of time and the limited space allocated cannot take into consideration everyone who contributes to a production despite the tenet elaborated upon above which stated that every person involved is important. It is for this reason that I intend to use this space to present the names of every member of Guyana’s Drama contingent who will be representing the country at CARIFESTA XIII next week in Barbados. Each member of this team belongs to the National Drama Company (NDC) and they are each unique in their own way, coming with a specific set of skills and talent that allows one to feel a certain confidence when working with them or watching them perform – a confidence that encourages the viewer to believe that Drama will survive; that it will prosper. The NDC will be staging four plays at CARIFESTA XIII: Masque, Baccoo, Ole Higue, and Queh Queh. Below is the team who will be performing these pieces:

Tashandra Inniss – will be playing the fierce indigenous warrior-princess, Kita, in Masque. Inniss, quite bold and strong herself, will have no problems bringing the fire and energy that is required for Kita. She won the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 2016 National Drama Festival Award for playing the role. She also appears in Ole Higue in the principal role, in Baccoo, and in Queh Queh as the bride, Xuela, whose wedding night goes awry.
Nicholas Singh – has the distinction of being one of the few actors, if not the only one, to gain a nomination for acting at the National Drama Festival awards for a role that does not require him to speak a single word. For the role of the mute, Tanna, in Masque, he has to rely more on his movement, physical strength and facial expressions to convey emotions. He also plays Johno, the brother of the groom, in the musical, Queh Queh, and is one of the three baccoos in Baccoo.

Mikel Andrews – is primarily known as a dancer. He has appeared in many dance shows over the past few years and stands out on account of his form and agility. Andrews was also among the first batch of students to graduate from the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama. His dancing skills will be put to use in Queh Queh and his acting abilities will appear in Masque.

Andrews Taneka Caldera – plays the quintessential Guyanese grandmother in Baccoo, using her own experiences as a young woman to warn her granddaughter about the perils involved with coming into contact with a baccoo. She also plays a slave in Masque and one of the guests who attend the ritual in Queh Queh. Caldera is a teacher who tries to actively involve her students in theatre.

Ayanna Waddell – is the narrator who brings Baccoo directly to the audience, incorporating them into the story about one of Guyana’s most popular mythical creatures. In Ole Higue, she is a part of the group of actors who use various postmodernist techniques to constantly shift, using their bodies and changing from role to role, playing both characters (such as schoolchildren) and inanimate props and set pieces (such as a bed or window). She also stage manages Masque.

Nicola Moonsammy – is an award-winning actress, writer and director. For this year’s CARIFESTA, she has directed Baccoo, incorporating various aspects of Caribbean theatre (such as drums, a narrative timeline that is constant flux, etc.) in order to highlight the themes in the play. Moonsammy also makes for an intimidating warrior in Masque, especially when she uses her spear, and is among the original group of actors who developed Ole Higue under the guidance of Al Creighton jr., the director of the play.
Nirmala Narine – is a popular actress who is known as much for her impeccable comic timing in a variety of social comedies as much as she is for her versatility when it comes to theatre that deals with the tragic or is experimental in type.

She appears in Bacoo and Queh Queh, and also functions as one of the few characters in Masque whose morality, ambitions and goals are not so ambiguous. Her portrayal of the innocent village-healer, Mara, brings a softness to a play rife with violence and anger.
Keon Heywood – is a man of many talents. He is an actor, dancer, director, mentor, poet and singer. Heywood will be reciting some of his well-known spoken word pieces, particularly those which address Guyana and the environment to audiences in Barbados. He will also appear in Masque.

Esther Hamer – has choreographed all of the dances in Masque, Baccoo, and Queh Queh. She has also designed most of the costumes for these plays. As an actress, she will be playing the lead role in Masque, portraying Rhona – the dead wife of the village chief. It is a role that calls for much agility, dance-skills, and physical strength – all of which Hamer possesses. She also directs Queh Queh, having conducted much research to ensure the tradition is represented authentically.

Le Tisha Da Silva – plays Annabel, the white woman captured by the tribe in Masque. Da Silva is an actress who is continuously rising as one of the best new talents in Guyanese theatre and the range of plays going to CARIFESTA allows to demonstrate both her range and dedication to her craft. One of the reasons why she was chosen for the role of Annabel was her ability to convey well characters with various aspects to their personality. She also appears in Queh Queh as one of the guests.

Ackeem Joseph – appears in all of the plays going to CARIFESTA. His role as the blind chief in Masque is particularly difficult because he has to wear a blindfold that renders him unable to see most of what is happening on the stage. That added to the dance that is required for Queh Queh, the timing needed for Ole Higue and the sheer force of acting required to convey a baccoo in Baccoo ensures that he will be kept very busy in Barbados.
Kimberly Fernandes – appears as a warrior in Masque, and as the young version of grandmother in Baccoo. Her acting and dancing skills are also represented in Queh Queh, where she plays Noni, the sister of the bride and in Ole Higue. She is one of those actresses for whom acting seems effortless. However, Fernandes is a dedicated worker and puts a lot of effort into ensuring she does her best always.

Onix Duncan – is a model, actor and director. He plays the groom who is much more than he appears to be in Queh Queh and is the third and final baccoo in the play being directed by Nicola Moonsammy. His role in Masque is one that requires him to carry an actress on his back and around his neck for extended periods of time, and definitely indicates the gruelling nature of the rehearsals and the dedication, power and passion the actors have for their craft.

Mark Luke-Edwards – is a well-known actor who will be playing the vital role of the Tutor in Queh Queh. The Tutor is the head of the queh queh ritual, and this role presents a rare opportunity for Luke-Edwards to demonstrate both his singing and dancing capabilities. It is a new and exciting role for him and he will undoubtedly be great at it. Luke-Edwards will also be seen in Masque and Bacoo.

Sonia Yarde – is no stranger to the Guyanese stage. Undoubtedly one of the most popular actresses in the country, Yarde has made a name for herself in local theatre. She is well-versed in a number of plays and this year sees her participating as the violent daughter of a plantation owner in Masque and the narrator in Ole Higue. Her role in Ole Higue is one that she originated since 2014 when, as a student of the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama, the play was developed.

Lists such as these are important. While compiling it I wondered if fifty years from now, when someone wants to know who represented Guyana in the past at CARIFESTA, whether they would be able to get a list from the Department of Culture. In case they cannot, this one will be of some help. This list serves as a reminder of some of the people who are currently working hard into the night so they can represent Guyana internationally, so they can promote Guyanese culture, and so they can remind all of Guyana that we in the arts are a force to be reckoned with.