The Theatre Experience
Producer, businesswoman and founder of GEM’S Theater Production, Gem Madhoo Nascimento (Samuel Maughn photo)
Producer, businesswoman and founder of GEM’S Theater Production, Gem Madhoo Nascimento (Samuel Maughn photo)

Gem Madhoo-Nascimento shares her experience from backstage to centre stage and now theatre production.

The lights and sounds of theatre have captivated people for years, and in Guyana, it has been a way of telling Guyana’s vibrant stories. But there is more to theatre than what we see on stage. While actors bring stories to life with expressions and emotions, there is much more happening backstage before we see the magic.

One of the people who works behind the scenes to bring the theatre to life is Gem Madhoo-Nascimento. As a prolific producer and businesswoman, Gem has been the driving force behind some of Guyana’s most notable plays, uniting the talents of playwrights and actors. Her most recent venture is a series of plays she has coined “edutainment.”

From Whence We Came: The Chinese Experience kicked off this weekend at the Guyana National Cultural Centre. This bold, creative production explores the story of one of Guyana’s many peoples, retelling the history of the Chinese in Guyana. The production began Saturday and will run up until Monday at the National Cultural Centre. It is said to be the first in a series of shows Gem aims to produce, each telling the story of Guyana’s different peoples, how they came here, and the roles they played in creating our beautiful melting pot of culture and tradition. As the world of theatre awaits the other productions, Gem tells the Pepperpot Magazine just how much work is done before a story is brought to life.

Gem is considered by many as a stalwart of theatre and drama in Guyana—and rightfully so. Born and raised in the Corentyne, Gem’s first step into the world of theatre came when she left her corporate job in search of something different more than five decades ago. “I started theatre in 1973. I started with a PSU drama group. At the time, I was working at the Co-op Bank, and I wanted something recreational to take up my time in the afternoons on the days we didn’t work late. So, I joined the PSU drama group,” she said.

Gem’s first role in the world of theatre was backstage, putting together what people would eventually see on stage. But the limelight soon found her when she was asked to perform. “I wanted to work backstage, you know, like doing props and costumes and all that. But the next thing I know, Francis Faria—who was head of the group at the time—ended up putting me on stage,” she stated. Since then, Gem has gone on to produce a number of musicals, classical shows, and dramas, achieving some 300 productions on stage and on television.

Over her illustrious career, Gem has received numerous accolades. These include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ministry of Culture under the Creative Industries in 2014, recognising her significant contributions to theatre in Guyana. In 2007, she was honoured with the Women of Distinction Award by the YWCA for her impactful work. Most recently, in 2024, she received the Women in Business Award from the Guyana Chamber of Commerce, celebrating her achievements in establishing theatre as a viable business. She has also been recognised by the Folk Festival for her contributions to the arts, further cementing her legacy as a trailblazer in the creative industry.

Making theatre a business
Soon after her performance debut, Gem collaborated with some of Guyana’s leading drama and theatre professionals to form a new theatre company in 1981. Although theatre was thriving within the Caribbean, the field in Guyana was different—actors were not being paid. This is where Gem saw an opportunity to make a change. “At the time, many people were leaving the shores of Guyana to go overseas to seek a better life. Salaries were very low in this country, so many people were not surviving on one salary,” she explained. “Throughout the Caribbean, actors and theatre persons were being compensated financially for their work in the theatre, whereas in Guyana, this was not happening. We were all volunteering ourselves and what we did,” she said.

Although it is the norm today, when actors were first paid in Guyana, it created a major shift in the art form. It gave birth to a new age of talented and ambitious performers who finally saw acting as a job. “We came up with the idea, the concept: why don’t we start going professional in this country?” she explained. “We formalised paying actors by creating legal contracts and started paying them a fee. But not only actors—once you worked in a production, you were compensated. That’s since 1981.”

Theatre in Guyana
One of Gem’s most notable productions has been The Link Show. Guyana has seen this annual show for more than 30 years, and it has become a household name and one of the country’s most successful productions. “We launched the company with The Link Show. You must have heard of The Link Show. Up to last year, we did 37,” she added. “In 2009, it was a record-breaking year for The Link Show. No other production has enjoyed that kind of response from the public.”

However, this record-breaking era may never return, according to Gem. In recent years, there has been a decline in support for theatre, with fewer productions and diminishing audiences. “Unfortunately, today—and this is post-COVID—what is happening in Guyana is that theatre is suffering. The Link Show is suffering. During COVID, people found a lot of things they could do at home because we all had to occupy ourselves,” she said. “So, it’s a new generation of theatregoers. Unfortunately, they are only interested in comedy, the slapstick stuff—not very serious theatre,” she shared.

From Whence We Came: The Chinese Experience
In 2009, Gem and a fellow theatre lover developed the idea of a production that would tell the story of Guyana’s Chinese population. After being shelved for some time, the idea was reignited. With the collaboration of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, From Whence We Came: The Chinese Experience was brought to life. “In 2009, the late Marjorie Kirkpatrick invited me to her home and said she wanted to do something historical about the Chinese for their arrival day, which is normally January 12,” Gem said.

But this is just the beginning, according to Gem. “My plan is that between 2025 and 2026, I’ll be attempting to stage six productions based on each of our ethnicities,” she revealed. Although much of her career revolved around theatre as a business, From Whence We Came is a bit different, with the venture being entirely educational. “The real reason behind it is that it’s educational. It’s historical. I find our young people now don’t know too much about our history. I think it would be a good way of getting them involved—to get them to know about our history,” she stated.

The free event was hosted at the National Cultural Centre. It kicked off on Saturday and will see its end on Monday.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.