The National Drama Company Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary with the Return of Musings of a Poet

MUSINGS OF A POET returns next weekend, promising to transform the stage into a realm of evocative storytelling. Guyana’s most gifted poets, creatives, and dramatists will breathe life into words through poetry and performance. Highly anticipated, the event also coincides with the National Drama Company’s (NDC) 10th anniversary. Bringing together the rhythm of verse and the power of theatrical expression, Musings of a Poet III promises an evening of profound reflection, inspiration, and artistic brilliance. Set against an intimate backdrop of wine, music, and spoken word, the event offers an immersive experience celebrating the depth and vibrancy of Guyanese literary and dramatic arts.

The Pepperpot Magazine sat down with Guyanese actor and director of Musings of a Poet III, Mark Luke-Edwards. A major figure in the NDC’s poetry landscape, Mark accepted the challenge to head the project in 2024. Describing the process to Pepperpot Magazine, Mark noted that organising an event of that scale was a gruelling labour of love. “It’s a gruelling process because there are different factions,” he said. “We put a lot of thought into it. Without giving too much away, we’ve creatively presented the stage. We did the same last year, so it’s lots and lots of work. It’s a labour of love because we all love poetry, and we do it for the patrons,” he stated.

The event will feature 15 of the nation’s best poets, with a mix of newcomers and veterans set to take the stage. As Mark shared, “Some notable names will include Keon Haywood, Le Tisha Da Silva, Latifa Agard, a young and upcoming actress, Deandra Daniels, Tchaiko Rodney, the late Henry Rodney’s daughter, Lorraine Baptiste, Monica Bacchus, Brandon Singh, and pieces written by Akbar Singh for the production. So, it’s safe to say that members of the NDC are the poets. We also have members who graduated from the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama. It’s a nice mix of seasoned and up-and-coming talent,” he stated. This mix was intentional, as each poet addresses different themes and brings their own unique flair to the stage.

Contrary to expectations for an event of this nature, poets aren’t confined by specific themes but instead perform original pieces. As Mark explained, “We have this problem each year. People say, ‘Oh, all the pieces are so dark.’ What we do, and what I think works, is the president has acquiesced to this structure, allowing people to bring pieces that are personal and that they like. Instead of giving people themes like ‘Hey, write something patriotic,’ we let them bring what they have, and we find categories for it,” he explained.

This approach often results in a variety of deep, thought-provoking themes. “If you look at any poetry slam competition, you’ll see dark, sappy themes—racism, domestic violence, suicide, and so on. In our show, we have love, lust, patriotism, self-worth, domestic violence. These are some of the themes, but they are impactful. It leaves the audience with something to consider or contemplate. And it drives behavioural change in some way. That’s the objective—you should use your art to make a change, not just to speak to people empty-handed,” he said.

Another way Musings of a Poet breaks the mould is by going beyond the traditional “stand-at-the-mic-and-deliver” format. Poets and dramatists utilise a range of creative forms, including dance and music, to tell their stories. “For the spoken word enthusiasts who think it’s just stand-and-deliver at a mic, what we do at NDC is a hybrid of dramatic poetry. We incorporate dance, music, and movement. So while it’s spoken word, the presentation of the poems is somewhat dramatic, which is a pleasant surprise for the patrons. Instead of everyone just standing at the mic, it’s a whole spectacle.”

As one of the most anticipated events in Guyanese theatre, Musings of a Poet not only highlights new poets and diverse themes but also stands as one of the most vibrant players in the country’s artistic landscape. For many Guyanese poetry lovers, it is one of the few places to experience the lesser-known art of spoken word poetry. As Mark puts it, Musings of a Poet is holding the torch for Guyanese poetry. “We try to invite all poetry lovers. At least for those two nights, they get to see poetry at a high level. There’s no upscale event. At one time, we had more poetry events, but that’s no longer there. So, I guess we’re holding the torch. Once a year, we give people something to look forward to when it comes to poetry,” Mark shared.

Musings of a Poet is not only a celebration of poetry in Guyana but also commemorates the anniversary of the National Drama Company, which has been at the forefront of Guyana’s theatre scene for the past decade. Speaking on behalf of the NDC, president and performer, Tashandra Inniss, shared that the company’s growth has surpassed expectations. “I think for us, it started out as a group of graduates from the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama. We said, ‘We’re going to put together this drama group, this drama company, and we’re going to start doing performances based on what we learned in the history of theatre arts and drama.’ It was just a core group of people pushing our love for the arts. But now, it has developed into a company that the government and private institutions reach out to, to get pieces dramatised and put on at different venues,” she explained.

Among the reasons the NDC has been so successful is the passion and dedication of its members. Tashandra shared, “The NDC has grown over the years from a small group to a company with over thirty members, with more people wanting to join. And the teaching we have behind it—there’s always solid research, history included in how we perform and what we perform,” she shared. The NDC’s success hasn’t been without challenges, however. Tashandra spoke about the hurdles they’ve faced in going from a group of young creatives to the country’s premier theatre company. However, with productions like Sauda, Children of Baby, and Anansi, the NDC has carved its path in Guyana’s theatre landscape.

So, on March 22nd and 23rd, join some of the nation’s best for an evening of fine wine and even better poetry.