PURPLE Arts Productions, a local entertainment company led by award-winning Guyanese actor and producer, Simone Dowding, will host the fifth edition of ‘A Treat for My Mother’ after a two-year hiatus owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This time around was really supposed to be the seventh show, but Dowding wanted to take no chances with the pandemic, especially as many of her activities include children.

With 35 years of experience in theatre, Dowding wants to play a role in passing on the training that she has received. In fact, it was for this reason that she decided to form Purple Arts Productions.

Planning this year’s ‘A Treat for My Mother’ did not come without its challenges as Dowding said she was disappointed when told that she didn’t have the permission to use the National Cultural Centre (NCC).

She pressed on with the work, however, and now, has the Police Officers’ Mess Hall at Eve Leary, Kingston as the venue for the variety show on May 8 – Mother’s Day.

The new venue turned out to be great for Dowding as she can now add more activities to the lineup that she usually has.

This year, she’s added a steel pan rendition, saxophone and guitar segments to cater for all the music lovers.

Starting at 20:00 hours sharp, Dowding told Buzz this week that she doesn’t budge from the scheduled time because she believes in showing respect for those who show up early, even if this means starting with one person in the audience.

According to her, this year’s show will feature the usual oldies music being sung by Guyanese artistes, along with the fashion segment, where young Guyanese designers are afforded a platform to display their work.

Apart from the prize giveaways, a piece of gold jewellery from L. Seepersaud Maraj and Sons will be given to the best dressed mother in purple.

For this prize, the audience usually chooses the winner.

So far, Dowding has on board performances by Carlvin Burnette, Sheron Cadogan, Bonny Alves, Charmaine Blackman, Pamela Gittens, Winifred Mason, Eion Nelson, and Francis Bailey.

She’ll also be using the occasion to introduce four new talents, namely: Paul Budnah, Mosa Telford, Maikel Sam, and Michael Smith.

A graduate of the Burrowes School of Art, Georgetown, Dowding has a total of 13 certificates from multiple institutions, and has won the Theatre Guild’s Best Actress Award in 2012 for the play, “Old Story Times.”

Having joined the Theatre Guild more than 35 years ago, she works primarily with children through her production house, providing them with opportunities she said she never had as a child.

Having worked on the popular “Link Show” for years, Dowding has also done House of Pressure, Miriamy, Eleventh Finger, and Jezebel, to name a few.