The American premiere of “Di Prodigal Pickney” by Jamaican theatre legend Oliver Samuels will raise funds for hurricane relief in Jamaica.
According to Rachel Damarr Williams, PR Coordinator of Sure Thing PR, the production began in the New York Tri-State Area, with performances on Nov. 14 (Bridgeport, CT, Central High School), Nov. 15 (Brooklyn, NY, Wingate High School), and Nov. 16 (East Orange, NJ, Cicely Tyson School for The Performing Arts).
Damarr Williams said the play will continue on the following weekend in Jamaica, Queens, New York (Springfield Gardens High School) on Friday, Nov. 21; Hartford, Connecticut (Thomas Weaver High School) on Saturday, Nov. 22; and the Bronx, New York (Harry S. Truman High School) on Sunday, Nov. 23.
The tour will conclude with the final performance on Sunday, Dec. 7, in Beltsville, Maryland, at High Point High School.
Damarr Williams said New Jersey-based producer of the show’s American tour, Patrick M. Reid, made the decision in the aftermath of Category Five Hurricane Melissa sweeping across Jamaica on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
“We had been eagerly anticipating the exciting return of Jamaica’s King of Comedy, Oliver Samuels, to the New York Tri-State area for months,” Reid said. “But once we saw the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Melissa, we sprang into action immediately and decided that we had to do everything in our power to assist in the urgent recovery effort.
“Therefore, I’m pleased to share that we will now be donating part of the proceeds from the production’s American premiere run to two main beneficiaries: the Jamaica Organization of New Jersey, which is actively involved in fundraising for Jamaican hurricane relief, and the Westwood High School for Girls Alumnae Chapter in New York, which is dedicated to supporting repairs and reconstruction needed at Westwood High School.”
“Oliver himself is highly committed and passionate about the cause, and he will be promoting the production extensively across many media platforms in the coming weeks,” Reid continued.
He confirmed that the Westwood High School for Girls Alumnae Chapter in New York, which supports the school’s development and reconstruction efforts, is one of the organizations receiving proceeds from the production.
“Westwood was already slated to be beneficiaries of part of our production proceeds even prior to Hurricane Melissa,” Reid said. “They were in the midst of reconstructing a much-needed medical clinic on campus for their students, and those funds would have assisted greatly with that effort.
“However, when Melissa hit the school, it did significant damage to the almost completed clinic and ravaged the rest of the compound as well, demolishing the auditorium, many classrooms, and some of the school’s boarding facilities,” he added. “So, this has been a real and literal setback for Westwood, and so, we are hoping that audiences will turn out in large numbers to support both these worthy causes, while enjoying a very funny and highly entertaining production perfect for the entire family.”
The American premiere tour of Di Prodigal Pickney is presented by Sky’s The Limit Foundation, Jammins Events, and STL Promotions.
For more information, visit STLVentures.org; or call 973-801-1923, or 929-242-9156.
