Christmas treat in song, drama and poetry on tonight

The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Conference of Guyana promises an evening of poetry, singing and drama tonight at the National Cultural Centre when its stages its Fifth Advent Praise concert.

The conference’s Youth Director, Pastor Exton Clarke, who is in charge putting the production together, promises the public an evening that will be worth the $800, $700 and $500 they would spend on entrance fees. He told The Scene that for the past four years the tickets have been $100 cheaper but this year they decided to raise it by that amount which is nominal.

While this is the fifth year-end concert named Advent Praise, it is not the fifth year-end concert the conference has staged, as according to Pastor Clarke, the conference has been staging concerts since 1983. It was only in 2003 that the name Advent Praise was adopted.

This year, as has been the trend, artistes from different denominations will be sharing the stage with those who are SDAs to give the patrons a real taste of what the religious community has to offer in the form of music.

The guest artiste this year is a well-known SDA singer from neighbouring Trinidad & Tobago, Vidia Haroo, According to Clarke, she will be truly entertaining in song. The concert will also see the likes of well-loved local soprano Gem Rohlehr-Vogt, head of the police band Cecil Bovell on the trumpet among others.

The SDA line up includes the Messengers from the East Coast, the Total Worship Choir from Corentyne, the Alpine drama group from upper Essequibo, The Worshippers from the Shiloh SDA church, Hands to Worship from Ephesus, Janelle Lindie, the duo of Aneyle Beckles and Godwin Edwards from Linden and Latoya Roberts. Cathy Thompson-Henriquo from the South Road Full Gospel Church will be one of the many performing from other churches.

Clarke said he would not describe the concert as a Christmas concert as such but rather it is an opportunity to give a Christmas treat to patrons. “Persons from throughout the country will get an opportunity to showcase their talents and it would be an evening that would be enjoyed by all those who attend,” the pastor promised.