The past few weeks were significantly marked by an explosion of community theatre mainly led by secondary schools in several different parts of Guyana. This was the result of a combination of factors, including a plan in the outreach programme of the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama (NSTAD) and the National Drama Festival (NDF).
The performances were by schools, by classes doing drama for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination and in one instance, in collaboration with a new drama company. In some cases, they were partial fulfilment of the requirements for either Theatre Arts or Performing Arts but were also the achievement of successful outreach activities and an extension of the academic study of drama in the schools.
During the months of March and April this year, there were 6 public productions in this wide sweep of new theatre: 4 in Berbice, 1 in Georgetown and 1 in West Demerara. In Berbice, 3 were in New Amsterdam at the Berbice Educational Institute (BEI), Tutorial Academy and Berbice High School. The other was at Port Mourant Secondary on the Corentyne. In Georgetown it was at St Joseph High, and the other was at the West Demerara Secondary School.
