The Legend of Sammie Swain, as performed by the 70-member revival cast at Shakespeare in Paradise 2013, makes its television debut on Cable 12 on Sunday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m. 'Sammie Swain,' a Bahamian folk opera written by E. Clement Bethel, tells the story of a disabled Cat Island man who falls in love with the village beauty and sells his soul to have her. (Photo courtesy of David J. Burrows)
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Nassau, The Bahamas
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Cable Bahamas has a long-standing history of supporting Bahamian
culture and that tradition will continue when the telecommunications
company broadcasts the Bahamian folk opera 'The Legend of Sammie Swain'
on Cable 12 this Sunday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m.
'Sammie Swain,' as performed by the 70-member revival cast
at Shakespeare in Paradise 2013, will premiere exclusively on Cable 12
and will be featured on the channel throughout the month of October. The
television special is sponsored by the Cable Bahamas Cares Foundation,
Cable 12 and Shakespeare in Paradise.
The Bahamian stage production, written by E. Clement Bethel
as a ballet in 1968, and later as a folk opera in 1983, tells the story
of a disabled Cat Island man who falls in love with the village beauty
and sells his soul to the devil to be with her. The folk opera gained
popularity among local audiences in the 1980s and is deemed a
significant component of Bahamian culture.
Cable 12 Station Manager Alexia Coakley said she considers
the station a hub for Bahamian art and entertainment and the broadcast
of the iconic folk opera helps to support that view.
"It is definitely a privilege to be able to premiere a work
such as 'Sammie Swain' on Cable 12. Being able to feature this
production is really an honour for us," Mrs Coakley said. "So much about
our culture, our folkways and traditions are represented in that story
and it's exciting for us to be the exclusive presenter of that work on
Cable 12."
She added that residents who tune in for the 'Sammie Swain'
premiere on Sunday will identify with a number of the timeless
production's themes, and will come to appreciate the piece just as
audiences did in the past.
This television presentation also features brand new
segments with key participants, performers and the children of author E.
Clement Bethel as they share their unique experiences and passion for
the show.
The Ghost of Sammie Swain rises on the stage during the performance of The Legend of Sammie Swain, which will air Sunday, September 28 at 7:30 pm on Cable 12. The television special will include the entire stage production and feature interview segments with the stage production's key performers and contributors. (Photo courtesy of David J. Burrows)
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The 'Sammie Swain' revival - the first in 28 years - was
wildly successful at the fifth anniversary of Shakespeare in Paradise,
and with the televised premiere set to kick off the 2014 festival,
coordinators and sponsors are hopeful that the production will get
audiences excited for the upcoming festival, which will run from October
3rd through to October 11th.
"This is a wonderful way to open the season," 'Sammie Swain'
revival director and Shakespeare in Paradise Artistic Director Philip
A. Burrows said. "It gives people an idea of what Shakespeare in
Paradise is capable of. You may see advertisements for our production of
'Romeo and Juliet' and all these sorts of things, but when you get an
opportunity to see the entire two-hour production of 'Sammie Swain', you
really get to appreciate the quality of work that comes out of
Shakespeare in Paradise through Ringplay Productions."
This year's festival will feature five productions over the
course of nine days: 'Romeo and Juliet,' featuring Cable Bahamas
spokesperson Angelique Sabrina as Juliet; 'For Colored Girls Who Have
Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf'; the South African play
'Sizwe Banzi is Dead'; performances by Tingum Dem; and 'Bruce Katooska:
Laughter is the Best MAGIC!'
Cable Bahamas has served as a major sponsor for the theatre
festival since its inception and Cable Bahamas Head of Marketing David
Burrows said this partnership is due to the company's ongoing commitment
to cultivating Bahamian culture.
"Cable Bahamas, through its television product, and the
people who are a part of our portfolio of actors, the majority of them
come from the theatrical background. We have a strong history of
supporting theatrical talent," Mr Burrows said. "We have a history of
supporting culture. If you look back at our early years, you'll see that
we've done television advertising that has focused on Bahamian culture,
Bahamian dance. So this has always been a part of the fabric of Cable
Bahamas, celebrating Bahamian culture."
'The Legend of Sammie Swain' airs Sunday night on Cable 12, starting at 7:30 p.m.
An historic moment from the 1985 command performance of The Legend of Sammie Swain for Queen Elizabeth II at CHOGM held in Nassau. In this photo, composer E. Clement Bethel (left) introduces Her Majesty to Choreographer Shirley Hall-Bass, Directors Winston V. Saunders & Philip A. Burrows, and Musical Director Cleophas R.E. Adderley Jr., as members of the cast look on.
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