Cable Bahamas Spokesperson Angelique Sabrina delivers an emotional performance as Juliet in William Shakespeare's popular tragedy 'Romeo and Juliet' at this year's Shakespeare in Paradise. (Photo courtesy of David J. Burrows)
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NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS - Cable Bahamas,
a major sponsor of the annual Shakespeare in Paradise festival, lived
up to its Cable 12 "Watch Us and See Yourself" maxim with the television
premiere of the celebrated Bahamian folk opera "The Legend of Sammie
Swain," which aired on September 28th. The broadcast of the stage
production, as performed at last year's theatre festival, served as the
official opening of the 2014 season, which begins October 3rd and
concludes on October 11th.
Nearly 15,000 Bahamians tuned in to Cable 12 last Sunday to
view E. Clement Bethel's timeless tale about a disabled Cat Island man
who sells his soul to the devil to be with the village beauty. The story
resonated with thousands of residents, scores of whom took to Facebook
to voice their opinion of the stage production. According to the
viewers, many aspects of Bahamian customs and values were depicted in
'Sammie Swain,' penned by Mr Bethel in 1971.
"Great expression of Bahamian culture... seriously! Very
entertaining, too," one viewer commented on Facebook about the folk
opera. Other reviews for 'Sammie Swain' included remarks like: "Good
community enrichment of Bahamian folklore," and "I am so happy I saw
this. I just tuned in. Wonderful, I could watch this over and over."
Cable Bahamas Head of Marketing David Burrows said that as a
100 per cent Bahamian-owned company, one of Cable Bahamas' core
objectives is to feature a variety of shows that will provide viewers
with a multidisciplinary analysis of Bahamian culture. He noted that the
tremendous response to 'Sammie Swain' indicates that the Bahamian
public shares an interest in seeing more original programming.
"It's very exciting that a locally written and produced
production, starring a Bahamian cast, would get such high viewership in
the face of competition from 400 other channels. It speaks volumes to
the quality of production," Mr Burrows said.
"Other than the Cable 12 local news and U.S. primetime
network programming, this performance of 'Sammie Swain' garnered one of
the highest audiences that we've seen for a single programme. This is
based on our Cable Bahamas advertising platform that enables us to
calculate viewership for programming throughout the day."
Cable 12 will rebroadcast 'Sammie Swain,' featuring its
70-member revival cast, on Saturday, October 4th at 5 p.m., Monday,
October 13th at 8 p.m., and Sunday, October 27th at 7:30 p.m.
With the sixth anniversary of Shakespeare in Paradise off to
a successful start, coordinators and sponsors are eager for residents
to view this year's impressive lineup. This season comprises five
productions: 'Romeo and 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!'
This year's signature Shakespearean production 'Romeo and
Juliet' features the face of Cable Bahamas Angelique Sabrina as Juliet.
Ticket sales for the popular romantic tragedy are going exceedingly well
as eight of the 12 performances are already sold out. Thanks to the
generosity of the Cable Bahamas Cares Foundation, another festival
sponsor, students across New Providence were able to view the production
during the available student matinees at significantly reduced rates.
The remaining four performances of 'Romeo and Juliet' will be held on
October 3rd, 4th, 10th, and 11th at 8 p.m. on the main stage at the
Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, Mackey Street, Nassau.
Tickets for Shakespeare in Paradise 2014 can be purchased by
visiting the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts from Monday to
Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Further information regarding this
year's festival is available by calling 393-3728.
The young stars of 'Romeo and Juliet,' directed by Philip A. Burrows, have already performed eight sold-out shows at Shakespeare in Paradise 2014. Four more performances of the romantic tragedy remain and will be held on October 3rd, 4th, 10th, and 11th at 8 p.m. on the main stage at the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, Mackey Street. (Photo courtesy of David J. Burrows)
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