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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Photos l to r shows: 2016 Bahamian Icon Award Winner Patrice Johnson and 2016 Bahamian Icon Winner Gea Pierre
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FREEPORT, Bahamas – Still reveling in their Bahamian Icon win, actor/director Patrice Johnson and playwright Gea Pierre were honoured to bring the prestigious award back home to Grand Bahama.
The Bahamian Icon Award, founded in 2103, acknowledges the exemplary achievements of men and women who have excelled in a cross section of industries and contributed to the overall development of The Bahamas.
This year’s event was staged at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort in New Providence and aired live Saturday, July 2nd on Our TV.
For Johnson, it was her second nomination and first win in the Entertainment category for her role as “Ingrid” in Pierre’s play, Perfect In Weakness. Also nominated were Dion Johnson for Sizwe Banzi is Dead, Terrance Gilbert for Khing Kloud, Mark Humes for Sizwe Banzi is Dead and Anastarcia Palacious for The Vagina Monologues.
The beloved actor grew up in the industry and has earned a special place in the hearts of the Bahamian people with her wide range of on-stage and television performances over many decades.
Johnson admits the road has not been an easy one, but to be esteemed in such a way is humbling.
“It was a privilege, it was an honour,” she said on hearing her name called from amongst so many talented individuals. “What God has for you, nobody can take it away from you. When it’s your time, it’s your time. Everybody has a season and I guess it’s just my season.”
“Ms. Gea (Pierre), she puts it on paper and allows me to bring it to life. She is an awesome person. She is talented. She has a talent out of this world; she doesn’t realize how talented she really is,” Johnson said.
The veteran actor is convinced, however, that of all the plays she had acted in, the one that won her the Icon Award was best suited for her.
Crazy Crew
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“Perfect in weakness was, to me, one of my best. It showed my versatility. I was able to bring the comedy, but in the second half of it, I was able to bring that drama and touch lives while I was doing it. I just love the way acting gives you an opportunity to bring restoration to people who come out to see the plays and can see themselves on stage and realize that there is a way out,” the Icon winner said.
Johnson wholeheartedly believes acting is her calling and purpose in life and she is happy to share her win with such an extraordinary person such as Pierre.
“I know definitely without a shadow of a doubt, this is my purpose. I never wanted to be in life and have no existence. You have got to be able to know what you’re here for and to live it out,” she said. “Gea and I are like the perfect match; we enhance and compliment each other.
The dynamic duo, who share a friendship that spans over two decades, worked together on the hit play, Crazy Love, which wrapped up a four-month long twin city showing, won Pierre, the cast and crew the 2016 Icon for Best Live Ensemble.
The play, written by Pierre, of Out of the Ashes, was directed by Johnson and co-produced by Remardo Russell, who also had a starring role, beat out veteran and revered playwright James Catlyn’s Summer Madness; two of Phillip Burrows’ plays Sizwe Banzi is Dead and Clybourne Park and Nicolette Bethel’s Death on The Street.
Pierre also shares the win with the Crazy Love cast Diane Morgan, Brian Roxbury, Melvin Miller, Alexis Pelecanos, Donavon Munroe, Andre Cartwright, Shorrell Dames, Kirk Smith, Ashleigh Sean Rolle, Matthew Wildgoose, Erica Weir, Mark Gardiner, Kyla Andrews, Mykala, Evan Williams and Russell.
“I felt so terribly proud of them for the job that they did in the past five months. Winning is never something you can count on because just how you feel your production was good or well received, that’s how everyone else feels about their production. So you never get overly confident. So it was a surprise,” a gracious Pierre said.
“I am so very proud of Patrice she is a wonderful and amazing person and I could not have done this without her,” she stressed. “I feel like this was indeed a wonderful year for the Out of the Ashes brand.”
As for there being a Crazy Love II in the making, the scriptwriter said there is no reason to stop now.
“The cat is definitely out of the bag and there will indeed be a Crazy Love II. We’re looking at February around the same time. We go back into rehearsal sometime later in the year, so there will definitely be a Crazy Love II.”
© Copyright 2016 by thebahamasweekly.com
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