Christopher Cum- Buck Us-" Docks at Centerstage Boxing Day

Half a century after Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World, Jamaican Playwright, Patrick Brown plans to serve up a delightful fare of this fable on Boxing Day at the CenterStage Theatre in his own inimitable style.

Billed "Christopher Cum- Buck- Us" the story according to Brown "is my own interpretation of the Columbus story, his so called discovery of us, his arrival in the Caribbean and when he bucks up these Jamaican Arawaks."

A tale of two cultures, Musical Director and Composer Jon Williams says that "it is an interesting mix of European and Italian…the challenge being to bring that to bear on a slightly Indian feel within a Jamaica context. . and an Arawak Indian perspective.

We have favorite drumming, haunting flute tones and European opera all done within a Jamaican context and providing a very interesting mix. The actors and actresses get to try out their talent in an operatic setting. This is a stretch for them. It offers them some variety in their roles and experience. It is very nice."

Volier Johnson who stars as Christopher Cum- Buck-Us says, "it is a good production. A lot of hard work has gone into it and people will like it. It is very funny and despite its many conflicts the characters are very interesting." Johnson who also doubles up as Lashie the Chatty Mouth African added that "for me characterization is a challenge as I am working towards capturing an accent between Italian and Jamaican and the whole pompousness of the character Cum- Buck -Us."

Barbara McDaniel, Choreographer says "that the production is coming together very nicely .. the challenge in the choreography is that you don't want all the movement to look the same bearing in mind that the cast is not all dancers. The set is beautiful and the opera scene featuring Romeo and Juliet in a Jamaican context is a play in a play in itself."

The world premier of "Christopher- Cum- Buck -Us" features an all star Jamaican cast familiar to Jambiz productions. Heading the line-up is Jamaica's King of Comedy, Oliver Samuels, as Chief Running Belly or the Cacique; Glen Campbell who stars as Grinning Goat- the not too cute and not too brave Indian brave and who also doubles up as Sham the Medicine man; Claudette Pious who plays Rolling Calf, the dim- witted squaw and Dahlia Harris as Smiling Rabbit- the long breasted ever pregnant squaw. Tisha Duncan alternates with Pious and Harris in their various roles. Trevor Nairne, Artistic Director, leads the Many Time Award Winning Production Team.

The play runs throughout the holiday season playing daily, Mondays to Fridays at 8pm and on weekends at 5 and 8pm.