Edna Manley College connects its past, future
THE EDNA Manley College of the Visual and Per forming Ar ts’ celebration of Founders’ Week began yesterday, but it is on Wednesday that the connection between the tertiary-level institution’s foundation and its future will be most clearly demonstrated.
Research in the Arts Day will be held at the Vera Moody Concer t Hall on the college’s Arthur Wint Drive, St Andrew, campus under the theme ‘Embracing Our Inheritance: Founders and Findings’. And, in addition to the research done by the i nstitution’s facult y and students – which reflects the college’s community involvement and indicates its future path – a number of speakers with deep connections with the founders will make a direct link with its foundation.
Coleen Douglas, director of marketing and communications at the Edna Manley College, told The Gleaner, “We tried to find people who were carrying on the tradition of their relatives or close associates.” So among those slated to participate are Patricia Newland (daughter of founder Sheila Barnett), Alma Mock-Yen (friend of dance tutor Ivy Baxter), Rev John Scott (brother of Dennis Scott) and Norma Harrack (lecturer in the School of Visual Ar ts and widow of ar tist Fitz Harrack). Founder Barbara Requa, who taught current Edna Manley College principal, Dr Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson, will also be involved.
She is one of two founders still alive, the other being Bert Rose.
SONG OF CELEBRATION
Outlining some of the week’s activities, Douglas said that on Thursday, there will be an International Women’s Day Electric Boogie from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. at The Deck, New Kingston. “We chose the Marcia Griffiths song due to the fact that it had a lot of impact. At the end of the discussion, they dance to the song as a celebration,” Douglas said. A gender and development lecture is also on Thursday’s agenda. Tomorrow, an exhibition by visual arts students and faculty will open at the CAGE Gallery and run for two weeks, with the theatrical production Belly Woman starting on Friday.
“It is staged to celebrate the people who are responsible for the development of the college,” Douglas said of Founders’Week.
MC
AS PATRONS filed out of the Cour tleigh Auditorium, New Kingston, at the conclusion of Simply Myrna, Myrna Hague i n Concert on Saturday night, there were echoes of “It is one of the best” and “It was a great show.” For first-time audience members Sandra and husband Tirone Tsang, it was so much more. “It was fabulous. This is my first time coming and I enjoyed it immensely. The music was great; Fab 5 played wonderfully and the guitarist was awesome. I think I will be back next year. My husband and I re a l l y, re a l l y enjoyed it,” Sandra told The Gleaner. “We will definitely be back next year,”Tirone added.
So it was at the eighth staging of Simply Myrna. “It is not a jazz show, but Myrna gets to sing all kinds of music,” the epitome of elegance explained. Simply Myrna is about Myrna Hague. With four wardrobe changes and renditions of favourite and new songs, she held the audience spellbound. Her first set began with I’m Coming Home, a reminder that Simply Myrna had taken a break from the Courtleigh Auditorium, where it started eight years ago. Among the favourites was I Wish You, while Quincy Jones’ Many Rains Ago from the movie Roots was added to the programme.
And when the exhilarating concert ended, it was with another fine rendition of You’re the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me, sang by Hague and backed by the Desi Jones, led Simply Myrna Band.