UK publishers to reproduce 'Bedward'

Louis Marriott's historical musical play, Bedward, now steeped in rehearsals for a revival in Kingston 6 early next month, will be published in the United Kingdom in May.

Bedward is one of three classic Jamaican plays to be released on May 1 by Oberon Books, the English-speaking world's foremost drama publishers, under the title Mixed Company. The other plays included in the anthology are Sylvia Wynter's Maskarade and Cicely Waite-Smith's The Creatures.

Amazon.com has published news of the book on its website and is inviting advance orders at a discount.

The publication is Oberon Books' contribution to the celebration of Jamaica's 50th anniversary as an independent nation. It is edited by Yvonne Brewster, OBE, the director of the 'open-stage' Bedward production, which will run for 16 performances, from March 2 to March 18, at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium at Jamaica College.

The cast of the current production, the fourth since the play's Ward Theatre premiere in July 1960, will include Alwyn Scott, Barbara McCalla, Winston 'Bello' Bell, Hugh Douse, Grace McDonald, Jean-Paul Menou, Maurice Bryan, Michael Forrest, Patricia Grant-Kitson, Renée Rattray, Teddy Price and Trevor Fearon.

Ron Steger is set designer and technical coordinator; the musical director is Noel Dexter; movement consultant Maria Smith; lighting designer Nadia Roxburgh; and stage manager Alvin Campbell, assisted by Pamela M. Bennett.

The production is sponsored by the RJR Communications Group, The Gleaner Company Limited, Chaser's Café and Ultra Protection.