The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

TAKING A step to ensure Bahamian culture is placed at the forefront, the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture is looking forward to recapturing the glory days of the era of floor shows and cultural Reviews.

Through its Department of Culture, national auditions for Bahamian artists at the National Centre for the Performing Arts recently wrapped to help choose artists who will be employed to work in the Bahamas Cultural Review, a daily floor show hosted at the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

Tribune Entertainment sat down with Henry Higgins, Coordinator for the National Auditions, as he spoke on behalf of the Ministry about the purpose of the auditions.

Fire dancers, limbo dancers, steel drummers, musicians, vocalists and bands were all welcomed to register at the National Centre for the Performing Arts to show off their talents in the auditions, Mr Higgins explained.

“This is actually the first time that we are endeavouring to put on a Cultural Review of this floor show. We are hoping that it will be something that we can do almost every year to find out who is out there and what the artists are doing out there,” said Mr Higgins.

He said: “In order for us to know who is out there, we have to audition them. So that is how this idea came about, where we will find out about these artists and what they do. Once we find out who they are, we can better assist them in employment and showing off their talents.”

Mr Higgins said the auditions were not open for public viewing, and each entertainer had the opportunity to have private auditioning sessions.

“That is the way auditions are done professionally all over the world. Once they come in and register and we get a listing, they will be put on a schedule because the auditions were for a whole week,” said Mr Higgins.

The ministry is also looking forward to put in place a directory of Bahamian cultural artists, whom they can call on for performances when necessary. These artists will also be recommended for jobs as the need arises.

“Our Ministry would host events at times, and sometimes private companies does events and they sometimes call us to find the entertainment. And with this we will be able to find the artists and have them go to different places,” said Mr Higgins.

At the end of the auditions, once a group of people are selected, Mr Higgins said the public will be invited to attend an overall showcase held to kick off the Cultural Review.

“Right now we are looking at the showcase to be held around the end of May or the first week in June at the Centre of the Performing Arts,” he said.

He said there will also be a travelling show, where these persons will have the opportunity to travel under the Ministry to places like Caribana, and Carifesta, which are events being held this year.

“We have a problem in our country where a lot of our entertainers, because they are senior, they don’t think they should be a part of the cultural show. We have so many of them that are unemployed, so I want them to come out and be part of what we are doing. Most of them are saying there is nothing to do, but they don’t want to audition,” he said.

He said: “ A lot of times culture has been on the back burner, and our Minister Daniel Johnson is a man that believes culture should be on the front. He is going all out on the limb to get these things done. It is important that our people grab this opportunity.”

For more information visit the organisation’s Facebook page “Dis We Culture”.