The Performing Arts Club with its membership of thirty

two young talents has continued to etch a distinctive mark

of excellence since the start of the academic year 2013-14.

Under the leadership of coordinator, Miss Marguerite

Anderson, the club’s goal has been to reclaim its former

status and prestige as the most sought-after club to be

affiliated with. The stability of the club waned when, in

2012, Ms. Anderson faced health issues which prevented

her from effectively executing her duties. This saw the

club facing challenges when left without its key leadership.

Indeed it is fair to say that the group is well on its way to

reclaiming its former prestige. The club’s events since the

start of this academic year have included a Lunch-Hour

Concert, a dramatic

presentation at the

school’s Annual Prize

Giving Ceremony (both in

October 2013), a concert

in collaboration with the

Etiquette Club, at the Kew

Community Center in

November 2014, perfor-

mances at a Pre-Valentine

Talent Show held at Horse

Stable Beach this month, a series of club workshops in which

Mr. David Bowen-Director of Culture–has shared and taught

certain aspects of Performing Arts. Ms. Anderson has also

recently started other workshops in which she teaches club

members specific courses in Drama. The next venture which

the club intends to embark on is the filming of a mini come-

dy series which the club aims to have aired on PTV.

Raymond Gardiner High School’s Performing Arts Club

February 2014

Message from Director of Clubs

2

Meet the Members 2

RGHS Celebrates 40 years :“School Daze”

2

Lunch-Hour Concert

3

Principal’s Message 4

Meet Club Coordinator 4

Past Highlights 2010-2011)

4

Inside this issue:

Club’s Executive

Body:

President-Talestra

Dixon

Vice President-

Shantia Harvey

Secretary-LouAnn

Chisholm

Treasurer-Katrina

Smith

Public Relations

Officers– Kamia Rolle

& Evania Williams

Taking Center Stage

Mr. David Bowen

teaches folk dance

to club members.

Message from Director of

Culture, David Bowen

It is always a thrill for me to lecture and conduct workshops with the Raymond Gardiner High School’s Performing Arts Club in North Caicos. Their enthusiasm is infectious and their eagerness to learn inspiring. As Director of Culture and a former performing arts student, I am com-mitted to insuring that these talented students have a chance to explore their passion and to develop the skills necessary to propel them forward so that one day the seeds planted by their mentor, Ms. Marguerite Anderson, along with others teachers and instructors, will blossom into shinning stars on the local and international stage"

Yours in Culture, David Bowen Director of Culture Department of Culture Office of the Premier Turks & Caicos Government

The Shai Boys

Lobresha Gardiner gives

vote of thanks to Mr.

David Bowen who

shared the story of his

journey since his days as

a boy in Grand Turk to

his adult experiences as

dancer and actor gracing

stages in various parts of

the world.

Club’s Goals and Activities

for 2013-14

Welcome to a new year and new opportunities to

explore a world of adventures which lie in wait!

At the Raymond Gardiner High School, we empha-

size the importance of creating an atmosphere

where students not only get solid academic training

but also exposure to the Fine Arts and social skills

acquisition through club attendance and participa-

tion.

I wish to congratulate the Performing Arts Club for

the initiative of producing this News Letter which is

a means of informing the greater society of club’s

mission and stimulating the interest of prospective

members and sponsors.

It is my dream to see the Performing Arts Club at-

tain its ultimate goal of creating real theater perfor-

mances. However, the club members must acquire

and master the skills essential to produce such

but progress is greatly hindered by the lack of

resources. Nevertheless, commendations are in

order for the club and its leadership (Ms. Mar-

guerite Anderson) as they have managed to

create close to perfect performances through

improvisation.

I embrace and support your plans for this

school term. Go ahead; take your show to the

world!

Sincerely,

E. Anderson-Oné

coming anniversary celebrations

which they had heard announced

on radio. They sit on their front

porch and share the memories

they have of specific teachers. As

they share about each teacher,

the scene freezes on them and

the audience is taken to a series

of flashbacks when the two were

students at RGHS. There, the

experiences/interactions with the

teachers, set the tone for the

The club’s activities for this aca-

demic year, included a comedic

skit-School Daze- at the Prize-

Giving Awards Ceremony held in

October 2013. To commemorate

the school’s 40th Anniversary

celebration, the Performing Arts

Club shared the story of an old

married couple who reminisces

about their days in high school,

where they met and fell in-love.

The old couple speaks of the up-

belly-full of laughter which

follows. The comedy lies in the

depiction of these teachers;

and so accurate were the per-

formances that the audience

knew instantly which teachers

were being impersonated. The

diversity of the students'

talents saw one of the boys

playing the role of a female

teacher and one of the girls

playing the role of a male

teacher. It was truly enjoyed by

all.

Message from Director of Clubs

RGHS Celebrates 40 yrs and Performing Arts Club highlights the celebration.

Meet the club members

“All the world is a

stage…We put on faces

to meet the faces that

we meet”

: William Shakespeare

Page 2 Taking Center Stage Volume 1, I ssue 1

E. Anderson-Oné

Ralf St. Fleurant & Laquisha Taylor

Lunch-Hour Concert

Inside Story Headline

Club President, Talestra Dixon

doing a dramatic Poem

Among the highlights in term one (Sept-Dec-2013) was a “Lunch-Hour” Concert held on

Wednesday October 9th and which despite the threat of inclement weather, loss of electrical

power, and other glitches relating to technical issues, the Performing Arts Club succeeded in

satisfying the appetite of the well-anticipated audience of both students and staff. The Lunch-

Hour concert may best be summed up as being “Short but Sweet”. Among the outstanding

talents displayed at that show was a dramatic poem by club president, Talestra Dixon who is

known for her raw and uncut talent in Speech & Drama; a song done by club coordinator-

Ms. Anderson- and featuring one of our newest members, Ralf St. Flearant who comple-

mented Ms. Anderson’s performance in a song entitled “Let’s hear it for the Boys”. St. Flear-

ant added the perfect ingredient of theatrical humour while capturing the message of the old

80’s hit original done by international singer, Denise Williams. Another major highlight of the

Lunch Hour concert emerged from a fresh-budding male vocalist, Gregory Williams (Form

1A) whose diversity is such that he dons a sweet and sultry soprano voice then makes a

smooth transition to a hair-rising falsetto. He literally stole the show as he had the female

“Gregory William’s

sweet and sultry voice

makes a smooth

transition to a hair-

rising falsetto”

Page 3 Taking Center Stage Volume 1, I ssue 1

uncontained in their seats as they rushed to stand as close to the stage as was permissible. This

response was in sheer delight of the vocal rendition which captivated them. Other perfor-

mances included a dance group comprising Shantia Harvey, Yakena Gibson and Lobresha

Gardiner to the rhythm of Beyonce’s “Single Lady”. The Show was emceed by Mr. Donovan

Garvey, member of Staff and former affiliate of the Performing Arts Club up to 2012-13. Not

only did Mr. Garvey engage the audience with his wit, creativity, stage presence and dynamics

but he too gave an intoxicating performance of “old hit” songs. Finally, mention must be giv-

en to a visiting talent from a member of the Music Club. He is RGHS’ Saxman- Edwin

Forbes- who sweetened the show with his saxophone renditions.

“SCHOOL DAZE” -Skit done by club members at Annual

Prize Giving Ceremony.

Highlights (Oct. 2013)

Otis Arthur as “Mr Stalkin Tevin Lightbourn as

Mr. Arscot

Jwayne Capron as Mrs Joles Old couple has flashback of their

days in high school.

Message from Principal,

Mrs. Janet Walkin

Let me congratulate the Performing Arts Club on its initiative to produce its

first news-letter-Taking Center Stage. It is great to see the vibrancy and enthusi-

asm kept alive for Club activity within the school. The production of this news-

letter is an excellent way to ignite a sense of pride among members of the club.

Despite a lack of resources with which to work, the club has produced such

quality performances that continue to bring humour and entertainment to

Raymond Gardiner High and to North Caicos, in general. I encourage club

coordinator, Ms. Marguerite Anderson to go beyond all boundaries in an effort

to unearth the talents of the students. All the very best as you continue to ‘take

center stage’.

RGHS Performing Arts Club

Bottle Creek, North Caicos

Go ahead!...call to make a pledge or to sponsor

the club which brings laughter and

entertainment to North Caicos!

Marguerite Anderson has always had a natural love for the

stage. Her first passion is acting but she is mostly seen on the

stage singing. She has been with the club since 2007 when she

first joined the staff of Raymond Gardiner High School. In

2008, under her artistic direction, the Performing arts Club won

1st place in Drama at the school’s annual, “Club Expose”. That

year, the club also won the coveted title of Champion Club”.

Sadly, since 2009, Club Expose has never again been held. Ms

Anderson took the mantle as Club Coordinator in 2010, subse-

quent to Ms. Jennifer Pinnock’s departure from the club.

Prior to relocating to the Turks & Caicos Islands, Ms. Anderson

was with a Jamaican Performing Arts group known as “Nexus”.

Ms. Anderson was casted for the lead role in a 2004 musical

production, titled, Elyshia Moneybags which was staged at St.

Georges College Auditorium. In this musical, she played the

role of a female version of the well-known character, Ebenezer

Scrooge. Additionally, she has written and produced a full-

length play which was staged in front of an audience of over

one thousand persons at Jamaica College Auditorium in the

Summer of 2006.

Ms. Anderson had also been an entrant in cultural festivals,

obtaining the prize for most talented contestant and in 1989,

placing second in the National Festival Queen Competition in

Jamaica. Additionally, she held the post of Director of the

school’s choir at two of the institutions for which she had

served during her teaching years in her native country. She has

also taught Speech and Drama at two of Jamaica’s leading high

schools in Kingston.

Unlike in the Turks and Caicos Islands, drama in Jamaica is a

major part of a child’s life. In secondary/high schools, Drama is

a subject which forms part of a school’s curriculum. From as

early as possible, children are given the opportunity to express

Meet Club Coordinator, M. Anderson

Phone: (649)-946-7132

:(649)-244-5329

Email: asktheteacherandeditor_rghs@yahoo.com

ALL THE WORLD IS A STAGE :William Shakespeare

Raymond Gardiner High School’s Performing Arts Club

themselves in various art forms such as drama, speech, song, dance,

dramatic poetry, etc. Often, they do this on large stages and in front of

hundreds to thousands of people. There are festivals for all age groups

and children compete, not just at school level but at national level.

Although the culture in the Turks & Caicos Islands is very different and

Drama itself is not taught as a subject at the Raymond Gardiner High

School, Ms. Anderson aims to ignite in students, a passion for theater

and the performing arts, in general. She would love for students to see

the possibility of a career in theater or in other aspects of performance.

Marguerite Anderson at

Jamaica’s National Festival

Queen Competition (1989)

Ms. Anderson on ‘Smile Jamaica’ TVJ-

Dec. 2005 concert season of Nexus

Performing Arts Theatre.

Past Highlights...

Skit @ Prize Giving 2010

Kingsley Laborde and Ms.

Anderson at concert in Kew

2011

A Cursory glance...

Taking Center Stage Page 4 February 2014