Wycliffe Bennett - file
Many people of our nation in all realms of theatre arts, business, community and Government were very saddened to learn of the passing of Wycliffe Bennett on October 5 at age 87.
An icon of the theatre arts, Bennett, a founder of the theatre movement in Jamaica, dedicated most of his life to developing all aspects of this artistic expression.
He was born May 19, 1922 in Panama, to Jamaican parents, who served as officers with the Salvation Army in that country. At the age of four years old, both parents died leaving their only child an orphan. Close friends of the family adopted him and lovingly brought him up with the excellent values he carried throughout his life.
After graduating from high school, he started his 30-year career in the civil service and served in multiple capacities, including Customs, Royal Postal Service, Tax, Education and also as an auditor for the Co-op Bank in central Jamaica. During this period, his affection with the theatre started and this launched his esteemed career in this field.
In 1943 he launched the first all-Jamaica Elocution Contest and continued educating in speech projection until his death. In 1955 he coordinated the Tercentenary Celebration which required an all-island effort suitable to bring 300 years of British rule to life on the stage. This took one year of dedicated work and was hailed as a brilliant event.
Committing fully
This resulted in his taking the decision to commit fully to the theatre arts and thus he was given a scholarship by the British Council which earned him the degree of ADB in speech and drama in 1957. He then went on to further his academic qualifications and attended the highly recognised Yale University where he received a BA in theatre and drama. Not satisfied, he then attended Columbia University where he did his masters degree in theatre arts.
On returning to Jamaica, he wrote scripts, produced and directed plays in support of the movement and worked to assist with the building and launch of The Little Theatre.
History has recorded his contribution to Jamaica's Independence in 1962, a milestone for our nation, which was marked by the Arts Celebration.
In 1968 he was appointed general manager of the Jamaica Broadcasting Commission (JBC), and eventually rose to the position of managing director, where he reshaped the image and programming of electronic media.
In 1976 he was given the daunting task of arranging and coordinating The Grand Gala for CARIFESTA, a cultural festival designed to bring Caribbean countries closer together. The magnitude of this event saw Wycliffe write, arrange and direct 40,000 of the participants in this extravaganza aptly named the Grand Gala. A feat few would undertake anywhere in the world, and productions of this size are now only seen at events such as the opening of the Olympic Games.
He went on to work tirelessly to bring a formal training ground for theatre and media in Jamaica through the launch of the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC).
Here he set the curriculum for the first course in drama to be offered in Jamaica and taught now successful media and theatre personalities such as Fae Ellington, Ruth HoShing and Oliver Samuels. CPTC executive director, Angela Patterson, also a member of the WTF, honoured him for his life's work in June 2006 where they launched the CD "The Legendary Wycliffe Bennett".
Chairman emeritus
In 1987 the Ward Theatre Foundation was officially formed and Wycliffe enthusiastically joined in the capacity of director. He went on to serve in the capacity of vice-chair and finally as chairman. He retired in 2004 and was unanimously awarded the distinguished position of chairman emeritus. He continued to be involved with The Ward and the foundation's mandate to ensure the theatre be fully restored while retaining its integrity architecturally and for the performing arts. He had the sensitivity and passion for this project and approached it with the same dedication and zeal as he had Carifesta and all his endeavours.
The Ward Theatre Foundation was proud to see Wycliffe's wife, Hazel Bennett, receive the Order of Jamaica on his behalf on National Heroes Day, an honour requested by the foundation under chairman Ruby Martin, who had written to Prime Minister Bruce Golding on the matter.
So we say farewell to a great Jamaican, a loyal citizen, a pioneer in the theatre movement, a humanitarian, and thank him publicly for setting the "stage" for our culture to continue to express itself through this medium.
Nicola Crosswell-Mair is director of the Ward Theatre Foundation. This article is dedicated on behalf of WTF by Ruby E Martin, CD, JP, chairman of the Ward Theatre Foundation.