Legendary drummers John Berkely "Peanuts" Taylor and John "Chippie" Chipman, left, will be honored at this year's restaging of the production of "Culture 101 - Celebrating our Bahamian Icons: 1900s to 1960s. Taylor and Chipman are shown pperforming at the MArch 2015 first staging of the production. (Photo: Cultural Legacy Committee)
Legendary drummers John Berkely "Peanuts" Taylor and John "Chippie" Chipman will be honored as Cultural Legacy Committee, a group committed to promoting the Bahamian legacy, and its talented performers, repeat its production of "Culture 101: Celebrating our Bahamian Icons" -- a musical play that highlights the dance, drama and music of prior years, from the 1900s to the 1960s.
The play which was first staged in March 2015, included works from Bahamian cultural trailblazers such as Paul Meeres, Joseph Spence, Blind Blake, George Symonette, Eloise Lewis, Maureen DuValier, Taylor, Chipman and the BBC Singers will be restaged with three performances on Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 at 8 p.m. at the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts. A reception will follow the Friday evening performance.
A matinee for school students will be held at 11:30 a.m. on the Friday. The committee suggests that junior and senior school students take in the performance, and that students must wear their school uniform.
The Cultural Legacy Committee comprised of chairman Maude Lockhart with Angela Rahming, Rose Richardson and Barbara Thompson, believe it is imperative to preserve Bahamian heritage -- its unique style of music, dance and drama. The group believes that by sharing the strong talent existing in The Bahamas with they youth they can preserve the heritage, and expand upon it so that it remains part of Bahamian lives.
Artists of today will depict each cultural icon in song and dance.
Fred Ferguson, Raphael Munnings, Frankie Victory, Frankie Zhivago Young, Erica Lightbourne, Anita Ellis, along with Howard and the Boys, who will be drumming in honor of Taylor and Chipman. Featured performers include Ronald Simms, Claudette "Cookie" Allens, Patricia Bazard, Onike Archer and llaya Hagagi.
Taylor, 81, has entertained at home and abroad for over seven decades. He has opened for Nat King Cole and the Mills Brothers in California, he appeared on the Johnny Carson Show, The Steve Allen Show, The Jack Parr Show, and The Ed Sullivan Show. Major television networks, CBC and the BBC featured Taylor on television programs aired between the late 50s and up to the early 80s.
Chipman whose career started in the 1950s showcases goatskin drumming abilities has taken him around the world as an ambassador for The Bahamas as a master of the authentic Bahamian rake 'n' scrape sound.
It is anticipated that the Cultural Legacy productions will be a continuing effort going forward, to highlight and acknowledge talented Bahamian icons and the unique Bahamian culture up to the present day.
"Culture 101" indicates that there is more to come. Similar productions are being considered to honor talented Bahamian performing artists from the 1960s and beyond. Culture 201 is currently being scripted. We hope this first class in 'Culture 101' will help to reveal what we can achieve as a people, showing what our forefathers have accomplished, after overcoming many obstacles to get us to where we are today," said Lockhart.
"If we put our heads and hearts together, and really appreciate one another, it will surprise us how far we can go. Our God-given talents have been bestowed upon us for everyone to expand upon and enjoy, uplift and encourage each other."
Tickets for 'Culture 101' are $50 per person for the Friday performance and reception, $30 on Saturday, and $10 for the student matinee performance, and can be purchased at the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, telephone 393-3728 or at a Custom Computer Store, telephone 396-1100.
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