The Ward Theatre in Downtown Kingston. - Contributed THE WARD THEATRE will be one of the areas targeted in the initiative to revive and re-develop the Downtown Kingston area. As such this year will be dubbed the 'Year of the Ward' and the Ward Theatre Foundation, the Ministries of Local Government, Education and National Security, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) are among the entities that will be involved in this most recent effort.
The first of these initiatives will be an ice show entitled 'Broadway on Ice'. This will feature several international ice skaters who will perform on the Ward Theatre's stage, which will be turned into an ice rink.
Those expected to perform at the event are two-time United States National Champion, Christian Hendricks; Russian National Senior team member Nadia Kova Sharp and Robb Ness and Laurie Welch Heath, a duo noted for their death-defying lifts. The ice show begins with a gala on May 9 and three shows between May 10 and May 12.
This will be followed by a massive fund-raising programme called 'Reliving The Glory'. This will see 12 weeks of concerts featuring Jamaican artistes and entertainers in the fields of music, drama, speech and comedy.
Chairman of the Ward Theatre foundation, Wycliffe Bennett C.D., has said that the foundation has developed a long-term plan to assist in improving and maintaining the theatre itself and its environs.
URGENT NECESSITY
According to Mr. Bennett, "The restoration of the Ward to its former glory is an urgent necessity for all who have the interest of our capital city at heart. To repair the fabric is still a manageable project, but the architectural works would be wasted unless accompanied by efforts to manage, maintain and secure this National Monument. The involvement of the citizens in the neighbourhood in the activities must remain a top priority."
The Ward Theatre was built in 1912 by Colonel Charles James Ward, Custos of Kingston, who presented it as a gift to the city of Kingston. Since then the theatre has played a significant role in the development of the country.
It was the official birth place of the island's two major political parties, the Peoples National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). Similarly, the theatre was the home of the LTM Pantomime, which opened there on Boxing Day. However, last year the LTM Pantomime stayed away because of the condition of the theatre and the deterioration of its surrounding environment.
