BIOGRAPHY
(ARTS AND CULTURE)
DORBRENE EVERSFIELD O’MARDE
DORBRENE E. O’MARDE is a recognized cultural worker throughout the Caribbean
region. He is best known as playwright, director and producer (theatre and music),
newspaper/magazine columnist, speaker and a calypso writer, judge and analyst.
Theatre
He has written and produced five full length plays and directed at least a dozen
Caribbean, Black American and African plays with the Harambee Open Air Theatre
in Antigua and Barbuda.
He was a member of the Theatre Information Exchange (TIE) and the Eastern
Caribbean Popular Theatre Organization (ECPTO).
He started his theatre career (beyond primary and secondary school) with the
Antigua Students Association in 1965 (You the Jury, Devil’s Advocate, Androcles
and the Lion – English classics).
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During the period 1968-71, acted with the Cave Hill Drama Group (UWI) –
Caribbean plays. Alwin Bully, Cecil Blazer Williams, Robert Lee, Clement
Bouncing Williams, Ingrid Williams, Melvin Edwards are all students at the
time. Started writing during that period.
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Formed the Harambee Cultural Group which became the Harambee Open Air
Theatre in 1972 – director and producer until its dormancy in the mid-eighties.
Include tours to Montserrat, St. Kitts, Dominica, Barbados, St. Thomas and
Saba.
Plays (written and directed)
One act
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Badplay
Two acts
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Homecoming
Full length
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For Real
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Fly on the Wall
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The Minister’s Daughter (adapted from novel by Obi Egbuna)
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We Nativity (music by Shelly Tobitt)
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Tangled Web
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The World Spin One Way (2 productions – one directed by Jean Small and
the other by David Edgecombe)
Radio
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Fire Go Bun (Radio play/production co-authored with and directed by Alwin
Bully)
Plays (directed)
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Square Peg – Errol Hill
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Streak – Alwin Bully
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Trials of Brother Jero – Wole Soyinka
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Ruler in Hiroona – Alwin Bully
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The New Hardware Store – Earl Lovelace (co-direct with Buntin Airall)
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Old Story Time - Trevor Rhone
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Vagina Monologues – Eve Ensler (co-direct with Zahra Airall)
Calypso/Soca
His work with calypso music dates back to the nineteen-seventies as writer, analyst
and judge.
He has created both lyrics and melodies for many of the leading calypsonians in
Antigua and Barbuda – Scorpion, Stumpy, Slane, Richie Francis, Douglas, Chalice,
De Bear, Singing Vickie, Queen Althea, Sleepy, Cauliflower, and Lyricksman.
His involvement in the art form includes:
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author and presenter of the twenty one-hour radio programmes series ‘Talking
Calypso’
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edited and produced an annual calypso magazine ‘Calypso Talk’ (1984-2001)
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judged
national calypso competitions in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados,
Montserrat, Anguilla and St Kitts & Nevis
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judged regional calypso competitions – King of the World in Barbados, Youth
Calypso Competition in Trinidad & Tobago and the OECS Soca Monarch in St.
Lucia
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conducted calypso judging workshops in Antigua and Barbuda, St. Lucia, St.
Kitts & Nevis, Dominica, Montserrat and Anguilla
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participated in radio commentaries on national calypso competitions in Antigua
& Barbuda and St. Vincent & the Grenadines
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participated as feature speaker or panelist in calypso and Carnival symposia
throughout the region (UWI/T&T, Barbados, Dominica and Antigua & Barbuda)
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author of many articles and media competition reviews.
Jazz
O’Marde also served as President of the Antigua Jazz Society and produced five
jazz festivals (1989 – 2004) that included Caribbean jazz artists such as Adrian
Clarke (Barbados); Othello Molineaux (Trinidad/Miami); Clive Zanda with Ella Andall
and Eintou Springer (Trinidad); Rudy Smith Quartet (Trinidad/Denmark); Marjorie
Whylie
Wrhytms
(Jamaica);
Monty
Alexander
with
Len
Boogsie
Sharpe
(Jamaica/USA); Kysofusion (Trinidad); Maroa (Venezuela); Luther Francois Quintet
(Martinique/St. Lucia); Happy Lewis Quartet (Guadeloupe/Antigua); Steel Pulse;
Dawn Mitchell (Grenada) and from Antigua and Barbuda - Courtenay Winter; Vin
Phillips; The Targets; Roland Prince Lukuya with Babu Samuel; James/Dorsett
Quartet; Rawdon Edwards with Lacu Samuel and Foster Joseph
Culture and Heritage
He has been involved as the CARICOM Heads of Government representative on
two CARIFESTA organizing committees and was a contributor to the development of
the regional cultural policy. He continues to write and speak promoting the
development of ‘creativity’ in all spheres of Caribbean life.
Presently Chairperson of the Antigua and Barbuda Reparations Support Committee
[formerly the Committee to Commemorate the Bicentenary Anniversary of the
Abolition of the British Empire Atlantic Slave Trade (BEAST)]
SELECTED ARTICLES AND ADDRESSES since 2000
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CAPITAL PUNISHMENT: It is cheaper to kill them & An eye for an eye blinds
the world – Observer Newspaper, January 2000
WEST INDIES CRICKET: Is the music loud enough? CARIFESTA VII
Symposium - St. Kitts and Nevis August 23rd, 2000
JUDGING CALYPSO: Tradition versus Definitions - Calypso Talk Magazine,
August 2001
THE BEST IS YET TO COME – Address to Gemonites Workshop on Pan,
Calypso and Pan arranging, November 2001
PAN AS ICON, PRESERVING, CLAIMING, MARKETING, CARIFESTA
Symposium - Panel Discussion - Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago 1992
HOW MUCH OF CALYPSO SPACE YOU WANT? Observer Newspaper July 2003
OF BREAD AND SHINY THINGS - Observer Newspaper, November 2003
TIM HECTOR’S LIFE AND DEATH: The basis for a new Caribbean future Outlet Newspaper 2003
THOSE WHO ONLY CRICKET KNOW – Outlet Newspaper April 17th 2004
‘THE ROLE OF CALYPSO AND CARNIVAL IN POLITICAL CHANGE IN
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA’ Conference on ‘The political and artistic cultures of
Antigua and Barbuda, August 2005
NEW ORLEANS STORIES AND KATRINA: A white American disgrace Sept
2005.
REMEMBERING THE PAST, MAINTAINING OUR PILLARS OF
EXCELLENCE’. Antigua Grammar School Graduation Ceremony June 2005
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EMANCIPATION: Its vigour and its hope - Castries, St. Lucia, August 2006
CSME AND CULTURE: Talking to Darkness – Address to NGO Workshop on
the CSME 2006
THE MYTH OF THE FAILING CARIBBEAN MAN – Observer Newspaper,
2006
WHAT THIS COMMEMORATION MEANS TO ME – Launch of
Commemoration of the bicentennial anniversary of the abolition of the slave
trade - St. John’s, Antigua 26 Feb 2007
TOWARDS REPARATIONS - African Liberation Day, St. John’s, Antigua May 2007
‘KAISO ALL OVER: CALYPSO MUSIC OUTSIDE TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO’
in Calypso as an Instrument of Social Justice; International Music Council
2007
IMPACT OF 1968 ON THE ARTS AND CULTURE OF ANTIGUA AND
BARBUDA - A Conference on Democracy in Antigua/ Barbuda August 7,
2008
SCHOOLS WORK – Antigua Grammar School 125th Anniversary - March
2009
LIVING TOGETHER’ instead of ‘LIVING SIDE BY SIDE’, Address to opening
Ceremony of Diversity Week, St. John’s, Antigua 2009
MOANING ABOUT EDUCATION REFORM – Observer Newspaper, Sept
2009
CULTURAL POLICY FOR THE PROMOTION OF CULTURAL INDUSTRIES
FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. - Tim Hector Memorial Lecture Series,
St. John’s, Antigua November 2010
Awards
2010 Sunshine Award – ‘Friends of the Arts’
Personal
Born: Antigua and Barbuda – March 24, 1950
Education: Antigua Grammar School, University of the West Indies – Cave Hill
(BSc. Physics and Chemistry); University of Toronto (Graduate diploma
Hospital Administration); Tulane University (Masters of Public Health –
Health Planning and Evaluation)
Family: Married – P. Ingrid Williams / three children – Kaloma, Kayode, Khari
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December 2010