First and foremost, I would like to thank God for providing me with the physical strength to
complete this project. Secondly, I thank the examiners from the Caribbean Examination Council
to have given me the research to complete. Also, the researcher would like to that Dr. Nolma
Coley Agard for allowing me to interview her for the purpose of this SBA. Finally, I would like
to thank my teacher for the supervision and guidance I needed to accomplish this task.
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RATIONALE
I was filled with excitement to interview such an inspiration to Theatre Arts. I chose Mrs. Agard
as I am intrigued about her contribution to Theatre Arts in Jamaica, her works and achievements.
Mrs. Agard uses Theatre Arts as a teaching tool for students who may not learn well through the
orthodox method. Also she contributed to the establishment of Theatre Arts as a CSEC subject
while working with the Ministry of Education, Jamaica. I chose her to uncover how she came up
with these great ideas and how she accomplished such tasks.
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DR. NOLMA COLEY-AGARD
On the 16th of January, 2013, a group of students students from the DeCarteret College fifth form
Theatre Arts group journeyed to the Institute of Arts and Culture (I.A.C) on 31 Grove Road in
Mandeville, Manchester, to meet with and interview Theatre practitioner, Dr. Nolma ColeyAgard for the purpose of this SBA.
Teacher, Playwright, Actress, Psychologist, Lecturer, Drama Therapist, Educational Director and
co-founder of the Institute of Arts and Culture (I.A.C) are the various professions in which the
noble Dr. Nolma Coley-Agard has done throughout her life.
Born and raised in Brampton, St. Elizabeth, Dr. Nolma Coley-Agard attended Brampton All-age
school. She was introduced to drama through her church (All Souls Anglican Church) and her
school. From an early age, Dr. Agard became interested in Theatre Arts. She participated in her
local church plays and thus developed a strong liking for acting. Dr. Agard attained her talent
and interest in drama from her father: a local playwright and actor. Dr. Agard’s love for the
theatre never stopped there, as she wanted to pursue a career in Theatre Arts. After becoming a
teacher of English and English Literature, Dr. Agard went to further her education at Edna
Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. Later, she received a scholarship to England
to further her studies in Drama. Additionally, she studied psychology and drama therapy.
Throughout the years of teaching English Literature, Dr. Agard didn’t do much acting; instead
she started writing poems and plays. Teaching at St. Hugh’s High School, she developed a
genius method of incorporating drama to fully bring out the concept of Literature as she believes
that “drama and Literature are linked”.
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Her life in education never stopped there, she later became an education officer at the Ministry of
Education, Jamaica. At this point she began advocating for drama to become an official subject.
In 1983, she commented on “The Teaching of Theatre Arts in Jamaican / Caribbean Schools”
issue by preparing a document to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), where she evaluated the benefits of Theatre Arts in education and in
1999, the Director General of UNESCO launched an International Appeal for the promotion of
Arts Education and creativity in Schools. After this appeal, Caribbean arts educators swiftly
assembled to fabricate the first CSEC Theatre Arts syllabus. According to the Gleaner newspaper
article, “Participants praise drama workshop”, dated November 17, 2000 Dr. Agard carried out a
drama workshop where members from all around the Caribbean participated. This workshop was
to promote drama and compile the curriculum for drama as a CSEC subject. Thus, Theatre Arts
became an official CSEC subject.
“I was indeed honoured to be asked by the Ministry of Education in Barbados to sit on that panel
which was chaired as well as propelled by Dr Nolma Coley-Agard, former curriculum officer
with responsibility for drama in the Ministry of Education in Jamaica.” Yvette Meekes,
representative from the Ministry of Education, Barbados, said. I am happy she lobbied for the
implementation of Theatre Arts in schools because I can attest to its benefits; since doing Theatre
Arts I am more rounded, outspoken and disciplined.
From the interview, Dr. Agard informed us on her achievements even after leaving the Ministry
of Education. Using drama as a means of teaching students started a long time ago as Dr. Agard
got the idea from her mentor Dennis Scott. She took the initiative to create the first school in
Jamaica to ever use the arts as a teaching tool for children who don’t cope well with the
traditional method of teaching. She founded The Institute of Arts and Culture (I.A.C) in 2007
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where she integrated the arts in subject areas to make them more understandable. She has also
used drama to teach students who have special disabilities.
Dr Agard has informed us that her goals are not completed. She hopes to build the first Theatre
in Mandeville and to expand her institution, making it even more comfortable and more
productive for its forthcoming students. She also wishes to remove the orthodox subjects from
her Institution and transform it to a performing and visual arts school. Indeed she has
accomplished much, however, Dr. Agard admits that she would have never been so
accomplished if she didn’t have Dennis Scott and Lloyd Record as her role models.
Throughout her life, Dr. Agard has written and produced many plays and books. She has written
over twenty-five plays. Some of her works include:

The Web

Caged

Women’s Story

Robed in Black

Weeping for Judas

Call him Jesus
Dr. Agard mostly writes biblical plays and plays surrounding issues affecting the middle and
upper class women; she writes mainly serious drama. She establishes that writing a play isn’t
very difficult as long as one has the idea; it usually takes her about between 4-8 weeks to
complete a play.
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“As a subject, Theatre Arts help you to develop confidence, discipline and aids you to excel in
English and Literature”. Drama is vitally important to everyone. Dr. Agard however is concerned
about the upcoming generation abandoning Theatre Arts. She believes that teaching drama in
schools will help to keep Jamaica’s tradition intact. She also believes that we can use technology
to further promote drama through advertising.
Dr Agard is an intelligent, sophisticated individual who has inspired me to pursue a career in
drama. Her fierce determination only motivates me to work harder to accomplish my goals as she
did. She has proven to me that a career in drama can be a very rewarding one. Dr. Agard must be
commended for her continuous work in the development of Theatre Arts throughout the
Caribbean. Her commitment to preserving and promoting drama is extraordinary. It was a
pleasure interviewing and doing this research paper on such a phenomenal individual.
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Institute of Arts and Culture (I.A.C). 30 Grove Road. Mandeville, Manchester. Jamaica
Drama and Me by Dr. Nolma Coley- Agard
http://portal.unesco.org/pv_obj_cache/pv_obj_id_AB34075F8F20B3E96D202AC7BB957CE021
450100/filename/agard.pdf
http://artscultureja.com/pdfs/schoolbio.pdf
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20001117/ent/ent1.html
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20001117/ent/ent1.html
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:P7lTCCZpfIJ:www.cxc.org/SiteAssets/Examiners/CXCexaminerFinalonlineOct2012.pdf+hist+ory+of+c
sec+theatre+arts&hl=en&gl=jm&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjzxeqEOeC_oLLgZ0vej4v3SnA08ueZ
BuC49B55t5YZ2qMu3bnRe8j42uvdLsKP3tloqA0fmPe3rGI11N9CJ2Dzgi0JRbipOWIcDDAie3
-uoCuWp4RHRWtWHxeSIkywF7huPHvp&sig=AHIEtbSweHO3u0l_PNMUQkvRsVePpcjtSQ
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SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. How were you introduced to Theatre Arts?
Through church and through school.
2. At what age did you gain an interest in Theatre Arts?
From as early as I can remember.
3. How do you use the arts as a teaching tool and how did you come up with the idea?
It was my idea to use the arts as a teaching tool, I was inspired by Dennis Scott.
4. How important is Theatre Arts to you as a subject?
As a subject, Theatre Arts help you to develop confidence, discipline and aids you to
excel in English and Literature
5. Are you concerned about the next generation abandoning aspects of our Jamaican
culture?
Yes I am
6. American culture seems to be threatening Jamaica’s identity, how do you ensure that the
country’s tradition is kept intact?
We ensure that our students learn the different cultural forms here. Teaching it in schools
is one way we can preserve our culture
7. How can we use technology to our advantage of promoting Theatre?
We can use technology for advertising.
8. How difficult is it to write a play and how long does it take?
It depends on the play. It’s not really hard once I have the ideas in my head. It takes about
4-8 weeks.
9. Do you have any other career other from drama?
I am also a psychologist
10. Who is your role model?
As a playwright my role model is Dennis Scott and as a director and an actor, my role
model is Lloyd Record.
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Mrs. Agard and I
A book written by Mrs. Agard
Picture of a programme for one of Mrs. Agard’s play.
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