News Americas, New York, NY, June 26, 2024: Broadway World Award winner David Heron and the cast of Alwin Bully’s “McBee” are celebrating the success of the play’s American premiere, which took place on Sunday, June 23rd, at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center, (JPAC), in Jamaica, Queens, New York.
From left- David Heron, Gerard Joseph and Dianne Dixon in McBee on June 23, 2024 in Jamaica, NYC. (IAN BUDDINGTON image)
Cast Of McBee on June 23, 2024 in Jamaica, Queens, NY. (Ian Buddington image)
The play, produced and directed by Heron, was presented as a one-night-only staged reading in tribute to its playwright, the late Alwin Bully, and as a special cultural event celebrating New York City’s annual Caribbean American Heritage Month festivities.
Luke Forbes, Denise Hunt and Gerard Joseph in McBee. (Ian Buddington image)
A large and enthusiastic audience filled JPAC for the first-ever performance of Bully’s play on American soil, culminating in a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. The star-studded cast was led by Amazon Prime “Harlem” star Luke Forbes and “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” actress Denise Hunt. They were joined by Jerry Benzwick, Lincoln Brown, Dianne Dixon, Emilio Evans, Gerard Joseph, Miranda Melhado, Mitzie Pratt, and James Duke Walker.
Producer-director Heron, who won the 2023 Broadway World Award for Best Supporting Performer for his role as Caliban in The Colonial Theatre of Rhode Island’s “The Tempest,” joined the cast as a last-minute replacement for an actor who withdrew days before the production.
Mitzie Pratt and James Duke Walker in McBee. (Ian Buddington image)
The performance was preceded by a Caribbean Cuisine Reception in collaboration with Golden Krust Restaurant, and free tea sampling by sponsors Kendel Instant Ginger Teas.
Dianne Dixon and Jerry Benzwick in McBee. (Ian Buddington image)
Anita Bully, the widow of the late Dominica-born playwright Alwin Bully, welcomed the audience with a brief onstage address, accompanied by their son Brent. She explained that for her late husband’s, “McBee” was not just an adaptation, but an extension of Shakespeare’s original “Macbeth.”
The play follows the story of Caribbean political power couple Allan and Alice McBee (played by Luke Forbes and Denise Hunt). After Allan receives a prophecy from three Rastafarians that he is destined to become the nation’s Prime Minister, he and his wife devise a bloody plan to make it a reality, with explosive consequences for themselves and their country.
Heron described Sunday night’s performance as “The second coming of McBee,” expressing hope that the play will find its way into the right hands for a fully mounted production. “There is simply nothing else out there quite like it, and it deserves to be seen as far and wide as possible,” he stated.
Other sponsors of Sunday night’s premiere event included The True Tribute Organization, IMC Media, and Results Promo and Marketing.
FAQs
Q: When did the play "McBee" premier in the United States?
A: The play "McBee" premiered in the United States on June 23rd, 2024, at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center in Jamaica, Queens, NY.
Q: Who produced and directed the play?
A: The play was produced and directed by Broadway World Award winner David Heron.
Q: What was the cast of the play like?
A: The star-studded cast was led by Amazon Prime "Harlem" star Luke Forbes and "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" actress Denise Hunt, along with Jerry Benzwick, Lincoln Brown, Dianne Dixon, Emilio Evans, Gerard Joseph, Miranda Melhado, Mitzie Pratt, and James Duke Walker.
Q: What was the overall reception of the play?
A: The performance was met with a large and enthusiastic audience, culminating in a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.
Q: What other events took place during the premiere celebration?
A: The performance was preceded by a Caribbean Cuisine Reception in collaboration with Golden Krust Restaurant, and free tea sampling by sponsors Kendel Instant Ginger Teas.