It Runs In The Family

The 2023 BTWW return to the stage has been a triumphant one! On this, the eve of our final performances for the run of the new comedy “It Runs In The Family” at the Central Bank Auditorium (CRTT), Better Than We? Wey! Productions has reiterated that it is THE new indomitable force in theatre in Trinidad and Tobago, and the region. Now, this is only the second play that the group has done after debuting with Tom, Dick and Harry during the pandemic and then cementing our presence with performances of it last year at CBTT – the ultimate grown and sexy theatre venue. Even back in 2021 at our inception, in my mind’s eye, the second play that we would tackle would be “It Runs In The Family” after being part of the 2nd staging of it in T&T in 2014 by Raymond Choo Kong Productions. It was up to the time I read Tom, Dick and Harry, the funniest farce I’d ever read! Now, almost a decade later and with Raymond gone, my close friend and occasional theatre husband Kearn Samuel as the BTWW Artistic Director trusted my suggestion to do this play, of which we were both a part back then. The group got behind the idea and we got to work.

The first step was finding the Director and Debra Boucaud-Mason was unanimously our first choice. Coincidentally, she had been in Raymond’s first ever staging of the play many years ago and this represented a full circle moment for her. I was intimidated about approaching her because even though we had worked together once before, she’s a legend, she’s an icon, she’s super busy and we are the new kids on the block. To my absolute pleasure, she wasn’t just interested, she was enthusiastic about the idea. The rest, as they say, is history. I was in LA during the weeks that preceded the debut performance so we opted to create a Producer Team which I chaired. The duties were shared, and the BTWW members each took up responsibilities to ensure that everything went seamlessly. We also switched up the paradigm by opening the play in south Trinidad, which is typically the last venue in a commercial theatrical run. I went home the week before opening night and added an extra pair of hands to the group as the only one who wouldn’t be on stage in this all star mega cast of 13 people. It was an ULTRA hectic week and I was incredibly anxious about the box office (as I always am before we open). The weather had also been very rainy in the days leading up to the show and we know how rain can ruin entertainment plans in TT. However, the universe rewarded our hard work and the gamble paid off by opening in south as word got out that the play is absolutely hilarious. Performing as a group at Naparima Bowl was magical. I reflected in how I’d done this same play almost a decade ago in the exact same venue as an ASM/Actor hungry for any scrap that I could get, and now here I was trusted enough to be Chair of a group Raymond’s alumni doing the work again to carry on the legacy. My heart was full.

After our thrilling opening, I returned to LA and the group has since run the play at Cipriani College in the east before now getting ready to close the circuit in Port of Spain at Central Bank. We almost didn’t get to do this show but again, we are blessed and always rewarded for our diligence. After all, we have a HOST of theatre angels conspiring to ensure that we get everything that we need 🙂