You will Laugh T’ill Yuh Drop watching Snowball from Hell

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

If ever there was such a thing as serious humor, if you ever wanted to laugh until you were on the brink of tears, if you can imagine being in a scene as it was played out right before your very eyes, then Snowball From Hell is a play that you should not miss, These were the words of the majority of the audience that packed the Jamaican Canadian Center on Sunday, July 7^th to witness the Toronto premiere of this action-packed Caribbean stage show.

This play has something for everyone; from the teenager named Evadney played by the versatile Theresa Baker who came home with an unwanted pregnancy instead of a diploma; a criminal hitman named Rupert who poses as a fine gentleman played by Chris Hutchinson; an attorney who hires criminals to do his dirty work played by John L. Phillips; his secretary accomplice/victim/ played by Alma James, and finally Evadney’s mom aka Mama played by Judy ‘Pye’ Cox, a no holes barred ghetto champion, with common sense to burn. One will agree, there is no shortage of everyday ghetto life going on in Snowball From Hell.

Toronto Caribbean Newspaper spoke with one of the two people behind the Toronto production of Snowball From Hell, Kameka Morrison, who told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper how it all started. “We went to see this production in Jamaica and fell in love with it so much, that we purchased the rights from the writer to showcase it here in Canada, and this is the first time it has been shown here in Canada.”

Morrison said the play impacted her and her partner Robert Gordon so much with its story of resilience, hope, and courage that they had to have it. “It spoke to the black community so deeply in terms of the struggles that we as a people face daily and that’s when we decided to establish a company and launch this play as our first event here in Toronto.”

As first -time producers, they have acknowledged that it is a lot of work. “We had to source a director to lift this thing from paper to stage,” she said, “And we were lucky to get Mr. Douglas Prout who had directed this play in Jamaica before to be our director here.”

“As for the performers, we wanted the best of the best and it took a lot of networking within the community to get this ensemble cast on board; that said, the only person that is new to us, but not new to the business is John Phillips. He is a film and stage actor and he really brings a high quality of condition and passion to the role.”

Morrison told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper that Snowball From Hell is an ambitious project that has come together by pure faith and having a crew that believes and supports a dream. “We want the public to know that Snowball From Hell is a different play with a different outcome. This play deals with real issues like victimization, child alienation, and poverty to name a few.” The message of this play Morrison said is “Do not just live for yourself but help to uplift your community as well”

This ‘laugh till yuh drop’ performance of “SNOWBALL FROM HELL” will continue, on Friday, July 12^th.  The show will play at the Speranza Banquet Hall in Brampton, 510 Deerhurst Drive at 8 pm, and then in Scarborough at the St. Clement of Ohrid Banquet Hall, 76 Overlea Blvd, on Saturday, July 13^that 8 pm.

Part of the proceeds from these shows will be donated to Na’Shantea’ Miller to assist her to pursue her goal of a Harvard education. More information on “SNOWBALL FROM HELL” and Na’Shantea’ Miller can be found on Facebook @ 365 Productions or call 437-771 9249 / 647-866 9687.