Marionettes production of Bizet's CARMEN opens next week in Trinidad!

The Carmen love quadrangle, opening weekend.
Photo: Mark Lyndersay

Set for a July 9th premiere at Queen’s Hall (and featuring three members of MEP's staff), the Marionettes’ production of Bizet’s CARMEN is easily one of the most anticipated shows of the year – in a year that has seen more full-length plays and musicals in the first six months than I can remember in Trinidad ever!

With just over a week to go to showtime, some performances of the bpTT-sponsored production are already half sold. Those who have been holding back, waiting for the announcement of which cast will perform when, need wait no longer!

CARMEN opens on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th with Candice Alcantara as Carmen; Marlon De Bique as Don José; Marvin Smith as Escamillo; Feryal Qudourah as Micaëla; Nigel or Richard Pierre as Zuñiga; Arnold Phillip as Moralès; Jacqueline Smith as Frasquita; Patrice Quammie as Mercédès; Kashif Dennis as Dancaïro; Raguel Gabriel as Remendado; with Caroline Taylor and Dwight Lewis in the spoken roles of Lillas Pastia and the Guide. They take the stage again on Friday 15th July.

The Carmen love quadrangle (second weekend). Photo: Mark Lyndersay

The following weekend (Thursday 14th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th July), Lesley Lewis-Alleyne takes centrestage as Carmen; Nigel Floyd is Don José; Arnold Phillip is her Escamillo; Natalia Dopwell is Micaëla; with Garfield Washington as Moralès; Richard Pierre as Zuñiga; Ayrice Wilson and Llettesha Sylvester as Frasquita and Mercédès; Stephan Hernandez and Errol James as Dancaïro and Remendado; Caroline Taylor and Dwight Lewis in the spoken roles of Lillas Pastia and the Guide.

Tickets

Bizet’s CARMEN runs over two weekends, opening Saturday 9th and closing Sunday 17th July at Queen’s Hall. Showtimes are 7:30pm, except Sundays which are 5pm. Tickets are $200 open plan and $250 reserved, and available:

• Queen's Hall Box Office, 12pm-6pm daily, tel: (868) 624-1284;
• Online (open plan only) at http://marionettes-carmen.eventbrite.com;
• Marionettes’ members and administration – email@marionetetschorale.com or (868) 790-1751.

Casts

	Thursday 14th, Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th July	Saturday 9th, Sunday 10th & Friday 15th July
Carmen	Lesley Lewis-Alleyne	Candice Alcantara
Don José	Nigel Floyd	Marlon De Bique
Escamillo	Arnold Phillip	Marvin Smith
Micaëla	Natalia Dopwell	Feryal Qudourah
Zuñiga	Richard Pierre	Nigel Pierre/Richard Pierre
Moralès	Garfield Washington	Arnold Phillip
Frasquita	Ayrice Wilson	Jacqueline Smith
Mercédès	Llettesha Sylvester	Patrice Quammie
Le Dancaïre (Dancaïro)	Stephan Hernandez	Kashif Dennis
Le Remendado	Errol James	Raguel Gabriel
Lillas Pastia	Caroline Taylor	Caroline Taylor
Guide	Dwight Lewis	Dwight Lewis

If you want more, visit:

• The Carmen Eventbrite page (open plan tickets on sale)
• The Carmen Facebook event page
• The Marionettes' Facebook page
• The Marionettes' website

The ladies of CARMEN (both casts). Photo: Mark Lyndersay

The Gypsies of CARMEN (both casts). Photo: Mark Lyndersay

Related articles

• Trinidad's Marionettes Chorale readies Bizet's CARMEN (meppublishers.blogspot.com)
• CARMEN Cast Performance Schedule Announced (marionetteschorale.com)
• Tickets now on sale for "Carmen"! (marionetteschorale.com)
• Open call for Bizet's "Carmen" (marionetteschorale.com)
• In Trinidad and Tobago, Bizet's Carmen Acquires Caribbean Flavor (repeatingislands.com)