Musical being staged at Rose Hall Great House

THE legendary White Witch of Rose Hall has come home.

Rose Hall Great House, the 18th century mansion and popular tourist destination in Montego Bay, is now home to White Witch — the award-winning musical by Jane Crichton.

The production, which was first mounted in 2010, now has a weekly showing on Fridays using the grounds of the famous landmark as its backdrop.

Director Douglas Prout tells the Jamaica Observer that when the production was first mounted Michelle Rollins, owner of the property, was first approached for there to be an association between the Great House and the production.

"We saw it as a natural synergy, a marriage and although it did not materialise during the original run, Michelle Rollins was always interested," Prout said.

The task was then to create a production that would suit both tourist and local markets alike. Prout and his team set about tailoring and tweaking White Witch to fit into the new format and physical space.

"What we have here is a long-term investment," says Prout. "We want this to become one of the great productions in Jamaica's theatre history. Already, millions of dollars have been invested in new lighting and sound equipment, as well as a tent that seats 300 persons," he continues.

The time of the musical has also been reduced to one-and-a-half hours, the music adjusted and lighting and special effects enhanced.

White Witch has already garnered a number of accolades. Following its original run, the musical swept the 2011 Actor Boy Awards, winning a total of 13 statuettes including Best Production -- the biggest win by any single production in the history of the awards.

After four showings, Prout says the reception from audiences to the 'new' production has been great. He believes the complex, yet universal nature of the story is the reason behind its appeal.

"What you have is a historical and cultural tour de force. The timelessness of the story which combines a love triangle, a voodoo priestess and the horrors of slavery all combine to make White Witch a unique story."

Prout is also pleased with the cast and crew which he has assembled to mount White Witch at the Rose Hall Great House. The cast is headed by two-time Actor Boy Award winner Nadia Cast who plays Annie Palmer. She is supported by Michael Rollins (son of Michelle), Alan Milbourne, Ras Rod, Angelita McDonald and Jessica Cole.

The chorus of slaves is drawn from students at various schools in and around Montego Bay. Actor Boy Award winner Robin Baston is the technical director while Marline Pitter-Sloley is responsible for choreography.