Discovering New Voices: Caribbean Heritage Writers Transforming American Theatre
Experience plays that will make you feel transported, moved, and filled with love.
If you’re passionate about theatre that makes you feel, think, and question, then the CSP New Works Fest 2025 is where you want to be. This year’s lineup from Conch Shell Productions (CSP) is a celebration of bold, authentic storytelling — spotlighting Caribbean-heritage playwrights whose work explores identity, resilience, and the shared human experience.
On November 10th, CSP’s Founding Artistic Director Magaly Colimon-Christopher hosted a live conversation with three of the featured playwrights: Jessica Betty, Tyla Harris, and Arthur W. French III. The discussion centered on Art for Social Change — and what that means through a Caribbean lens.
💬 What Does “Art for Social Change” Mean to a Caribbean-Heritage Artist?
For these artists, art is not just performance — it’s activism, healing, and community in motion.
Jessica Betty (Jamaican heritage), writer of The Game, shared:
“For me, art for social change means redefining language — breaking old systems and creating new meanings that make room for all of us.”
Betty identifies herself as a language redefiner, using rhythm and wordplay to claim space for Caribbean voices in contemporary theatre. “Caribbean people speak in metaphor — we live in poetry,” she explained. “That’s why my characters speak truth through humor and rhythm.”
Tyla Harris (Jamaican and Panamanian heritage), writer of Bammy an’ Buxom, reflected:
“It’s about healing through love. I use my work to spark conversations about things we often avoid — like aging, grief, and the ways we care for one another.”
Harris credits her grandmother’s wisdom — “Love is the only thing you take with you” — as the heartbeat of her art. She sees herself as a healer through love, creating work that reminds audiences that empathy itself is a radical act.
Arthur W. French III (Vincentian and Barbadian heritage), writer of Dinner With Roxie, added:
“If I can move an audience — make them laugh, cry, or reflect — that’s when change begins. Feeling leads to understanding.”
French considers himself a truth-teller, shaped by the honesty and resilience of Caribbean storytelling. “Caribbean stories don’t shy away from pain,” he said. “But they also know joy lives right next to it.”
🌴 Caribbean Roots, Global Stories
Though rooted in the Caribbean, each playwright’s work resonates universally.
“These aren’t just Jamaican stories — they’re human stories,” said Betty. “They’re about survival, identity, and joy in the face of struggle.”
Tyla added, “Caribbean people know how to celebrate life even when it’s hard. That joy and resilience live in our art.”
Arthur noted, “I write about people who face impossible choices — but they never lose their humanity. That’s the Caribbean spirit.”
Their shared heritage is both anchor and bridge — grounding their voices in cultural memory while opening space for global conversation.
✨ Why These Plays Matter
These writers’ plays bring something distinct to the stage:
🎭 The Game by Jessica Betty (Jamaica) — A witty sci-fi drama exploring ambition, AI, and what it means to move forward when systems push back. Betty fuses futuristic ideas with Caribbean rhythm, proving that technology and identity are deeply intertwined.
🎭 Bammy an’ Buxom by Tyla Harris (Jamaica / Panama) — A supernatural family drama blending humor and spirituality as generations confront love, death, and legacy. A celebration of intergenerational strength and ancestral presence.
🎭 Dinner With Roxie by Arthur W. French III (St. Vincent & Barbados) — A moving portrait of conviction and faith as a prisoner and her guard share their final ten minutes together — a story of forgiveness at the edge of mortality.
🎭 Stand Right There and Perish, or (May I Never Lose You) by Petron Dee Brown (Bahamas) — A father and son face the ghosts of loss, forgiveness, and the home they can’t rebuild. Brown says he writes “to help audiences confront the emotional and spiritual aftermath of loss — the things we don’t talk about but need to heal from.”
🎭 Left Unsaid by Joshua W. Josey (Bahamas / Dominican Republic) — A tender, funny-at-first story that asks how faith can both save and imprison the soul. Josey calls his work “an exploration of laughter and liberation — because humor is how Caribbean people survive truth.”
🗣️ When the Curtain Falls
At the end of the conversation, Magaly asked:
Betty smiled. “Language redefiner. Words shape worlds, and I’m here to give ours a new rhythm.”
Harris paused, her tone soft but firm. “Healer. I want people to walk away feeling seen and loved — even if the story broke their hearts first.”
French nodded. “Change maker. If my work helps someone see another person differently — even for a moment — then I’ve done my job.”
Their answers reflected the festival’s soul: theatre not as escape, but as encounter — a mirror that invites reflection, laughter, and hope.
If you missed this live chat, be sure to join us for our upcoming live chat with CSP New Works Fest featured playwrights Petron Dee Brown, and Joshua W. Josey. These chats will be streamed live on our Youtube & Facebook pages @conchshellproductions at 12noon on Friday November 14th, 2025 at 12pm.
🎟️ Join the Movement
If you love discovering new voices and meaningful theatre, the CSP New Works Fest 2025 is your invitation to connect. Experience stories that cross borders, challenge assumptions, and celebrate the vibrant cultural mosaic of the Caribbean diaspora.
📅 December 4–6, 2025
📍 HB Studio Theatre, 124 Bank Street, NYC
🎟️ Reserve Your Tickets Now
Program A: Thursday, December 4 at 7pm; Saturday, December 6 at 1pm
Stand Right There and Perish, or (May I Never Lose You) by Petron Dee Brown (Bahamas)
Program B: Friday, December 5th at 7pm; Saturday December 6 at 5pm
The Game by Jessica Betty (Jamaica)
🎭 Bammy an’ Buxom by Tyla Harris (Jamaica / Panama)
🎭 Dinner With Roxie by Arthur W. French III (St. Vincent & Barbados)
🎭 Left Unsaid by Joshua W. Josey (Bahamas / Dominican Republic)
Now that you know these artists, you owe it to yourself to experience their work live.
Let their stories move you. Be inspired. Be part of the change.
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