David Heron Announces Free Student Tickets For American Premiere Presentation Of Alwin Bully's MCBEE

Broadway World Award winner David Heron, producer and director of the upcoming American Premiere presentation of Alwin Bully's Caribbean drama McBee, has announced a Free Student Ticket Initiative that will enable high school and college students from across New York City to attend the event at no cost to them.

McBee will be presented as a one night only staged reading production at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC) on Sunday June 23 at 7pm, with a complimentary Caribbean Cuisine Reception in collaboration with Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurant from 5:30pm. The event is a tribute to the play's Dominican born writer, the late Alwin Bully, and is part of this year's Caribbean American Heritage Month festivities being held throughout New York City in June.

VIP tickets to the highly anticipated event were completely sold out as of late last week.

In a statement from his company Sure Thing Productions, the Jamaican born Heron revealed that students of film, television, theatre and the performing arts from New York City will be able to attend the event for free by accessing a pool of tickets bought and donated by supporters of the production, mostly from outside of New York and the USA.

According to Heron, "Ever since we announced this production at the end of April, we have been getting inquiries from family, friends and interested parties located across the country and overseas who wanted to contribute to our show in some way, since they couldn't attend in person. At the suggestion of a relative of mine -who offered to purchase a ticket and have me donate it to someone who could attend in their stead- the idea was formed for us to reach out to colleges and schools in New York who might have students interested in experiencing the production for free. We then put the word out that we were asking individuals to purchase and donate tickets for this purpose and the result has been overwhelming. We now have a growing pool of free tickets we can offer to students to come and be part of this special event on Sunday."

In order to access the tickets, students or their teachers and/or principals must contact Sure Thing Productions with their ticket request. Special consideration will be given to students already pursuing or planning to pursue careers in theatre, film, television or the performing arts. Tickets will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and student ID may be required as proof of current college or high school enrollment.

Author and legendary VP Records co founder Patricia 'Miss Pat' Chin and Anita Bully, widow of playwright Alwin Bully, will be guests of honor at the event. Miss Pat will be selling and signing copies of her popular book Miss Pat- My Reggae Music Journey, and doing free memorabilia giveaways courtesy of her V and P Foundation.

Meanwhile Kendel Instant Ginger Teas, a main sponsor of the event, will be providing free tea sampling during the pre show Caribbean Cuisine reception.

Set on an unnamed Caribbean island in the recent past, McBee follows the story of married political power couple Allan and Alice McBee. When he shares with her an intriguing prophecy he receives from three mysterious Rastafarians one night - that he is destined to become Prime Minister of the nation- they begin to forge a bloody plan to make the prophecy come true, resulting in explosive consequences for themselves and the country.

A star studded cast of actors from the worlds of Broadway, stage, film and television will bring Bully's play to life, headed by Luke Forbes (Amazon Prime's Harlem) as McBee and Denise Hunt (How Stella Got Her Groove Back) as Alice. They are joined by Yinka Adey, Jerry Benzwick, Lincoln Brown, Dianne Dixon, Emilio Evans, Gerard Joseph, Miranda Melhado, Mitzie Pratt and James Duke Walker.

Consulting Producer is Janel C Scarborough.

Producer-director Heron is anticipating "An evening to remember- a fitting and appropriate tribute to the Caribbean icon and giant that was Alwin Bully. Our VIP balcony tickets sold out several days ago, so we are looking forward to hosting a large and enthusiastic audience- including some of New York's best and brightest future entertainment professionals- on what is sure to be a very special occasion."

Additional sponsors of the event are The True Tribute Organization, IMC Media and Results Promo and Marketing.

For further information about the production and the Free Student Ticket Initiative go to mcbeetheplay.eventbrite.com or call 646-533-7021. The Jamaica Performing Arts Center is located at 153-10 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, New York, 11432.

Photo Credit: David Heron