by Evan X Hyde

This is Wednesday morning, and I have just finished watching “John John’s Blue,” on YouTube. Personally, I hate technology, but in this case technology made a beautiful thing happen for me. (I don’t go out at night.)

First of all, the initiative by the priests at the Roman Catholic St. Martin de Porres Parish was an incredibly daring one, and the work by Melissa Castellanos Espat was sensational.

FEELINGS, the anthology, came out in 1975, but this play, titled “Weh Jon Jon Deh”, was written in 1972. After I quickly realized it would never be produced as was, I re-wrote it as a short story. 

I know very few of the players, except Indira, Audrey, Karen, and Groove. There is no way I can explain to them how much they have all honored me with their work in the production. 

Before the play, I told Melissa that having Carlos Parrote guaranteed her a success, but maximum respect also to Ellsworth Castillo and Hershel Armstrong. (There is another musician whom I don’t know.)

I thank Glenn Tillett for his kind review.

There is a lot more to say, and many people whom I have not given their due respect.

I will end by saying that my dad, a very strong Roman Catholic, is so happy that the St. Martin’s Parish and I have collaborated, so to speak. It was the Catholics who educated me many years ago, and I must always be grateful for that. Yes, there was serious conflict between us, but remember this: it is only the Catholic SJC which is teaching African and Mayan history, since 2013. My respect is maximum.  

One more thing. I always believed, whether rightly or wrongly, that had the original play been produced in 1972, Hani Robinson would have never stabbed that rookie policeman to death on his first beat on Swing Bridge in 1974. Hani went to the gallows for that.

(AMANDALA Ed. Note: We had remarked to Glenn Tillett, who did a review of “John John’s Blue” in yesterday’s Tuesday edition of Amandala, that from our recollection, the name of the original play written in the 1970s was “Weh Jon Jon Deh”; but he insisted that in his copy of the 1975 anthology, “Feelings”, the name was “June and John John,” as he mentioned in his review. Late night press deadline did not allow us to consult further, so thanks to Evan X Hyde for explaining above how his 1972 original play “Weh Jon Jon Deh” became a 1975 short story by a different name.)