A group of fifth-form students of Cedric Titus High School have decided to steer clear of scamming and violence.

They were influenced by the message in the play Choices, which they journeyed to Green Gables Theatre in Kingston to see last Saturday afternoon as part of their theatre arts school-based assessment (SBA).

For 16-year-old Shaquille Clarke, who spoke with the Jamaica Observer during the first intermission, Choices held valuable life lessons.

“In our nation you can see people doing illegal stuff. In the introduction we saw where the mother left the two brothers. It left me thinking: ‘What was the reason for this?’ My feedback is that it is a good story; maybe it will change some of us mindset to help us think better,” reasoned Clarke.

His classmate Kia Brown said the play was a reflection of events happening now: the prevalence of scamming among young men, and the infighting it breeds which often culminates in violence.

“It’s all about reality. It will open young minds that are there to watch the show,” he said.

For Jaeden Edwards, he hopes the play will encourage students to take their education seriously.

Adults in attendance also praised the quality of the show and the message that is crucial for today’s young people.

“I realise that students are gravitating toward it — maybe because the storyline is something they can relate to. I am hoping that the storyline will have an impact on them,” said Raheim Fender, theatre arts teacher at Cedric Titus High School.

“The story is very captivating. [I’m] loving the way the plot is developing; I think it is very, very applicable because the issue of scamming is a major issue for society. I’m so glad that so many young people are here because it’s an issue affecting them greatly, and we are seeing the choices made [laid] before the lead character [and] which way he chose,” said Omaall Wright, who is a dramatist and writer.

Michelle Simpson, a teacher at Marlie Mount Primary and Infant School in Old Harbour, St Catherine, noted that some students are more affected than others, depending on where they are raised.

“I was happy to see so many youth around because this message is definitely for them. Because you know, at some point in time — especially if you are from a particular area — you are given two choices… which way will you choose? I like how the persons who are acting, they sit in the character. It looks like that’s them,” she said.

Founder and director of Remarkable Arts Company Sajay Deacon, who co-directed the play, said he is elated about the turnout at the four shows.

“I just wanted to create something that young people could relate to — something that could guide them, something encouraging. We see too many stories on TV, in the media, where young people make some dangerous choices that may affect their entire lives in the long run,” he told the Observer.

Marlon Simms, dean of the School of Dance at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, of which Deacon is a 2023 graduate, saluted the efforts of the young cast in a letter.

“The main membership of your organisation, comprised predominantly of young people, reflects a powerful statement — when the young create for their peers, they pass on values and attitudes that resonate authentically. It was encouraging to witness the vibrant cast of young, talented actors mobilised to use theatre as a means of inspiring change and offering hope,” said Simms.

“Beyond the engaging comedic and entertaining moments, the story’s core message — encouraging mindfulness in the choices one makes — is important. The relatability of the characters, the modern music, and the depiction of familiar community challenges made the production particularly impactful. The themes of dysfunctional family dynamics, the tension between law and disorder, and ultimately the resolution, offered invaluable lessons,” he added.