The upcoming US premiere performances of Di Prodigal Pickney, the new stage comedy written, directed by, and starring Jamaican theatre legend Oliver Samuels, will serve as fund-raisers for hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica.

The production will play in the New York Tri State Area over two weekends, with performances in Bridgeport, Connecticut, (Central High School) on Friday, November 14; Brooklyn, New York, (Wingate High School) on Saturday, November 15; and East Orange, New Jersey (Cicely Tyson School for The Performing Arts) on Sunday November 16.

It will continue on the following weekend in Jamaica, Queens, (Springfield Gardens High School) on Friday November 21; Hartford, Connecticut, (Thomas Weaver High School) on Saturday November 22; and the Bronx (Harry S Truman High School), on Sunday November 23.

The tour will conclude with the final performance on Sunday, December 7, in Beltsville Maryland at High Point High School.

New Jersey-based producer of the show’s American tour Patrick M Reid made the decision in the aftermath of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa sweeping across western Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28. The storm resulted in significant damage to infrastructure and the displacement and loss of housing for thousands of Jamaicans.

“We had been eagerly anticipating the exciting return of Jamaica’s King of Comedy Oliver Samuels to the New York Tri State area for months,” Reid said. “But once we saw the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Melissa we sprung into action immediately and decided that we had to do everything in our power to assist in the urgent recovery effort. Therefore, I’m pleased to share that we will now be donating part proceeds from the production’s American premiere run to the Jamaica Organisation of New Jersey, one of several active US-based organisations deeply involved in fund-raising for Jamaican hurricane relief at this important juncture.”

He went on to assert that Samuels, himself, is highly committed and passionate about the cause, and will be promoting the production extensively across many media platforms in the coming weeks.

Westwood High School for Girls Alumnae Chapter in New York will also be a recipient of proceeds from the production.

“They were in the midst of reconstructing a much needed medical clinic on campus for their students and those funds would have assisted greatly with that effort. However, when Melissa hit the school it did significant damage to the almost completed clinic and ravaged the rest of the compound as well, demolishing the auditorium, many classrooms, and some of the school’s boarding facilities. So this has been a real and literal setback for Westwood, and so we are hoping that audiences will turn out in large numbers to support both these worthy causes, while enjoying a very funny and highly entertaining production perfect for the entire family.”

Di Prodigal Pickney is set in Jamaica and based on the renowned biblical parable of the Prodigal Son.

In addition to Samuels, the cast features acclaimed actress Karen Harriott and rising theatre star Tesfa Edwards.

Samuels and Harriott portray married Jamaican couple Jonas and Miriam, parents to son Ephraim, played by Edwards. Their world is turned hilariously upside down when the spoiled Ephraim, the apple of his father’s eye, dramatically and unexpectedly demands his inheritance in advance from his dad. The laughs come fast and furious as cantankerous father, beleaguered mother, and “prodigal pickney son” try to navigate the ever evolving family dynamics while looking ahead to their uncertain future.

The production comes to the USA for the very first time following its world premiere run in Canada and tours to St Kitts, St Maarten, and the United Kingdom, where it has played to packed houses and enthusiastic reviews.

According to Samuels, it is the play’s mixture of high comedy alongside its messages about forgiveness and redemption.

In a career spanning over a half-century, Samuels has appeared in some 60 theatrical productions, making his stage début in Jamaica’s national pantomime Music Boy. His resume also includes several major film and television projects, including The Mighty Quinn, featuring two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington and Great Moments in Aviation with Academy Award winner Vanessa Redgrave.

Oliver Samuels and Karen Harriott in a scene from Di Prodigal Pickney..