The Performing Arts Club at Raymond Gardiner High School has 32 members led by coordinator Miss Marguerite Anderson. Since the 2013-2014 academic year, the club has worked to regain its former prestige through various performances. These include concerts, dramatic presentations at school events, and workshops taught by the Director of Culture. The club aims to continue improving and filming a comedy series to be aired on local television.

1. The Performing Arts Club with its membership of thirty
two young talents has continued to etch a distinctive mark
of excellence since the start of the academic year 2013-14.
Under the leadership of coordinator, Miss Marguerite
Anderson, the club’s goal has been to reclaim its former
status and prestige as the most sought-after club to be
affiliated with. The stability of the club waned when, in
2012, Ms. Anderson faced health issues which prevented
her from effectively executing her duties. This saw the
club facing challenges when left without its key leadership.
Indeed it is fair to say that the group is well on its way to
reclaiming its former prestige. The club’s events since the
start of this academic year have included a Lunch-Hour
Concert, a dramatic
presentation at the
school’s Annual Prize
Giving Ceremony (both in
October 2013), a concert
in collaboration with the
Etiquette Club, at the Kew
Community Center in
November 2014, perfor-
mances at a Pre-Valentine
Talent Show held at Horse
Stable Beach this month, a series of club workshops in which
Mr. David Bowen-Director of Culture–has shared and taught
certain aspects of Performing Arts. Ms. Anderson has also
recently started other workshops in which she teaches club
members specific courses in Drama. The next venture which
the club intends to embark on is the filming of a mini come-
dy series which the club aims to have aired on PTV.
Raymond Gardiner High School’s Performing Arts Club
February 2014
Message from Director of
Clubs
2
Meet the Members 2
RGHS Celebrates 40
years :“School Daze”
2
Lunch-Hour Concert 3
Principal’s Message 4
Meet Club Coordinator 4
Past Highlights 2010-
2011)
4
Inside this issue:
Club’s Executive
Body:
 President-Talestra
Dixon
 Vice President-
Shantia Harvey
 Secretary-LouAnn
Chisholm
 Treasurer-Katrina
Smith
 Public Relations
Officers– Kamia Rolle
& Evania Williams
Taking Center Stage
Mr. David Bowen
teaches folk dance
to club members.
Message from Director of
Culture, David Bowen
It is always a thrill for me to lecture and
conduct workshops with the Raymond Gardiner
High School’s Performing Arts Club in North
Caicos. Their enthusiasm is infectious and their
eagerness to learn inspiring. As Director of Culture
and a former performing arts student, I am com-
mitted to insuring that these talented students have
a chance to explore their passion and to develop
the skills necessary to propel them forward so that
one day the seeds planted by their mentor, Ms.
Marguerite Anderson, along with others teachers
and instructors, will blossom into shinning stars on
the local and international stage"
Yours in Culture,
David Bowen
Director of Culture
Department of Culture
Office of the Premier
Turks & Caicos Government
The Shai Boys
Lobresha Gardiner gives
vote of thanks to Mr.
David Bowen who
shared the story of his
journey since his days as
a boy in Grand Turk to
his adult experiences as
dancer and actor gracing
stages in various parts of
the world.
Club’s Goals and Activities
for 2013-14

2. Welcome to a new year and new opportunities to
explore a world of adventures which lie in wait!
At the Raymond Gardiner High School, we empha-
size the importance of creating an atmosphere
where students not only get solid academic training
but also exposure to the Fine Arts and social skills
acquisition through club attendance and participa-
tion.
I wish to congratulate the Performing Arts Club for
the initiative of producing this News Letter which is
a means of informing the greater society of club’s
mission and stimulating the interest of prospective
members and sponsors.
It is my dream to see the Performing Arts Club at-
tain its ultimate goal of creating real theater perfor-
mances. However, the club members must acquire
and master the skills essential to produce such
but progress is greatly hindered by the lack of
resources. Nevertheless, commendations are in
order for the club and its leadership (Ms. Mar-
guerite Anderson) as they have managed to
create close to perfect performances through
improvisation.
I embrace and support your plans for this
school term. Go ahead; take your show to the
world!
Sincerely,
E. Anderson-Oné
coming anniversary celebrations
which they had heard announced
on radio. They sit on their front
porch and share the memories
they have of specific teachers. As
they share about each teacher,
the scene freezes on them and
the audience is taken to a series
of flashbacks when the two were
students at RGHS. There, the
experiences/interactions with the
teachers, set the tone for the
The club’s activities for this aca-
demic year, included a comedic
skit-School Daze- at the Prize-
Giving Awards Ceremony held in
October 2013. To commemorate
the school’s 40th Anniversary
celebration, the Performing Arts
Club shared the story of an old
married couple who reminisces
about their days in high school,
where they met and fell in-love.
The old couple speaks of the up-
belly-full of laughter which
follows. The comedy lies in the
depiction of these teachers;
and so accurate were the per-
formances that the audience
knew instantly which teachers
were being impersonated. The
diversity of the students'
talents saw one of the boys
playing the role of a female
teacher and one of the girls
playing the role of a male
teacher. It was truly enjoyed by
all.
Message from Director of Clubs
RGHS Celebrates 40 yrs and Performing Arts Club highlights the celebration.
Meet the club members
“All the world is a
stage…We put on faces
to meet the faces that
we meet”
: William Shakespeare
Page 2 Taking Center Stage Volume 1, Issue 1
E. Anderson-Oné
Ralf St. Fleurant & Laquisha Taylor

3. Lunch-Hour Concert
InsideStoryHeadline
Club President, Talestra Dixon
doing a dramatic Poem
Among the highlights in term one (Sept-Dec-2013) was a “Lunch-Hour” Concert held on
Wednesday October 9th and which despite the threat of inclement weather, loss of electrical
power, and other glitches relating to technical issues, the Performing Arts Club succeeded in
satisfying the appetite of the well-anticipated audience of both students and staff. The Lunch-
Hour concert may best be summed up as being “Short but Sweet”. Among the outstanding
talents displayed at that show was a dramatic poem by club president, Talestra Dixon who is
known for her raw and uncut talent in Speech & Drama; a song done by club coordinator-
Ms. Anderson- and featuring one of our newest members, Ralf St. Flearant who comple-
mented Ms. Anderson’s performance in a song entitled “Let’s hear it for the Boys”. St. Flear-
ant added the perfect ingredient of theatrical humour while capturing the message of the old
80’s hit original done by international singer, Denise Williams. Another major highlight of the
Lunch Hour concert emerged from a fresh-budding male vocalist, Gregory Williams (Form
1A) whose diversity is such that he dons a sweet and sultry soprano voice then makes a
smooth transition to a hair-rising falsetto. He literally stole the show as he had the female
“Gregory William’s
sweet and sultry voice
makes a smooth
transition to a hair-
rising falsetto”
Page 3Taking Center Stage Volume 1, Issue 1
uncontained in their seats as they rushed to stand as close to the stage as was permissible. This
response was in sheer delight of the vocal rendition which captivated them. Other perfor-
mances included a dance group comprising Shantia Harvey, Yakena Gibson and Lobresha
Gardiner to the rhythm of Beyonce’s “Single Lady”. The Show was emceed by Mr. Donovan
Garvey, member of Staff and former affiliate of the Performing Arts Club up to 2012-13. Not
only did Mr. Garvey engage the audience with his wit, creativity, stage presence and dynamics
but he too gave an intoxicating performance of “old hit” songs. Finally, mention must be giv-
en to a visiting talent from a member of the Music Club. He is RGHS’ Saxman- Edwin
Forbes- who sweetened the show with his saxophone renditions.
“SCHOOL DAZE” -Skit done by club members at Annual
Prize Giving Ceremony.
Highlights (Oct. 2013)
Otis Arthur as “Mr Stalkin
Tevin Lightbourn as
Mr. Arscot
Jwayne Capron as Mrs Joles Old couple has flashback of their
days in high school.

4. Message from Principal,
Mrs. Janet Walkin
Let me congratulate the Performing Arts Club on its initiative to produce its
first news-letter-Taking Center Stage. It is great to see the vibrancy and enthusi-
asm kept alive for Club activity within the school. The production of this news-
letter is an excellent way to ignite a sense of pride among members of the club.
Despite a lack of resources with which to work, the club has produced such
quality performances that continue to bring humour and entertainment to
Raymond Gardiner High and to North Caicos, in general. I encourage club
coordinator, Ms. Marguerite Anderson to go beyond all boundaries in an effort
to unearth the talents of the students. All the very best as you continue to ‘take
center stage’.
RGHS Performing Arts Club
Bottle Creek, North Caicos
Go ahead!...call to make a pledge or to sponsor
the club which brings laughter and
entertainment to North Caicos!
Marguerite Anderson has always had a natural love for the
stage. Her first passion is acting but she is mostly seen on the
stage singing. She has been with the club since 2007 when she
first joined the staff of Raymond Gardiner High School. In
2008, under her artistic direction, the Performing arts Club won
1st place in Drama at the school’s annual, “Club Expose”. That
year, the club also won the coveted title of Champion Club”.
Sadly, since 2009, Club Expose has never again been held. Ms
Anderson took the mantle as Club Coordinator in 2010, subse-
quent to Ms. Jennifer Pinnock’s departure from the club.
Prior to relocating to the Turks & Caicos Islands, Ms. Anderson
was with a Jamaican Performing Arts group known as “Nexus”.
Ms. Anderson was casted for the lead role in a 2004 musical
production, titled, Elyshia Moneybags which was staged at St.
Georges College Auditorium. In this musical, she played the
role of a female version of the well-known character, Ebenezer
Scrooge. Additionally, she has written and produced a full-
length play which was staged in front of an audience of over
one thousand persons at Jamaica College Auditorium in the
Summer of 2006.
Ms. Anderson had also been an entrant in cultural festivals,
obtaining the prize for most talented contestant and in 1989,
placing second in the National Festival Queen Competition in
Jamaica. Additionally, she held the post of Director of the
school’s choir at two of the institutions for which she had
served during her teaching years in her native country. She has
also taught Speech and Drama at two of Jamaica’s leading high
schools in Kingston.
Unlike in the Turks and Caicos Islands, drama in Jamaica is a
major part of a child’s life. In secondary/high schools, Drama is
a subject which forms part of a school’s curriculum. From as
early as possible, children are given the opportunity to express
Meet Club Coordinator, M. Anderson
Phone: (649)-946-7132
:(649)-244-5329
Email: asktheteacherandeditor_rghs@yahoo.com
ALL THE WORLD IS A STAGE
:William Shakespeare
Raymond Gardiner High
School’s Performing Arts Club
themselves in various art forms such as drama, speech, song, dance,
dramatic poetry, etc. Often, they do this on large stages and in front of
hundreds to thousands of people. There are festivals for all age groups
and children compete, not just at school level but at national level.
Although the culture in the Turks & Caicos Islands is very different and
Drama itself is not taught as a subject at the Raymond Gardiner High
School, Ms. Anderson aims to ignite in students, a passion for theater
and the performing arts, in general. She would love for students to see
the possibility of a career in theater or in other aspects of performance.
Marguerite Anderson at
Jamaica’s National Festival
Queen Competition (1989)
Ms. Anderson on ‘Smile Jamaica’ TVJ-
Dec. 2005 concert season of Nexus
Performing Arts Theatre.
Past Highlights...
Skit @ Prize Giving 2010
Kingsley Laborde and Ms.
Anderson at concert in Kew
2011
A Cursory glance...
Taking Center Stage Page 4
February 2014