Contributed photos
(1) Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Olivia Grange (seated second right); and Jamaica's consul general in Miami, Sandra Griffiths (to her right), enjoy the musical, 'The Harder They Come', at the Saturday performance. Minister Grange was a special guest of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and cast members are caught in a happy mood at the event.
(2) The cast of the Jamaican musical, 'The Harder They Come', onstage at the Saturday night performance.
Janet Silvera Photo
(3) Jamaican Janine Thompson, director of the Miami Heat dance team, arrives for the premiere.
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Hailed by Time Out as "a real thrill ... the band is tight, the clothes are right - it's a sure-fire smash hit," Perry Henzell's hit movie, The Harder They Come - the musical made its debut in Miami, Florida on Friday, August 28.
Featuring a talented cast of 16, the musical tells the story of young singer Ivanhoe Martin (played by Rolan Bell), as he arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, with dreams of becoming a reggae star. A corrupt and drug-fueled music industry drives him into a fast and furious life as Jamaica's most wanted outlaw and most celebrated underground star.
Signature sound
Reggae music superstar and pioneer Jimmy Cliff starred in the '70s film of the same title, which catapulted the island's signature sound into a globally recognised and respected genre, making Cliff and reggae music in general, into an international sensation.
"The Harder They Come made music history, introducing the world, and the United States in particular, to reggae music. Miami, in the summer of 2009, will be long remembered as the epicentre of cultural history as we host the United States premiere of this hit musical at the Adrienne Arsht Center," said its president and chief executive officer, M. John Richard, as he welcomed the large gathering of West Indians to the theatre.