A traditional wake in honour of theatre icon Trevor Rhone will be held on Wednesday at the Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre, Hope Road, beginning at 8:30 p.m.

The wake, or nine night, will be presided over by several of the nation's foremost traditional folk form groups - the Manchioneal Cultural Group from Portland, the Seaforth Kumina Group from St Thomas and the St Ann Senior Citizens' Group. These groups will be joined by a musical innovator in this genre - the Turbo Plastics Duppy Band from Portland.

The event is being spearheaded by the Jamaica Association of Dramatic Artists and its president Dorothy Cunningham and playwright and producer Basil Dawkins. Dawkins said that after advising Rhone's widow, Camella, of the plans, she revealed that among his most recent research documents she found material on nine nights and wakes. Cunningham said when she heard this her comment was: "To hear that Mrs Rhone found notes on research by Trevor which coincide so closely with the traditional manner in which we plan to honour him is almost surreal. It might lead one to wonder: Is Rhone directing this from behind the curtains?"

Rhone is arguably the best known playwright and screenwriter that the Caribbean has produced. His works include Smile Orange, Two Can Play, School's Out, Old Story Time and, most recently, his autobiographical work Bellas Gate Boy.

The public is invited to participate in the wake.