Remembering Mr. James Lee Wah
A Message from the San Fernando Arts Council
The San Fernando Arts Council and its members mourn the loss of its founder, Mr. James Lee Wah, a formidable stalwart in the pursuit of establishing platforms for the propagation of artistic and cultural excellence.
Mr. Lee Wah founded The San Fernando Arts Council in 1969. He envisaged that The Council would be the representative of Arts and Culture in the Southland providing a space for rehearsals, tuition and performances in all aspects of the Arts, through the establishment of the Creative Arts Centre situated at 97c Circular Road, San Fernando.
He established the Junior Arts Festival (Sanfest) in 1970 to harness and develop the artistic talent of our Primary and Secondary students, which has now grown national in scope. This festival has discovered stars like Joanne Foster, Sherma Andrews, Machel Montano, Kees Dieffenthaller, Vaughnette Bigford among many others who have gone on to international fame.
Lee Wah also founded the Secondary Schools Drama Festival Association to showcase the talents of our Secondary students in theatre. This also resulted in the introduction of the Performing Arts to the secondary school examinations, and many of the students have gone on to pursue higher education at University level in this art form.
Lee Wah founded the San Fernando Drama Guild and later on, the San Fernando Theatre Workshop, both of which produced local and international stars – among them Errol Sitahal, Sullivan Walker, Ralph Maraj, Susan Harrington, Monica Davis, Hansley Ajodha, David Sammy, Avion Crooks, Devindra Dookie (deceased), Trevor Levine(deceased) and Tony Hall (deceased); and writers such as Ralph Maraj, Walid Baksh, Melville Foster, Dennis Noel and the late Shane Bickram.
Among his peers who shared his passion for arts and culture, and worked assiduously in the pursuit of the same, are people like Horace James, Albert La Veau, Torrence Mohammed, Eric Butler, Joyce Kirton, Beryl McBurnie among many others.
His passion for the development of theatre in this country gave rise to the formation of the National Drama Association, to represent and promote the ideals of productive theatre and its practitioners and also to showcase their talents on a national scale leading to a national theatre.
But his concerns were not only about theatrical issues. He formed the San Fernando Citizens Action Group which clamored for the cessation of quarrying and wanton destruction of the San Fernando Hill, resulting in the establishment of that geological formation as a Heritage Park, which all can enjoy as a tourist attraction. The Action Group also began touting for a Southern Museum which, after several starts, is yet to be realized.
James Lee Wah served his entire career as an educator at Naparima College, where, of course his majors were English Language and English Literature. He ended his career as Acting Principal, after tutoring countless students who have gone on to become professionals in various fields and who all will attest to his humility and dedication to the service of his fellow men.
According to Mr. Lee Wah, some of his memorable directed works include “Man Better Man”, “Sleepy Valley”, “A Day in the Death of Joe Egg”, “Moon on a Rainbow Shawl”, “Ti- Jean and His Brothers” and “Belle Fanto”.
Among the stalwarts in theatre Lee Wah credits to have influenced him were people like Derek Walcott, Slade Hopkinson, Errol Hill, Errol John, Horace James – all of whom he either studied or worked with during his formative years and whom he always thanked for their contribution to theatre.
Quiet in demeanour and always one to provoke thought, he will be sorely missed as one of our treasured icons in the field of Arts and Culture in Trinidad and Tobago.
“A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered.”
The San Fernando Arts Council and its members mourn the loss of its founder, Mr. James Lee Wah, a formidable stalwart in the pursuit of establishing platforms for the propagation of artistic and cultural excellence.
Mr. Lee Wah founded The San Fernando Arts Council in 1969. He envisaged that The Council would be the representative of Arts and Culture in the Southland providing a space for rehearsals, tuition and performances in all aspects of the Arts, through the establishment of the Creative Arts Centre situated at 97c Circular Road, San Fernando.
He established the Junior Arts Festival (Sanfest) in 1970 to harness and develop the artistic talent of our Primary and Secondary students, which has now grown national in scope. This festival has discovered stars like Joanne Foster, Sherma Andrews, Machel Montano, Kees Dieffenthaller, Vaughnette Bigford among many others who have gone on to international fame.
Lee Wah also founded the Secondary Schools Drama Festival Association to showcase the talents of our Secondary students in theatre. This also resulted in the introduction of the Performing Arts to the secondary school examinations, and many of the students have gone on to pursue higher education at University level in this art form.
Lee Wah founded the San Fernando Drama Guild and later on, the San Fernando Theatre Workshop, both of which produced local and international stars – among them Errol Sitahal, Sullivan Walker, Ralph Maraj, Susan Harrington, Monica Davis, Hansley Ajodha, David Sammy, Avion Crooks, Devindra Dookie (deceased), Trevor Levine(deceased) and Tony Hall (deceased); and writers such as Ralph Maraj, Walid Baksh, Melville Foster, Dennis Noel and the late Shane Bickram.
Among his peers who shared his passion for arts and culture, and worked assiduously in the pursuit of the same, are people like Horace James, Albert La Veau, Torrence Mohammed, Eric Butler, Joyce Kirton, Beryl McBurnie among many others.
His passion for the development of theatre in this country gave rise to the formation of the National Drama Association, to represent and promote the ideals of productive theatre and its practitioners and also to showcase their talents on a national scale leading to a national theatre.
But his concerns were not only about theatrical issues. He formed the San Fernando Citizens Action Group which clamored for the cessation of quarrying and wanton destruction of the San Fernando Hill, resulting in the establishment of that geological formation as a Heritage Park, which all can enjoy as a tourist attraction. The Action Group also began touting for a Southern Museum which, after several starts, is yet to be realized.
James Lee Wah served his entire career as an educator at Naparima College, where, of course his majors were English Language and English Literature. He ended his career as Acting Principal, after tutoring countless students who have gone on to become professionals in various fields and who all will attest to his humility and dedication to the service of his fellow men.
According to Mr. Lee Wah, some of his memorable directed works include “Man Better Man”, “Sleepy Valley”, “A Day in the Death of Joe Egg”, “Moon on a Rainbow Shawl”, “Ti- Jean and His Brothers” and “Belle Fanto”.
Among the stalwarts in theatre Lee Wah credits to have influenced him were people like Derek Walcott, Slade Hopkinson, Errol Hill, Errol John, Horace James – all of whom he either studied or worked with during his formative years and whom he always thanked for their contribution to theatre.
Quiet in demeanour and always one to provoke thought, he will be sorely missed as one of our treasured icons in the field of Arts and Culture in Trinidad and Tobago.
“A life so beautifully lived deserves to be beautifully remembered.”