Cooke is very well known on the Jamaican theatre scene. He reportedly began writing while attending Wolmer’s Boys’ School, and participated in the Secondary Schools’ Drama Festival. In 1979 he penned the award winning one-act play, “Pickle”, which was entered by Wolmer’s for that year’s festival.

His writing credits include several LTM National Pantomimes – River Mumma and the Golden Table, Children-Children, Jamaica Run-Down, Jamaica Pepperpot, Front Room, Country Duppy, Kiss Mi Neck and Single Entry. He has also written the multiple award-winning Jamaica 2 RAHTID, Concubine and Pupalick plays. His current production is Me and Mi Chapsie, which is playing now at the Pantry Playhouse in New Kingston.

Thinking of the world as a stage is a good place to start. In Aston Cooke’s world, to be Jamaican is to be a performer. His new play, Me and Mi Chapsie, is a humorous treatise on that idea. The chapsie is Donald (Everaldo Creary), a deejay in a popular inner-city dancehall. Popular, that is, among the blue-collar, red-haired crowd. The woman he belongs to, divorced ad executive Marilyn Simpson, lives many stone throws away in Norbrook, where they don’t really throw stones at all. They meet when Marilyn gets invited by her co-worker to a party in downtown Kingston … more

In Jamaica it has always been socially acceptable to see older men with younger women, but when an older woman is seen with a younger man, terms like ‘craddle robber’ are whispered behind raised hands. Set in Kingston, the high-spirited comedy “Me And Mi Chapsie” tackles the once taboo encounters of an older woman (cougar) and her younger lover (the cub).

Everaldo Creary is a product of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission Festival of Arts and the Secondary Schools’ Drama Festival. He is a founding member of the dub poetry ensemble “NO-MADDZ” and a member of the Jamaica Youth Theatre. He was also the 2005 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Arts & Culture.

Everaldo played lead roles in Trevor Rhone’s drama “Positive” and also in “Smile Orange”. Theatre audiences will also remember him from Cooke’s “Country Duppy” and the “Jamaica 2 Rahtid” series. Everaldo starred as well in the television series “Me and me Kru”, and recently completed two feature films where he played leading roles. The films were “Candy Shop” and “Better Must Come”.

Supporting Creary on stage in “Me And Mi Chapsie” is an outstanding line up of some of Jamaica’s finest actors including Dahlia Harris (2007 best actress) along with Marsha Campbell, Carlene Taylor and Denar Royal. The play was directed by Michael Nicholson.

“Me And Mi Chapsie” plays Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., and Sundays at 6 p.m.  – at The Pantry, New Kingston.

Elitte Club Limited was established as a charity in 2008, and ministers to the spiritually renewed and the impoverished. It gives support to the less fortunate and vulnerable people throughout Jamaica, as its goal is to improve the health, economic, social and spiritual challenges of the men, women and children it serves. It raises funds and provides direct relief assistance to the poor, usually by purchasing specifically-requested materials and distributing them through churches and charity organisations already operating in areas of need.

Me and Mi Chapsie, a hilarious romantic comedy, is Aston Cooke’s latest theatre offering. It follows Cooke’s highly successful productions of Concubine and Pupalick. Set in Kingston, the high-spirited comedy Me and Mi Chapsie is directed by Michael Nicholson, and tackles the once-taboo romantic encounters between an older woman and her younger lover. More about Me & Mi Chapsie.

Set in Kingston, the high-spirited comedy tackles the once taboo romantic encounters of an older woman (the cougar) and her younger lover (the cub). After a failed  twenty year marriage, 50-year-old Jamaican advertising executive Marilyn, hooks up with a 22-year-old dancehall selector. Sparks fly, and they begin dating – against the advice of her friends and colleagues. Marilyn seems determined though, to prove that true love can conquer the very evident generation and class gaps.

Me & Mi Chapsie is directed by Michael Nicholson, and its cast includes 2007 best actress Dahlia Harris, Zandriann Maye (who won best supporting actress last year) along with Everaldo Creary, as well as newcomers Marsha Campbell and Danar Royal.

Me & Mi Chapsie will have its gala performance at the Pantry Playhouse on October 7 at 8:30 p.m., following which it will play Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., with matinee performances on Sundays at 6:00 p.m.

Undoubtedly one of Jamaica’s most popular and appealing comedy revues, Jamaica 2 RAHTID – PUPALICK returns with the same familiar cast. Its outstanding lineup of actors includes 2007 Best Actress Awardee, Dahlia Harris; Comedy Buss creator, Christopher ‘Johnny’ Daley; Best Actor Awardee, Christopher McFarlane and; Everaldo Creary along with the effervescent Zandriann Maye.

Earlier this year, Maye copped the Actor Boy award for supporting actress for her roles in Pupalick. In addition, the play won Actor Boy statuettes for ‘Best Revue’, ‘Best Musical Score’ and ‘Best Song’.

Pupalick comes from the Jamaica 2 Rahtid series, a scintillating musical revue which takes a funny look at the country’s state of affairs. It is a pot pourri of Jamaican characters presented in a creative collection of sketches and songs covering a wide range of social, cultural and political issues of the time. There is something in this production for everyone in the family.

American newspaper critics wrote highly of this popular Jamaican play: “The brilliant cast of Jamaica 2 RAHTID – PUPALICK gave a solid performance to a sold-out audience at the Coral Spring Centre for the Performing Arts” wrote the South Florida Caribbean News.

Written by prolific playwright Aston Cooke, Jamaica 2 Rahtid is directed by Michael Nicholson. Grub Cooper of Fab 5 is responsible for the musical component, while popular choreographer – Barbara McDaniel – staged the trendy movement for the musical numbers.

Following the gala performance at the Pantry Playhouse on Emancipation Day tomorrow, Jamaica 2 RAHTID – PUPALICK will play Fridays and Saturdays at 8:30 p.m., with matinee performances on Sundays at 6 p.m. Go see it!

A Marcia Brown production, the play which is written by Aston Cooke, relives the aspect of the duppy culture through the tale of a village set upon by the restive spirit of a recent departed member of the community.

Set in the cool district of Bamboo Belly, somewhere in rural Jamaica, Mammie McIntosh, (to some, a powerful obeah woman in the district) has died and superstition has taken over the villagers.

On the day of her funeral, excitement fills the air, much in anticipation of the free food and rum that will be served after the funeral … but all that was short lived as strange things begin to happen. First Mammie’s coffin refuses to climb the hill to the graveside …”she put down one piece a dead weight pan dem”…the villagers had to enlist the assistance of a cow to help haul the coffin up the hill … the weight of the coffin, however, was too much for the poor old cow, so she drop the coffin and it bruk open…and dat was it …”Mammie duppy get whe“.

The chase and capture of the duppy is the essence of the plot, as it unfolds to reveal the lives of the characters and their strong beliefs, superstitions and burial customs.

Country Duppy stars Letna Allen-Rowe who has appeared in a number of LTM National pantomimes in Jamaica. Her theatre credits include, “Against His Will”, “You Me An Mi Taxi”, “Full House”, and “Oliver and Cinderella”. Her film credits include “Front Room”, “Oliver at Large” and “Sarge in Charge”.

Gary Cooper, who is a gifted newcomer to the stage, has been working hard to accomplish his goals as an actor. Born and raised in Jamaica, Gary immigrated to Canada in the late 1990’s. He spends his spare time writing scripts and music. Other stars in the play are Naggo Morris and Michael Lewars.

Directed by Michael ‘Stringbeans’ Nicholson, Pupalick boasts an outstanding cast, which includes the 2007 Best Actress, Dahlia Harris; Comedy Bus creator Christopher ‘Johnny’ Daley; Actor Boy awardee, Christopher McFarlane; Everaldo Creary, fresh from his movie debut in Better Mus Come, along with the effervescent Zandriann Maye.

Pupalick is a high-energy and fun-filled satire for the entire family, which will mirror Jamaicans at their best, worst, nicest, sweetest and funniest. There is something in this production for everyone in the family.

The play is an all new outrageously hilarious socio-political musical revue; a potpourri of colourful Jamaican characters, presented in a creative collection of 24 sketches and songs covering a wide range of topical, social, cultural and political issues of the time. Cooke’s satirical pen touches topics such as the Cuban lightbulb scandal, Cash Plus, Jamaican talk shows, dual citizenship, elections, the political parties and their colourful leaders.