How A ‘Green Card Play’ Gave This Jamaican Playwright His Real ‘Green Card’

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News Americas, New York, NY, June 5, 2025: Jamaican-born playwright and actor David Heron is set to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his acclaimed romantic comedy, Love and Marriage and New York City, with a special staged reading at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center (JPAC) in Queens on Sunday, June 22 at 7 p.m. The event, part of New York City’s Caribbean American Heritage Month festivities, will be preceded by a complimentary Caribbean cuisine reception at 5:30 p.m.

From left to right- Andrew Lawrence, Denise Hunt, David Heron and Maylynne
Walton in the 2003 UK touring production of Love and Marriage and New York City.
(Photo courtesy of Sure Thing Productions.)

Heron, who will produce and direct the one-night-only performance, reflects on the play’s significance in his life: “My ‘green card play’ Love and Marriage and New York City was not only a critical and commercial success but earned me the green card that changed the entire course of my life and career.”

The play, which debuted in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1999, tells the story of two Jamaican couples in Manhattan who marry for green card purposes, only to discover that love complicates their arrangements. After its Jamaican premiere, the production toured South Florida, the UK, and Canada, and had an Off-Broadway run at Brooklyn’s Billie Holiday Theatre in 2005. It was also an official selection of the 2007 National Black Theatre Festival.

David Heron (Photo courtesy of Sure Thing Productions)

Heron emphasizes the play’s continued relevance:

“Over twenty-five years after its world premiere, Love and Marriage and New York City remains as topical as ever, dealing with the immensely critical and complicated subject of immigration. It highlights the allure of the American dream to immigrants everywhere and the extent to which people will go to achieve it—with romantic, dramatic, and comedic consequences.”

The upcoming performance will feature a talented cast, including Denise Hunt as Jessica, Shevrado Oliver as Damian, James Duke Walker as Theo, and Gabrielle C. Archer as Natalie. Hunt returns to the production after portraying Natalie in the 2003 UK tour.

Tickets for the Silver Anniversary Performance are available at loveandmarriagetheplay.eventbrite.com. High school and college students aged 16 and over, as well as theater interns from the New York Tri-State area, can attend for free through Heron’s Sure Thing Productions Free Student Ticket Initiative. For more information, contact 646-533-7021 or eventbrite.com

Caribbean Culture Fund Launches USD 400K Grant Call

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News Americas, New York, NY, June 5, 2025: June 2025 – The Caribbean Culture Fund (CCF) has launched its third call for proposals, offering a total of USD 400,000 in grants to bolster cultural and creative projects throughout the region.

This latest round of funding invites individuals, organizations, and institutions to submit proposals by June 15, 2025, through the CCF’s platform. Projects from Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, and for the second time, Haiti, are all eligible for support under this initiative.

The 2025 call offers funding under three key themes:

Art for Change – Ten grants of USD 10,000 each will support projects that use the arts to foster social reflection and drive transformation.

Caribbean Collaboration – Ten grants of USD 25,000 each are designated for projects that promote intra-Caribbean artistic exchange and cooperation.

Residencies and Fellowships – Ten grants of USD 5,000 each will support short-term residencies hosted by Caribbean-based institutions, aimed at enriching regional artistic dialogue and mobility.

“Our residencies and fellowships programme is designed to build stronger networks across the Caribbean’s rich cultural landscape,” said Kellie Magnus, Executive Director of the Caribbean Culture Fund. “We want to change the idea that an opportunity for immersion means leaving the region. There are incredible opportunities within each of our countries from which artists from other parts of the region can benefit.”

The residencies and fellowships component is open to cultural institutions and residential-capable organizations located in the Caribbean, as well as cities in Latin America with deep Caribbean heritage ties. Priority will be given to established programs and cultural events that facilitate the participation of Caribbean creatives across different linguistic backgrounds. Grants may cover airfare, accommodation, stipends, and interpretation services.

Selected creatives must participate in at least one public and one virtual event during their residency. Program durations may range from one to six weeks, depending on the proposal.

Eligible disciplines include visual arts, performing arts, festival arts, film, literary arts, architecture, design, and interdisciplinary forms. Proposals should be clearly structured, feasible, and demonstrate a strong connection between objectives and budgets, while addressing potential implementation challenges.

To apply or learn more, visit caribbeanculturefund.com.