With Christmas only weeks away, holiday events are gathering steam, and among those looking to spread seasonal cheer is Caitlin Tyson, former Miss Cayman Islands Universe.
Tyson, 27, has written ‘Saving Christmas Island’, a play featuring 12 songs and a cast ranging from ages 11 to 50 years old.
“We’re trying to raise the standard of live experiences and live theatrical performances in Cayman,” Tyson told the Cayman Compass.
She said she came up with the idea when the jurisdiction went into lockdown in 2020 due to COVID-19. She said a Christmas story has been absent “in the island for a while now”, noting that she wanted to do something for the community this holiday season.
The performances are scheduled for 27-28 Nov. at the Harquail Theatre, followed by two more shows on 17-18 Dec.
The play will showcase several characters such as Rapunzel and Moana, and cast members will adopt personas from the Grinch, Santa Claus, and Buddy the Elf.
“I wanted to use well-known and loved characters,” Tyson said.
“We wanted to give back as much as we can with this,” she said, noting that “the plan is to fill 100 backpacks for students in need with school essentials and [prepare] 100 care packages for the elderly” who she said are sometimes “forgotten around the holidays”.
The cast rehearsed for the show while adhering to COVID-19 protocols, with many of the actors developing relationships that will contribute to the play, she said.
“I wanted a big cast but with COVID and everything coming up, we weren’t even sure if we’d be able to do this,” she said. “This is going to be their (cast) first time in a production, so they’re really pushing themselves outside their comfort zones and willing to have some fun.”
Tyson also recruited some helping hands to work on the production. “I reached out to a lot of people within my network to help out on the crew side,” she said.
Among those who contributed were former Miss Cayman Islands Universe Mariah Tibbetts who, along with Katherine Jackson, served as her production assistants, while her mother Catherine Tyson came on as the director.
Caitlin Tyson is urging members of the community to come out and support the “beautiful musical” event this weekend.
The Christmas play will also raise money for charity. For more information on tickets and sponsorships, visit christmas_musical_ky on Instagram.
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