Adiel Thomas makes theatrical debut in ‘Pitchy Patchy’
Play opens on November 2 at Courtleigh Auditorium
Published:Tuesday | October 15, 2024 | 12:08 AMKenrick Morgan / Gleaner Writer
During the heights of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new musical trio named Island Kings kept Jamaicans entertained with covers of popular dancehall and reggae songs, all from the comfort of their car.
Among the trio was Adiel Thomas, whose love for music and the stage motivated him to dive deeper into the performing arts; so much so, that he landed his first theatrical role in the popular play Pitchy Patchy.
In a conversation with The Gleaner, Thomas expressed both his excitement as well as how the opportunity came about.
“I was very excited when they reached out to me, because acting is something I have always wanted to do. Of course, with our group, we have done a little bit of acting, but nothing to this scale,” Thomas said.
“Rayon (the play’s director) saw me performing a poco song somewhere and said he loved how bold I was. So, I believe that was why he reached out, and I am very, very excited for it,” he continued.
While singing and acting share a similar stage, Thomas explained that the two are totally different worlds.
“Bwoi, I don’t think the singing experience [is] translating very well to the acting; the two are completely different disciplines, and when you get into it, you have to separate the two arts. But I am grateful every day for the learning that I get to receive from the rest of the talented cast,” Thomas said.
He added that thanks to this on-the-job experience, he feels a lot more confident in his acting capabilities. The singer also spoke about the support he has been getting from his fan base.
“The fans have been very excited – even more excited than me! I know some persons think it’s a lot different, so they are watching to see what I’m going to do or how I’m gonna pull it off, and that’s just natural. You’re going to always have people watching to see if you’re going to flop or stand up strong.”
And Thomas is adamant about holding strong. He also wants to use the opportunity to assure his fans that he is not leaving music behind.
“Nah lef’ out the music at all. I believe that is what God put me on the earth to do, and I am going to always be doing music all the time. But I do love acting, and once the opportunity comes up, like with Pitchy Patchy, I’ll be sure to jump on,” ‘King Adiel’ told The Gleaner.
Pitchy Patchy opens on November 2 and runs until November 17 at the Courtleigh Auditorium. This year’s cast features a number of top names, including Simone Clarke and Yendi Phillipps, adding new faces to the theatre scene.