Marcia Brown is the founder and artistic director of Marcia Brown Productions. She is an acclaimed producer, writer, director and performer. She is one of the premier female actresses in Toronto’s Caribbean community with a reputation that affords her familiarity and trust among avid theatergoers.
Marcia’s Jamaican Culture Experience
Prior to acting and the pantomime years, Marcia was very active in her Ensom City Community. She was an early leader and risk-taker as she founded the Ensom City Dance Club and armed with passion and no formal dance training she led the group to silver and bronze medal awards in the JCDC festival dance competition. This accomplishment was so impressive that the principal of Ensom City All Age School called upon Marcia to be the dance teacher of the school’s dance club; this led to success again with them winning silver and bronze medals in the festival competitions.
Catching the Theatre Bug
In 1982 Marcia followed the path of curiosity from Ensom City, St. Catherine to the LTM National Pantomime auditions in Kingston, Jamaica. This path would later herald the acknowledgement of her greatest passion “theatre”. Her passion also met with experiential training as Marcia successfully completed studies with the best of the best and amidst one of the liveliest theatre cultures in the Caribbean. Marcia emerged a versatile multi-talented thespian, well positioned as one of the most sought after talent in the acting community. Marcia has worked with some of the very best actors in Jamaica including the King of Comedy Oliver Samuels, as well as her very close friend and mentor and Jamaica’s Queen of theatre Leonie Forbes.
No Curing the Acting Bug in Canada
Upon moving to Canada in 1989, Marcia realized quite early that there would be challenges in the industry, the primary being “lots of talent and not enough opportunities”. Despite this challenge she was able secure roles in a few Jones & Jones Productions’ stage plays. She later worked with Theatre in The Rough, We Are One Theatre and a few other local community groups. While she appreciated those opportunities Marcia knew in her heart that they were just not enough and she had to find a medium to create more opportunities for herself and then for others. She started by writing short comedy skits and performed them for small to medium-size audiences then in 2000 she combined her vast experience in theatre with her producing skills to formulate what would later become Marcia Brown Productions.
The plays produced by Marcia Brown Productions include: “Front Room”, “Common-Law”, “Wipe That Smile”, “Rosetta”, “Single Entry”, “Feminine Justice”, “Children Children” and “Country Duppy” I Need To Know My Father and “Deception”. Of the lot, she directed “Wipe That Smile” & “Feminine Justice” and all have seen returns for encore performances. The greatest production achievement so far has been “I Need To Know My Father” which has evolved into the longest running local production in the history of the Toronto Theatre scene.
Marcia has performed in all the plays produced by her production company. This is not an easy feat; from studying lines, developing characters, scouting locations, selecting suitable crewmembers and financing the dream, her hands have indeed been full.
Marcia the Writer
As a writer, Brown has written all the comedy-skits performed by the group and has moved comedy from stand-up Internet jokes to real live comedic situations with costumes and more. Most of our churches, community groups, and alumni associations have experienced Marcia’s exhilarating and refreshing comedic acts at their annual or special events. Being a breast cancer survivor Marcia wrote and performed a skit titled “Ignorance” for the African Canadian Cancer Forum, which received a standing ovation and accolades from those in attendance. After a decade of adapting scripts and writing smaller original works Marcia kicked it up a notch and wrote a full-length play called “I Need To Know My Father” which was followed by “Deception”
There is always more to Marcia
Marcia believes that the Jamaican or Caribbean culture is one of the richest in the world, and while the Diaspora lives “abroad”, it is very important that we never lose sight of that rich culture. It is also very important that we pass our cultural baton to the next generation and encourage them to embrace it. She has actively engaged in leaving this legacy as in 2012 and 2013 she produced an all-youth production “Pickney Sinting” a venture where the proceeds went back to the community.
Marcia has also since 2008, made a personal commitment to donating Scholarships to the Jamaican Canada Association Scholarship Program. This initiative provides financial assistance to students from low/disadvantaged income household, with proven scholastic abilities and community involvement in pursuing post-secondary education in colleges/universities across Ontario; these are presented at the annual awards ceremony held each September at the Jamaican Canadian Centre.
Marcia has received several community awards in recognition of her work. As part of the commemoration of Jamaica’s 50th year of Independence (August 2012), the who’s who of the Jamaican Diaspora in Canada were recognized in a feature book titled “When Ackee Meet Codfish”, Marcia Brown is listed among the 250 achievers and contributors in this historical record.
Amidst her love for the arts and her many accomplishments, Marcia still makes room for a full time job with a well established Financial Institution, downtown Toronto, as she puts it… “The bills have to be paid”.
Marcia is a devout believer in the word of God, and every day she gives God all the Praise, Honor and Glory, for blessing her with this wonderful gift, which she intends to use for as long as she breathes. She is blessed with a son, Michael Scott and grandson Myles-Carter Michael Scott.
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Stage Credits
The three stage productions that remain close to Marcia’s heart include: her first Pantomime “Tantaloo” her very first produced play “Country Duppy” and her very first written play “I Need To Know My Father”
In addition to Tantaloo she has performed in six other LTM Pantomimes – Ginneral B – Sipple Silver – Riva Muma and the Golden Table – Trash – King Root & Bruckins.
Other plays include – Garvey – See Fuss Do Later – Irie Neighbours – We Run Tings – The Nutmeg Princess – Mr. Garvey – Play Boy – Irie – Play Boy Of The West Indies – Against His Will – Duppy In The House – Key For 2 – EVE – Oliver and Cinderella – The Odd Couple – Two For Two – Dear Pastor – Country Duppy – Children Children – Wipe That Smile – Feminine Justice – Rosetta – Single Entry – Common Law & I Need To Know My Father.
Film Credits:
Marcia’s film credits include Jason Romley’s “Alone”, David Sutherland’s “My Father’s Hands”, which were both featured in the Canadian International Film Festival, Marilyn Gray’s “Vicious Cycles” Christine Browne’s “Another Planet” and the unforgettable feisty character “Joy” in the ever-popular film video “Front Room”. She also has credits in TV Commercials and documentaries under her belt.
Through the capacity of new media, a whole new audience can relive some works she has been a part of, a must see is her acting alongside Oliver Samuels in “Front Room” clips of which have been posted and reposted on the internet.
