On Thursday 29 th January 2026, Providence Girls’ Catholic School will hold its third Festival of the Arts entitled ‘Nesa & the King Sailor: A Provi Carnival Experience’. The Carnival Extravaganza will take place at the National Academy for the Performing Arts at 10a.m.
Patrons will be immersed in Drama, Dance, Music and Art as they follow Nesa through the streets of Belmont on her quest to save Carnival. The event will contain a musical production featuring the school’s Drama Club, Choir and PGCS Steelpan Ensemble. In addition, patrons can view Provi’s artistic students, staff and alumnae’s artwork in an art exhibit in the lobby, while being entertained by the Provi-QRC Steel Orchestra (Stage Side).
Drama has always been a mainstay at Providence, since the days of the dynamic Drama Educator, Director and Actress Ms. Belinda Barnes. After a hiatus in the school, Drama was adopted by then fledgling teacher, Mrs. Denisa Thompson-Oblington in 2005, and has been under her direction ever since. From then till now. the Drama Club has undertaken a number of ventures, and quite successfully so. By 2007, they had won their first major competition, The Rebirth House Facing Life Series, which they won a total of three times.
In 2010, they entered the Trinidad and Tobago Secondary School Short Film Festival, where the acquired the coveted title of Best Special Effects and Makeup for their production La Diablesse, which is still viewed on YouTube today. In 2018, the group joined forces with the school’s choir, steel orchestra and art programme to hold their first Festival of the Arts in years called “Let Your Light Shine” on the school’s compound.
The effort received rave reviews. The festival quickly outgrew the venue, and was housed at NAPA the next year, with a production entitled “Evolve” which was also quite successful.
Tickets can be reserved and purchased for this year’s event through the school located at #146
Belmont Circular Road, Belmont. Interested individuals can also contact the school at 624-1429 to
reserve tickets and pay via online banking. Tickets cost $75 for students, with accompanying
teachers free, and $100 for adults.
