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30th Anniversary of Teyat Lakay 1979

Teyat Lakay 1979, or Home Theater, is a Haitian theater group based in Boston, Massachusetts, since 1979. It was found in August 26, 1979, with its first play “Picture of an Era” performed in the St Angela Church basement, Mattapan Square, by engineer and mathematics teacher André Fritz Dossous (Papados).

Dossous is also a poet, a playwright, and a talented comedian who has the magic to make people laugh. He is the sole playwright for the Troupe since 1979. Teyat Lakay 1979 put together an admirable group of hard working individuals in the Haitian community who love and practice the art of acting for hobby.

The Mission of the Group is to harmoniously keep Boston Haitians in constant contact with the Mother Country by using Haitian culture, with plays that reflected the country’s joyful days or sadness. Furthermore to educate, and entertain Haitian adolescents, adults in Boston and its environments through social plays, poetry, and sane jokes that will probably infuse to our children strong morale lessons that help them become responsible citizen in the 21st century.

Teyat Lakay 1979, from 1979 to 2008 did just that. For example to celebrate the traditional Haitian Mother’s Day, the last Sunday of May, Teyat Lakay 1979 always gave rendezvous at the Strand Theatre with one of its plays.

The Troupe entertained people under other skies as well. Haitians in Brooklyn, New York, rushed at Clara Barton and Prospect High Schools to see the plays “In God’s Country,” 1980; “A Crazy Man in Port-au-Prince,” 1983; “A Mallet of Gifts for Haiti,” 1984; “Into Washington Shoes,” 1993. They were amazed!

Haitians of Miami, Florida, watched with great enthusiasm and pleasure the actors of Teyat Lakay 1979 perform at Caleb Center the plays “The Heirs,” 1983; “The Woman and the Devil,” 1984; and “A Crazy Man in Port-au-Prince,” 1985, one of Papados’ masterpieces. “Satire” painted a liar populist with his unrealistic dreams for Haiti. “Mothers Never Abandoned their Kids,” 1987, touched maternal love and love for the country; “Into Washington Shoes,” 1992, another masterpiece, honored 500 years since Christopher Columbus had supposedly “discovered” our sweet and lovely America.

Success after success Teyat Lakay 1979 became more popular in Diaspora. Haitians living in other States embrace the Troupe as well. In June 1988 was the Haitians’ in Montreal, Canada, turn to highly praise the Troupe for its performance in “The Heirs”. They also showed their great appreciation for “Adjipopo,” 1989, a preventive work against HIV. They were very excited for the “Woman and the Devil,” 1990, a play that showed victory of a woman over a sex addict who kidnapped her husband in order to force her to go in bed with him. It’s also a victory over abuse of power so common in Haiti.

August 22, 1999, Teyat Lakay 1979 was in Port-au-Prince, Haiti at the blessing of the Minister of the Diaspora, M. Jean Victor Généus, to play the popular tragi-comedy “The Heirs,” a story that put in evidence the creed that the land the Ancestors left for Haitians is not for sale. That was a great victory for Teyat Lakay 1979 at the Rex Theatre. The public busted on the stage after the show with large smiles to hug the actors in sign of approbation and admiration.

Papados’ plays are tragic-comedy or pure comedy. Teyat Lakay 1979 only does play that give morale lesson. Haitians do not accept less than that. Because of that, in the past thirty years, the Troupe entertained to educate. Indeed, the play “Adjipopo” is a vehement wake up call, a fierce campaign against the killer named “AIDS”. The message was a “leitmotiv”. “To be safe and to beat up the killer.” Protect yourself! Protect yourself! Protect yourself! How? The spectators sung “Abstinence! Abstinence! Abstinence all the way!”

Moreover, in the play “Soul Mother” Teyat Lakay 1979 showed to our adolescent children and their parents the importance and the benefits to attending school. The play wonderfully demonstrated to our kids, the merit of good conduct and discipline, and that study hard in school save high reward for adulthood.

“Soul Mother” was well interpreted by the actors of Teyat Lakay 1979. The message was so clear that the team of the Strand Theatre at that time had asked Teyat Lakay 1979 to repeat it for the Middle School students in the Boston Public Schools. People at the Strand did not hide their admiration. Here’s what they said: “The play is a humorous and compassionate story of a mother’s struggle to save her immigrant teenager son from the dangers and temptations of his new environment in the United States of America. Although this story deals with a Haitian family, its themes are universally felt by many people who have difficult experiences in adapting to different cultures.” That was November 20, 1998.

Another work, “In God’s Country,” is another great masterpiece. It’s a beautiful picture, a nice portrait of our loving America. In other words, the Troupe put in scene the American’s Dream, and the supposed sweet hospitality that the United States reserves for its immigrants.

—Information provided by Andre Fritz Dossous (aka Papados, Electric Engineer, Math Educator, Poet, Playwright, Comedian)

Teyat Lakay 1979 celebrates its 30 years of hard work, Sunday, May 31st, 2009, the Haitian Mother’s Day, at The Strand Theatre, at 6:30 PM. Strand Theatre is located at 543 Colombia Rd, Dorchester. On this occasion Papados and the Troupe will perform a new comedy “Ms. Seduizi or Faked Love” (the English translation of “Madmwazèl Seduizi” ou “Lanmou Makiye”). It’s a hilarious play.

On the occasion of its thirtieth birthday, the Actors of Teyat Lakay 1979 send a special and patriotic salutation and their artistic thanks to all remarkable men and women in the Haitian Community who have supported Teyat Lakay 1979.

Teyat Lakay 1979
12 Cedar Avenue Randolph, MA 02368
Telephone: 781-986-9862

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