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A CARIBBEAN TWIST ON BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

June 20, 2007

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     Jamaica funnyman Oliver Samuels returns to the Virgin Islands with the hilarious ensemble for “Cutie & the Freak.”
     “Cutie & the Freak” is all about laughs in this Caribbean remake of Beauty and the Beast. Samuels is Tiny Adams, an overbearing father trying to keep his daughter, Cutie (Camille Davis), away from the ghastly looking Frank the Freak (Courtney Wilson). 
     “Cutie & the Freak” premiers at Island Center on St. Croix on Friday, July 13 at 8 p.m., and at Reichhold Center on St. Thomas on Saturday, July 14 and Sunday, July 15, also at 8 p.m.
      The story begins with 21-year-old university student, Cutie, who wants to experience romantic freedom. In her quest, Cutie befriends Frank, a homeless man with facial deformities who was violently evicted from his community because of his “ugliness.”  
      The unexpected happens when Cutie looks beyond the physical and falls in love with Frank.
The two lovebirds are alone in their struggle as not even Frank’s imaginary friend Ben (Glen Campbell) finds solace in the union.
      Samuels, as Tiny, the father, tries to convince Cutie that Frank is too ugly for her, and certainly too ugly to be the father of his grandchildren.
     Also part of the comedic ensemble is Cutie’s mother Victhoria (Belinda Reid) as well as their housekeeper Munchie (Sharee MacDonald-Russell).
     “Cutie & the Freak” comes from the great minds at Jambiz International that brought “Class of ’73,” “Ras Noah and the Hawk,” and “Christopher Cum-Buck-Us.”
     “Cutie and the Freak” was written by Patrick Brown, directed by Trevor Nairne and produced by Jambiz International.
     Now a permanent member of Jambiz, Samuels has long been Jamaica’s ambassador of comedy. Entertaining for more than thirty-five years, Samuels’ brand of comedy established such hits as “Oliver at Large," “Oliver…Large Abroad” and “Oliver’s Posse.”
     Tickets for “Cutie & the Freak” are $20 and $35 at Urban Threadz, Alliance Clothing and UVI Bookstore on St. Croix. On St. Thomas, tickets are $20, $25 and $35 at Modern Music, Parrot Fish, UVI Bookstore, V.I. Bridal & Tuxedo, Urban Threadz and the Reichhold Center Box Office at 693-1559.

View our press release archive for the 2006-2007 season.