Aston Cooke

Aston Cooke is one of Jamaica's leading playwrights.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Aston Cooke attended All Saint's Primary School in Jones Town, Kingston and later won a Common Entrance place to enter Wolmer's Boys'School. Cooke began writing while he was a student at Wolmer's. His first one act play, "Pickle"‚ won several awards for Wolmer's Boys’ School in the Jamaica Secondary Schools Drama Festival.

In 1985, Aston Cooke was responsible for writing the first episodes of "Oliver at Large" for Jamaica's King of Comedy Oliver Samuels‚ which became Jamaica's most successful television series to date. The once popular radio series "Home Runnings"‚ presented by the Jamaica National Housing Trust on RJR and LOVE FM was also written by this prolific writer. Aston Cooke's impressive writing portfolio includes LTM National Pantomime, "River Mumma and the Golden Table" (1987), "Children-Children" (1985), "Jamaica Run-Down" (1995), "Jamaica Pepperpot" (1996), "Front Room" (1984), "Country Duppy" (2000), "Kiss Mi Neck" (2001)‚ "Single Entry" (2003)and “Jamaica 2 RAHTID” (2005). [ [http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070807/ent/ent3.html J2R] ]

[http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20061102/ent/ent2.html Jamaica Gleaner reviews Country Duppy]

[http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20050805/ent/ent1.html Jamaica 2 Rahtid Reviewed by Tanya Batson]

In 2004, Cooke joined up with young playwright Sabrena McDonald to write the television drama “High Grade” which aired on TVJ, CVM and CTV in Jamaica.

Aston Cooke’s latest offering for the Jamaican stage is an outrageously hilarious yet thought provoking comedy called "Concubine?" [ [http://www.caribbeantoday.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2420&Itemid=33 CONCUBINE reviewed in Florida] ] Cooke was recently inducted into the Caribbean Hall of Fame for his contribution to Jamaican theatre.

Cooke is Artistic Director of the Jamaica Youth Theatre, a group he founded in 2004 which serves as the performing arm of the Schools' Drama Festival of Jamaica. [http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/lifestyle/html/20070205t200000-0500_118782_obs_jamaica_youth_theatre_wows_caribbean_drama_festival.asp Jamaica Youth Theatre] Cooke continues to serve the Secondary Schools Drama Festival of Jamaica as Co-ordinator of this annual Festival. [ [http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20071016/ent/ent6.html JYT] ]

A Communications professional, Aston Cooke worked extensively in Marketing Communications particularly in Public Affairs, Brand Development and Advertising. He served as Director of Boards for several organizations including Television Jamaica Limited and Jamaica AIDS Support.

Aston Cooke read for B.A. Mass Communications (1984) and M.A. Communications Studies (2001) at the University of the West Indies and B.Comm. in Hospitality and Tourism Management (1993) at Ryerson Polytechnic University in Toronto, Canada. He was the recipient of the Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship in 1989. [ [http://'www.marciabrownproductions.com Marcia Brown Productions] ]

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