The People’s National Party (PNP) has joined Jamaica’s cultural community in mourning the passing of Yvonne Brewster, OBE, the pioneering actress, director, and cultural visionary who helped shape modern Caribbean theatre.

Brewster, who co-founded The Barn Theatre in Kingston alongside playwright Trevor Rhone in the 1960s, is credited with creating the country’s first professional theatre company—a vital platform for training local talent and showcasing Jamaican stories.

In paying tribute, PNP Shadow Minister of Creative Industries, Culture, and Information, Nekeisha Burchell, described Brewster as “one of the builders of modern Jamaican theatre and a bridge between our island and the wider world”.

“She helped prove that Jamaican stories, told in our language and from our perspective, belong on every stage. Her legacy reminds us that culture is not only who we are, but also how we grow,” Burchell said.

After moving to the United Kingdom in the 1970s, Brewster directed and acted in several productions, including The Harder They Come, Smile Orange, and The Marijuana Affair. She also worked on BBC projects such as Maybury, The Fight Against Slavery, and My Father Sun Sun Johnson, earning international acclaim for portraying Caribbean life with authenticity and dignity.

Brewster later co-founded the Talawa Theatre Company, now one of the UK’s leading Black theatre institutions, and appeared as Ruth Harding in the BBC drama Doctors between 2000 and 2001.

The PNP said Brewster’s vision continues to influence efforts to strengthen Jamaica’s creative industries and preserve the integrity of local storytelling.

The Party extended condolences to her family, colleagues, and the global theatre community, noting that Jamaica has lost “a remarkable cultural pioneer whose example will continue to inspire generations of artists”.