The Sandals and Beaches Resorts entertainment team participated in an acting intensive facilitated by the RuJohn Foundation in partnership with the Sandals Corporate University. 

The two-day workshop, dubbed the Leah Daniels-Butler’s Acting Intensive, was led by actress, producer and writer Chyna Layne, actor and dancer Rayan Lawrence, both of Jamaican parentage and Marissa Brooks, vice president of drama development at CBS Studios.  

The team took part in fun and engaging sessions designed to open their minds, boost their creativity, and build their on-stage confidence.

They learned techniques to enhance their acting, comedy, and improvisation skills. They also recorded audition simulations and performed scenes for Andrew ‘King Bach’ Bachelor, and a panel of casting directors and professional actors.

At the end of the workshop, Layne expressed her immense pleasure at having the opportunity to give back to her Jamaican roots.

She shared, “Over these last two days I’m reminded that there’s so much phenomenal, untapped talent in Jamaica. Bringing the Leah Daniels-Butler’s Acting Intensive to the Sandals and Beaches entertainment team is a dream that’s been fully realised. We all had a wonderful time and I know the members of the team may think that we inspired them but true inspiration came to us from them. It was a blessing to be around these aspiring Jamaican actors who are versatile, phenomenal, good-spirited and multifaceted. I look forward to seeing great things from them in the future.”

Also present for the workshop Sandals Resorts International (SRI) corporate director for entertainment experience Gustav Neumann expressed his joy at watching the team engage in the different activities and how immersed they were in the experience.

“This is a wonderful opportunity and I know it meant a lot to the team to have been a part of this. I watched some of them go from shy and uncertain, to confident and sure. Our entertainment team is a dynamic blend of creativity and fun, always pushing boundaries to leave a lasting impact. This workshop, I believe, will have a lasting impact that they will take into our operations to brighten the lives of our guests. We are grateful to the SCU and RuJohn Foundation for coming together to make this happen,” he said.  

The RuJohn Foundation began in 2003 in honour of Ruth and John Tulloch, the grandparents of CEO Andrew ‘King Bach’ Bachelor and president Christina Bachelor.