Trinidad and Tobago Mourns Passing of Cultural Activist and Actor Marlon De Bique
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Culture and the Arts Minister, Randall Mitchell, Wednesday led the tribute to the award-winning actor and singer, Marlon De Bique, who died at San Fernando General Hospital, south of here on Tuesday night, following a brief illness. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Marlon De Bique“Mr. De Bique was not simply a cultural and art enthusiast, he embodied it. His dedication to promoting and positively contributing to the industry,” Mitchell said in a statement.
In 2008, Living Arts Inc of New York, a performance arts company, acknowledged his talents and cast him in Sportin’ Life and Robbins in the Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess.
“For two years, De Bique, a true ambassador of the arts, toured with the company, performing in more than 70 shows across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Russia and Poland,” according to a statement issued by his family.
It described De Bique, as a versatile performer, who won several titles at the Bi-Annual Music Festival and captured two Cacique Awards for his roles as Judas in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar and Gaston in Beauty and the Beast.
“His repertoire includes a wide range of characters, from the iconic Jean Valjean in Les Miserables to the rebellious Roger in the musical Rent, the passionate Don Jose in the opera Carmen, and Madea in Raymond Choo Kong’s staging of Diary of a Mad Black Woman.”
De Bique graduated from the University of the West Indies (UWI) in 2017, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Carnival Studies with a minor in Communication Studies and at the time of his death was pursuing a post-graduate diploma in International Relations at the Naparima Bowl here in 2020, had throughout his career performed on both local and international stages.
“Mr. De Bique’s tireless efforts and notable achievements have created a lasting impact on the cultural fraternity,” Mitchell said, adding that his contributions toward the modernisation, stability and efficient operations of Naparima Bowl are recognised and praised.
“ He was admired and well loved by his colleagues and staff who describe him as servant leader. We will be forever grateful for his invaluable contributions to the cultural and artistic landscape of Trinidad and Tobago.”
