Mrs. Geraldine Bean will receive a very personal Mother's Day tribute when she takes her seat in the audience at the Spinning Wheel this Sunday.

For co-producer and director for the latest offering by Gina Spence Productions, A Tribute to Mom, is her son, Kevin Bean.

The show, which is being staged in the Spinning Wheel complex, will serve two purposes. "Not only is it in honour of Mother's Day, we are also using it as a way of raising money for our main summer programme,'' explains Mr. Bean.

The format for Sunday's event will be a fashion show with supporting variety acts. As one of the aims of GSP is to bring talented newcomers to public notice, Mr. Bean says that the fashion show will throw a special spotlight on student fashion designer, Lincoln Raynor, from the Bermuda College.

Guest acts lined up to appear in A Tribute to Mom include popular comedian Bootsie, singer Gita Blakeny, Ivan Outerbridge and Wayne Augustus who call themselves Shirt and Tie for their street dancing duos, Troy Harvey -- described as "a real crowd pleaser'' when he impersonates the fairer sex -- and the new singing combination of 15-year-olds Sjonice Fox and Kion Simmons.

Last year, GSP began a summer programme aimed at helping young people to get involved in the performing arts. Some children as young as five-years-old are joined by teenagers and young adults, although Mr. Bean emphasises that there is no age limit.

"If you're 80 and have a beautiful voice, come on by. We like to give everyone a chance to perform.'' Mr. Bean, who joined GSP as co-producer when it was formed last year, says that the group are desperately looking for a permanent rehearsal and performing area -- "a place we can call home'' that will not eat up their revenue in rental costs.

In spite of this handicap, GSP enjoyed success when it staged its first full production, Visions, at City Hall last year, raising $1,200 which was donated to the children's ward of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Since then, the group has provided the entertainment for February's Black Achievement Awards and has also taken sections of the show to various functions, such as Friswell's Hill block party, St. Brendan's, and Warwick Community Day.

Acting and writing attract Kevin as much as directing, and he has already tried his hand at both. After attending a writing course at Bermuda College, he wrote a play and two of his pieces were included in Visions. This year, he will be writing more material for the summer show, which is to be called Harambee (Swahili for "let's all pull together'').

His public acting career got under way when he was chosen to play the role of Cory, the young son, in Theatre Express's production of Fences, by August Wilson. But before that, the call of the footlights had beckoned at Sandys Secondary School, where his English and drama teacher was Mrs. Teresa Sousa.

"She is my mentor -- when I was at school I thought she didn't like me because she always gave me a hard time, but after I had left and was trying to continue my education, she wrote me a wonderful resume. She has given me the momentum for everything I've done since,'' he says.

Mr. Bean also pays tribute to Gene Steede who took the leading role in Fences: "He really taught me a lot. Every night in that play, he cried -- for real -- and that shook me up and made me realise how serious show business is. I look up to him as well.'' It was through the production of Fences that the fledgling actor met Gina Spence and then joined her new group. He is also working on a play with Patricia Pogson which it is hoped will be presented at the Belmont Hotel this month.

"I find Patricia inspiring,'' he says, "I know I'm young, but I can't, for the life of me, figure out why we have so much foreign entertainment -- people come to see our beautiful island and to see what we have to offer. Patricia is trying to change things and I hope she succeeds.'' Tickets for A Tribute to Mom are on sale at $20 from 27th Century Boutique, Traffic, or Sabrina's. Doors open at 5.p.m. and show time is 6 p.m.

MOTHER'S PRIDE -- Mr. Kevin Bean is the co-producer and director of Gina Spence Productions' Tribute to Mom at the Spinning Wheel this weekend.