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Six ASCC Students Accepted
to Broadway Theater Project
11 April 2008 -
Source:
ASCC Press
Release
Every summer, some of the most distinguished
professionals currently working in American theater,
television and film act as mentors for approximately
200 promising young performers from across the
nation during a three-week apprenticeship program
called the Broadway Theater Project (BTP), held at
the University of South Florida. Names like Ben
Vereen, Debra McWaters, Pierre DuLaine, Terrence
Mann, Frank Wildhorn, Charlotte D’Amboise, and
Patrick Wilson may not sound instantly familiar, but
these seasoned performing arts veterans who serve as
Master Artists at the BTP have all gained renown for
their accomplishments in their respective theater-related
fields.
Last spring, American Samoa Community College (ASCC)
dance and drama instructor Carmela Gallace assisted
a number of her students with preparing their
audition videos for consideration by the BTP.
Although few at first took seriously the idea of
students from American Samoa getting selected for
such a prestigious program, Gallace’s faith in her
students paid off when four of them received
acceptance notices from the BTP, and three of those
four went on to actually attend the event. While the
BTP provides students with once-in-a-lifetime
opportunities to study under masters in the theater-related
arts of acting, dancing and singing, the service
does not come for free.
Although Gallace’s students had to do most of their
own fundraising to cover the costs of air fare,
tuition, room and board, and the usual “extras” that
come with travel, for the three who made it to the
BTP (Vandella Lealofi, Eric Tue and Jessica Afuola),
attending the event opened doors they could never
have previously imagined. Both Lealofi and Tue, who
by then had recently graduated from the College,
received offers to audition for upcoming Broadway
productions, while Afuola, who still had one more
semester to go before receiving her degree from ASCC,
called the BTP “by far, the most instructive
experience I have ever had.”
Late last fall, Gallace started working with a
second group of young performers from ASCC who
wanted to film audition videos for this year’s BTP.
Once again, the efforts of Gallace and her students
bore better-than-expected results when no less than
six of the ASCC hopefuls recently received their
acceptance notices inviting them to attend the BTP
this July. For the six successful candidates, Daniel
Helsham, Milton Manase, Johnny Saelua, Shane Ta’afua,
Juanita To’o and Ruth Tuasivi, the acceptance by the
BTP marks their success at only the first half of
the process of actually getting there. For the
second half, in addition to their regular schoolwork
at the College as well as their participation in the
upcoming production of the musical play “Aida” in
early May, the students each need to secure the
necessary funds to enable them to make the trip to
Florida this summer.
Last year, the ASCC students who made it to the BTP
did so through the combined financial assistance of
their families, the College, and most importantly,
kind benefactors in the community who believe in
giving the Territory’s young adults a chance to
develop their natural artistic talents. Gallace
hopes that once again the community will rise to the
occasion in support of its young performers. “Coming
from an extensive professional background in this
field myself, I’ve noticed our local young people
posses an unusually high aptitude in the performing
arts. Our students have the passion, skill, and
inner drive necessary to make them successful in
show business,” says Gallace. As the community looks
for new avenues of economic and career development,
why not use some of our strongest, most abundant
resources, namely this natural talent, to create
more job opportunities?”
The six ASCC students invited this summer’s BTP all
share a vision of making their mark in the
performing arts. Daniel Elisara Helsham, son of Paul
and Irene Helsham of Iliili, says, “This program
will not only enhance my dancing, singing and acting
skills, but will give me a chance to get noticed.
The experience will hopefully expand my abilities to
new horizons.” Milton Tagimaiala Manase of Futiga,
son of Pitone and Bernadette Manase, similarly seeks
to broaden his talents at the BTP, but additionally
reflects, “It will also open me up to the real world
and the opportunities that lie ahead. Attending the
BTP would bring me a step closer to achieving my
goal of becoming an actor. Someday I want to bring
back what I learn to help out my people.”
Johnny Saelua, son of Mr. Fiu Ioane and Mrs.
Catherine Aigamaua Saelua of Leone, enthuses, “I
feel extremely grateful to God, and especially to
Ms. Gallace for opening up this window of
opportunity. For this truly major step in making our
dreams a reality, I feel really excited about
showing them (the BTP) what we are made of.”
Fa’afetai Shane Ta’afua, son of Mr. Pene and Mrs.
Serafina Filipo Ta’afua of Iliili, describes
attending the BTP as “my life, my career, and most
important of all, my key to the world of acting.”
Through his participation in the ASCC “Big Man on
Campus” competition, presentations for Polynesian
Night, and the play “Fiddler on the Roof”, Shane has
consistently demonstrated his ambition to succeed as
a performing artist, and he says, “This program will
be the chance to get me there.”
Juanita Simaima To’o, daughter of Mr. Ene Orr and
Mrs. Salote Sia To’o of Mesepa, describes her BTP
opportunity as “an honor”, and says simply, “I want
to enhance my talents in singing, dancing and
acting.” For Ruth Lynn Tuasivi, daughter of Mr.
Solomona and Mrs. Fiasoso Tuasivi of Nuuuli, “This
project would be the journey of a lifetime, and an
opportunity to share with the world the talent that
the Lord has blessed me with.”
The community will have the opportunity to see all
six of the students accepted to the BTP display
their talents onstage during the College’s upcoming
production of the musical play “Aida”, which will
take place May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, at 7 p.m. in the
Lee Auditorium. Anyone interested in sponsoring or
co-sponsoring any of these fine young artists can
contact Gallace for more information by emailing
c.gallace@amsamoa.edu.
Photo Caption: ASCC dance
and drama instructor Carmela Gallace (front, center)
congratulates her six students who have received
notices of acceptance to the prestigious Broadway
Theater Project, a three-week apprenticeship program
in the performing arts which will take place this
summer in Florida. Front row: (l-r) Juanita To'o,
Gallace, Ruth Tuasivi. Back row (l-r): Johnny Saelua,
Shane Ta'afua, Daniel Helsham and Milton Manase.
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ASCC Student Receives
Archaeology Scholarship
07 April 2008 -
Source:
ASCC Press
Release
Marie Sina Faatuala, a Natural Resources major at
the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) recently
got the good news that the Washington, DC-based
Society for American Archaeology (SAA) has selected
her as the recipient of a $4000 SAA Arthur C. Parker
Scholarship for Archaeological Training for Native
Americans and Native Hawaiians. The scholarship will
enable Marie to attend this year’s ASCC Summer Field
School, an archaeological project that will take
place in the neighboring Pacific country of Tokelau.
Marie, who lives in Petesa with her mother Liutautai
Leupolu, says, “I really look forward to this trip
because I have a great interest in the methods used
to retrieve artifacts.” ASCC archaeology instructor
Dr. David Addison, who will accompany Marie to
Tokelau, explained, “The field school course gives
students a chance to get involved in a real research
project and receive on-site training in
archaeological field research methodology. The
course will also involve students form the National
University of Samoa and an international team of
scientists from Hawaii, France, Japan, New Zealand,
Australia, and the USA.” Dr. Addison and Tautala
Asaua from NUS have organized the whole project.
An international organization dedicated to the
research, interpretation, and protection of the
archaeological heritage of the Americas, the SAA
represents more than 7,000 professional, student,
and vocational archaeologists working in government
agencies, colleges and universities, museums, and
the private sector. Since its inception in 1934, SAA
has endeavored to stimulate interest and research in
American archaeology; advocate and aid in the
conservation of archaeological resources; encourage
public access to and appreciation of archaeology;
oppose all looting of sites and the purchase and
sale of looted archaeological materials; and serve
as a bond among those interested in the archaeology
of the Americas.
For more information on the Society for American
Archaeology, visit their website at: www.saa.org.
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