American Samoa Community College

Caption:ASCC Dance and Drama instructor Carmela Gallace (left) celebrates with students Erik Tue and Jessica Afuola, who have both been accepted to the prestigious Broadway Theater Project this summer in Florida. (Photo: J. Kneubuhl)	ASCC Students Accepted for Broadway Theatre Project
	March 27, 2007 James Kneubuhl, ASCC Press Officer


	Three students from the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) now have the opportunity to attend a unique musical theater program this summer, after having passed the audition for the Broadway Theater Project (BTP), based at the University of South Florida. Every year, BTP student apprentices study for three weeks with professional artists and educators from the worlds of theater, film and television. During this intensive musical theater course, which lasts from July 8th to 29th, students attend classes in acting, dance, voice and writing, with an emphasis not only on the individual disciplines, but also on the collaborative process and the collective creation of art.
In addition to Artistic Director Debra McWaters, the BTP faculty includes distinguished performers such as Ben Vereen, Chita Rivera, Terrence Mann, Patrick Wilson, Frank Wildhorn, Pierre Dulaine, Charlotte D’Amboise and Jason Robert Brown. Many of these artists have received the prestigious “Tony” award, the Broadway equivalent of Hollywood’s “Oscar”. Technique classes offered during the course range from Acting Training (group and private) to African Jazz; Audition Workshop; Ballet; Choreography; Chorus; Improvisation; Jazz; Monologue Study; Musical Theater History; Physical Comedy/Clowning; Repertory; Russian Movement; Scene Study; Stage Combat; Stress Management; Tap Dancing; Vocal Training (group and private); and Writing. Last semester, ASCC dance and drama instructor Carmela Gallace encouraged a group of her most promising students to send video audition tapes to the BTP. The tapes showcased each student’s abilities as a singer, actor and dancer, and based on these submissions the BTP chose to accept Erik Tue, Jessica Afuola, VanDella Lealofi and Chevonne Lafaele. Erik, 19, comes from Leone and currently majors in Liberal Arts at ASCC. He has appeared in the ASCC productions of “The Nutcracker” and “Once On This Island,” and also has a lead role in the College’s forthcoming production of “Guys & Dolls” currently in rehearsal. Jessica, 20, majors in art and hails from Vatia. She won first place honors in the Speech Festivals of 2004 and 2005, and like Erik she participated in the two previous ASCC stage productions and also has a lead role in the new “Guys & Dolls”. VanDella, 20, of Pago Pago, received her acceptance notice from the BTP while attending college off-island. Having graduated from ASCC with her AS degree in Computer Science last semester, VanDella began classes this year in Stockton, California. Although accepted to the BTP, Chevonne has chosen not to participate at the present time. According to Gallace, while all three students feel thrilled at the opportunity to broaden their horizons by attending the BTP, they still have one major challenge to overcome, namely financing the trip. The BTP charges $3,100 for the three-week course, which includes tuition, room and board, and each of the ASCC students will need to raise most of the funds for their tuition and travel expenses on their own. “With the College’s resources already committed for the most part, our department can only offer the students limited support,” explained Gallace. “I know the students and their families will do their best to meet the expenses of the trip, but if anyone in the local or regional community would like to volunteer as a patron for one or more of the students, they could definitely use the assistance. A tax-deductible donation today could help launch the career of one of the first Broadway stars from American Samoa.” Anyone interested in acting as a patron for the (hopefully) BTP-bound students can contact Carmela Gallace via e-mail at: c.gallace@amsamoa.edu. Gallace, a veteran professional dancer best known for touring the world as part of the long-running production “Riverdance,” had high praise for the level of artistic talent among the American Samoan youths she has worked with in her three semesters at ASCC. “Samoans have a unique spiritual connection to the way they express themselves artistically,” she reflected, “and I think they need to expose the rest of the world to their unique gifts.” Gallace described the acceptance of the ASCC students by the BTP as, “not just a bit opportunity – a huge opportunity to jumpstart their careers in the industry. A number of BTP apprentices have received employment opportunities in musical theater as a direct result of their participation in this summer training.” For more information on the Broadway Theater Project, visit their web site at: www.broadwaytheaterproject.com. <<< Back to Other News & Events