Giddy Up!...

Hey, everybody...Happy April Fool's Day!...Well, I've been pretty happy lately...I'll tell ya all about it in today's exciting, yet hopefully short, blog entry...Lights...Camera...Action!...

So, we had our annual Speech Festival on Friday here in American Samoa...This event, where students from all the island high schools perform and compete in categories like Original Speech, Humorous Play, Dramatic Play, Oral Interpretation of Poetry and so on, was cancelled last year due to Flag Day...This was my first year being involved with the Speech Festival, and I absolutely loved it...I mean, it was extraordinary how interested and inspired I became with this event...First of all, representing Tafuna High School, I was responsible for three categories...You see, each English teacher at Tafuna High School was responsible for a different category...Each teacher will choose the piece to perform for their category, cast the students to perform the piece, and direct the students in how to perform it...In other words, each teacher creates and directs a skit or play or performance that will be presented at the Speech Festival...Not only does each category get a trophy, but all of the high schools are also competing for an overall award...Anyways, I was given the task of managing the Humorous Play, Dual Acting, and Oral Interpretation of Drama...Well, guess what?!...You won't believe it!...We won first place for all three of my categories!...Yup, I was so proud of my actors...And hella proud of myself, too...We worked extremely hard to accomplish this goal, and I was really, really demanding of the students...I even made one of my girls storm off the set because I was demanding so much of her...(Don't worry, she came back and her performance was off the hook!)...I was in such bliss for winning these three awards, and I realized my true calling in life...I totally believe that performance is in my bones...And it's my inspiration and love...And this Speech Festival reminded me and reiterated to me my adoration for acting and the theatre...I love this thing called directing and acting and performing...I'm good at it...And nothing brings me more happiness...I don't think I have been this brimming with joy for a long time...I just can't wipe the smile off my face...Tafuna High School didn't get placed first in any of the other categories...Many people are angry with the other English teachers for not doing their jobs...Many people are also pissed that I'm leaving next year...They think Tafuna High School could take first place in the overall award at the Speech Festival if I was staying and directing the performances...Well, I won't say I agree with them...But I will say the thought of staying just for this Speech Festival did flash in my mind...Nah, I don't think I'll be staying...But the glory of winning this Speech Festival crap really made me second guess my choice to leave this island...

The picture above is of my four actors who played in our Humorous Play...Man, I can't say enough about how wonderful these kids were...The play we did was a complex one, requiring all of the actors to have a ton of energy and "always be on"...It's a non-stop, quick, witty play, and these students captured its spirit beautifully...And winningly...We have to perform our plays for the governor on Wednesday...I'm hoping to record it then and post it on YouTube...

Those two cats were actors in my Dual Acting category where a pair of actors perform a short scene...The play, about a married couple who discover their marriage isn't perfect on their anniversary, had some difficult emotional moments...But these two performed the script awesomely...Rani, the girl, gave me the biggest hug after recieving the first place win...She kept saying, "Thank you Neman!"...Aww, tear!...

And the kid in black, Geno, won first place in the Oral Interpretation of Drama...This category requires a single actor to play two characters...His performance was flawless as a angry diner customer and his annoying waitress...The image below is him at his judged performance...

Those three photos above were of the Humorous Play...We did a play about a television that comes to life and literally captures its audience...I think one reason why we won was because, although I've only been here for two years, I really believe I understand Samoan audiences well...I knew we should have a lot of physical humor...So, we added a ton of that...I also knew they love over-the-top dramatics...Nevertheless, we super charged all of our acting...Lastly, Samoans like a lesson at the end of their stories...So, we emphasized the moral more than the original script called for...

There's Rani and Anthony doing their Dual Acting performance...Malo guys!...

During the Speech Festival, I think I was slapped in the head with my calling...When I come back to Wisconsin, I'm going to make it one of my five year goals to start up a State Speech Festival...Now, who knows, maybe there is one already...But I don't remember hearing about one when I was at Eisenhower High School...I really want to bring this event to Wisconsin and let students there compete in categories such as Monologue, Poetry Reading, and Choral Reading...We have tons of competitions for athletes...And even singers (Solo/Ensemble)...But no competitions for actors...Besides, think about how much tickets we could sell for a state-wide festival filled with dramatic, entertaining performances...Gee whiz!...I can't wait to be the founder of the Wisconsin Secondary Speech Festival...Presented by high school English departments all across the state!...An Academy Awards for cheeseheads!...

My Top Five Obsessions of the Week:

5. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup = Probably my most favorite meal that my mom makes is now the best meal I make for myself...It's cheesy, warm goodness, and I can't wait to come home and use yummy, interesting breads and cheese for this classic comfort food...

4. Into the Wild = The book I hold dear to my heart and soul is now a movie directed by Sean Penn...It's on video...Although I strongly recommend the powerful, fascinating book by Jon Krakuer over the flick, it's still a nice adaptation to screen...

3. Jodi Piccoult = Speaking of books, I've only read two of her novels but you can't go wrong with her controversial, modern stories ripped straight from the headlines...They're like a Dateline episode crossed with a Lifetime movie...Nineteen Minutes is about a high school shooting that devastates a small suburb...Great read...

2. Madonna's New Song = "4 Minutes" by Madonna and featuring Justin Timberlake has got to be the most awesome song out right now...If you work out (or dance!), you MUST download this glittering, vigorous, potent pop jam...Oh, and it's a helluva lotta fun to listen to...Madonna is back!...

1. At the Movies with Ebert and Roeper = This website has almost all of the televised film reviews by Siskel and Ebert...And Roeper...Did the movie Gremlins get a thumbs up or down?...Did my favorite flick Terminator 2 get approved by the famous critics?...Which Disney films were thumbs up?...Which Jennifer Lopez films were given thumbs down?...From movies that came out way back in the 80's to movies that came out last week, these catty, intriguing reviews are addictive to watch...Look up your favorite flick...

http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/ebertandroeper/index.html

A category of the Speech Festival I had never encountered before was the Traditional and Contemporary Choral Readings...This is where a group of 15 or more students recite a long poem using their body, facial expressions, and voice variation to portray the emotion and power of that poem...In Traditional, they can only move their face and use vocal expression to present the poem's meaning...In Contemporary, the group, in unison as always, can use their entire bodies...They can even sing and dance some of the poem...These were all pretty amazing to watch...I am thrilled to bring this category to the states...Will kids in Wisconsin dig it?...Or will they be weirded out by it?...I suppose we'll have to see...Here's a clip of the first half of Tafuna High School's Contemporary Choral Reading...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrAumlTzKvo

Since I am planning on going back to school for my Masters in Creative Writing, I figured I'd write a poem tonight about how I've been feeling lately...It describes a fear I have in regards to going home...Can you guess what the fear might be?...(Keep in mind, I literally wrote this tonight...In like an hour...This is a rough, rough draft!)...

"Ghosts for Dinner"

by Joe Neman

Nightmares of ghosts for dinner
keep me awake, worried.
Once flesh, hands, smiles, eyes
with plates, forks, drinks, food,
now faded phantoms at my table,
clear, gone, invisible.

Nightmares of ghosts for dinner,
I shiver in my home.
Once laughter, tears, conversation
in my kitchen of warm dreams,
now silence, loneliness, sadness.
A kitchen of ice.

Ghosts will cope,
for now life is not allowed at the table.
The ghosts are cherished,
for now comfort is lost and impossible.
Dread is served.

These ghosts for dinner haunt,
I weap with the rice.
For once it was a nightmare,

and now there will always be

ghosts for dinner.

Sorry for the somewhat boring post...But I hope you still leave a few comments...What do you think of the Speech Festival?...Am I crazy for getting so giddy over our three wins?...Do you think this is my calling?...Is directing and performing my greatest talent?...Do you think Speech Festival will work with Wisconsin kids?...How about my obsessions?...Do you adore grilled cheese and tomato soup?...Do you know who Jodi Piccoult is?...Do you love Madonna's new song as much as I do?...Oh, and what the hell do you think I'm expressing in my quickly written poem?...What fears am I having right this minute?...Well, let me know what you think...And thanks for reading...

Love ya and miss ya...

-JOE

"Sadness and happiness,

Love and surprise.

Now we must finally

Say our goodbyes

To the Island of Emotion."

-from Sesame Street.