The American Samoa Community College (ASCC) Language and Literature Department will present “A Literary Experience: Pacific on Stage” this coming Thursday, April 14, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the college’s Lecture Hall. ASCC students will give performances based on both historic and recent literature written by Pacific authors in multiple formats.

“Our theme is Pacific authors,” said Language and Literature Department chairperson Mrs. Melelina Fiaui, “and many of the pieces detail the struggles, triumphs, and experiences of living in the Pacific, and being of Pacific island descent.”

Categories of literature rehearsed by the ASCC students include poetry performances, original poems, monologues, famous speeches, lyrics and music, dual acting, slam poetry, and a screenplay by students that they have adapted from Lani Wendt Young’s short story “Don’t Tell.” 

“In the famous speech category, a student will perform Queen Lili’uokalani’s speech made in Washington DC regarding the US Annexation of Hawaii,” shared Mrs. Fiaui, “and in the poetry category a student will interpret ‘Me, the Labourer’ by Eti Saaga. The rest of the performances will be original student work that reflects Pacific themes.”  As a special addition to the program, the cast of the upcoming Fine Arts Department play, “Once On This Island” will perform a scene from the production, which they will stage in full later this month.