Report by Ellyza Jane Gutierrez
Proving their malaCASS spirit, Short and Sweet Play – Dialogue Team made history after taking silver in this year's Culture and the Arts Festival of the Culture and the Arts Association of State Universities and Colleges in Region III (CAASUC 3) held at Bulacan State University last November 26-29.
Led by Assoc. Prof. V Augusto Lulu Jr. and Mr. Louel Gray Tecson, the group was composed of MJ Sembrano, Shanen Tracy Aguirre, Ace Tiagan, John Christian Talavera, John Wendel Maniego, students from the College of Art and Social Sciences, and Izzy Mae Reanzares, from the College of Education.
In an interview with Sembrano, one of the Short and Sweet Play performers, she recounted their experience from preparing for the competition to performing on the CAASUC stage.
"The journey wasn't easy. We had a really tight schedule for rehearsals and barely made it to the competition venue on time. We only had one run-through, and most of us were hoarse from all the practice. But we never gave up, and our hope and nightly team prayers seemed to help talaga," she said.
"When we got on stage, our voices were strong and clear, and the message of our play really touched the audience. We overcame all the challenges and gave a performance we were all super proud of," she furthered.
Moreover, Sembrano said it was her first and last time participating as a graduating student, making her grateful for the chance to be part of CAASUC and winning the silver medal.
Mr. Tecson also narrated his experience as the assistant coach of the Short and Swet Play group.
"I made sure never to pressure them into doing something they couldn’t do. Everything I did as a coach was aimed at bringing out the talent and skills I saw in them during auditions. Palagi ko ring sinisigurado na nag-eenjoy sila. I always reminded them na importante ang manalo, pero mas importante ang pagkakaibigan at pamilya na mabubuo nila dahil sa play na ito,” he shared.
Furthermore, Mr. Tecson said he didn't hesitate to say yes when asked to be an assistant coach for this year’s group as he was also a two-time representative of Tarlac State University when he was still a CASS student.
"When I was a student, I didn’t get the podium finish we always dreamed of. Now that I’m a coach, I just want to express my deep gratitude to these students for allowing me to fulfill the dreams I left behind as a student," he stated.
This win marks the first time TSU has ever placed in the CAASUC Short and Sweet Play - Dialogue Category.
CAASUC is a regional festival held every year to showcase the talents of students from different universities and colleges across Central Luzon. The festival includes competitions in various arts and disciplines, such as theater, dance, music, literature, and visual arts.
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