Hard work pays off for budding actress Visesia in Seattle [1]
Thursday, March 14, 2019 - 21:26. Updated on Friday, March 15, 2019 - 09:09.
By Eleanor Gee
A young Tongan American actress, dancer, and singer, Visesia Fakatoufifita is reaping the benefits of her hard work having landed her first major role as Annie in ‘Annie’ at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, Washington, at the end of last year, and cast as Cassie in the Village Theatre’s “The Passage” in Issaquah, Washington last month.
The vibrant and determined 11-year-old from Tacoma, Washington, USA, told Matangi Tonga "dreams do come true but you still have to work for them".
“My ultimate dream is to one day be an actor and singer on Broadway. That has been my dream since I was a little girl and I want it just as bad now. I want to do anything and everything that helps me perfect and work on my craft.”
She said before landing the role of Annie, she "had done six straight years of music/singing lessons, [and] countless [community] theatre productions".
On top of theatre work and lessons however, Visesia still has to fit in going to school full time and admits it is challenging.
“Trying to balance school and being a regular kid with my theater work is challenging but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love theater and singing so much that I couldn’t imagine my life without it. Sometimes when I’m in a show that requires rehearsal all day, I do not go to school full time but it just depends on what project I’m currently working on.”
Inspired
Visesia recalls starting to sing at an early age at just 3 and 4 years old to Michael Jackson songs before she started singing lessons at the age of five.
“I was obssessed with Michael Jackson, and that’s sort of what started it.”
“I started vocal lessons and started doing a lot of theatre and that’s sort of when I realized that theatre and singing were something I really loved to do.”
However, it was when she watched an Asian American play Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid” at the 5th Avenue Theatre in 2016 for her ninth birthday, that she realized she too could achieve her dreams.
“Seeing Diana Huey, who is Asian American, as Ariel really made me realize at a young age that regardless of your skin color, you shouldn’t let that stop you from going after the roles/dreams you want.”
Visesia's Tongan father (from Vava'u) and American mother are her biggest inspiration.
"They’ve always supported me in whatever I wanted to do."
The next big project Visesia is working on is her very own solo show [2] with Musical Director Zachary Kellogg, which will debut next month at the Rainier Arts Centre, in Seattle on 5 April.
“This concert is probably one of the hardest and funnest things I’ve ever done. I’ll be singing a lot of wonderful songs, telling goofy/embarrassing stories, talking about my Tongan roots and much more,” she said.
She hopes to visit Tonga one day.
“I haven’t been to Tonga but I want to go really bad! I also speak a little Tongan,” she said.