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University of Massachusets Athletics
FEATURE: Lights, camera, self-esteem
July 24, 2009 | Women's Basketball
July 24, 2009
By Diane Lederman, Masslive.com
AMHERST - Ten-year-old Hannah L. Streeter stood over a pile of concrete while offering safety glasses to the women who towered over her.
With her dark hair covered in a kerchief, the Cummington girl wanted the concrete smashed to smithereens so it could be easily loaded it into a wheelbarrow to be used in a scene of a movie written by a group of girls participating in the week-long ACT NOW! program called MOVIExperience. The women, members of the University of Massachusetts women's basketball team, have been helping the girls in the program.
The young girls create a story, learn acting techniques and shoot a film in one week. It's all about building self-esteem although those words aren't uttered, said Nancy Fletcher, executive director, who has had been running the program for girls since 2000. Having the basketball team participating for the first time was augmenting that mission. Advertisement
The players said they've enjoyed the week so far even though they felt a little shy about acting in the beginning. While they're used to confidently working with young girls on the basketball court during camps, working with stories on a film is a little different. In some ways the youngsters were more experienced.
"Acting is not my thing," said Megan A. Zullo from Greenfield, N.C. "I can't act."
Some of the youngsters participtating have taken the workshop before, so filming for them is, "ilike their basketball," said player Cerie A. Mosgrove, of Needham.
All the participants helped develop the story which is this: two orphans meet two fashionable New Yorkers and decide they want to be like them. But in doing that, they're neglecting their orphanage and other orphans. If the orphanage isn't renovated in time, it will be razed.
On this day, the young girls are paired off and instructed to come up with a skit about what will happen to them should they not get the repairs done in time.
They are instructed to think about what that might feel like. The players sitting on the sidelines shouted out suggestions. "You won't be friends anymore," Zullo offered.
Nina M. Allen, 13, who returned for her second year, said "it's really fun." Last year, there were more girls taking the workshop so having the basketball team around, "it's helpful."
Kyra P. Blair, 13, of Easthampton, said she was drawn to the workshop because it offered a chance to act. Having the team has been a bonus. "They have a great sense of humor."
For Paige E. Gordon, 11, of Westhampton, the movie part is the most fun, but she said having the team there was "cool."
As they were preparing for the scene with the concrete, the girls were also cleaning the railings, scrubbing them with a long-handle brush. The site of the shoot was the Henry Hills House which is under repair.
Seeing them working, Zullo grabbed a brush to and started singing the cleanup song from "Barney." Other players took turns with the brushes too.
Kelly A. Gordon, mother of Paige, who's in training with the production, said the team members help motivate the girls. And their presence brings "empowerment."
