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Volume 41, Issue 1
August 25, 2003
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August 25, 2003
How to succeed in fund raising
Lee Brown
Mesa Legend
Gene Fazio was concerned.
The MCC English professor was in the process of producing the musical
comedy,
 |
| Photo
by Dan Smith/ Mesa Legend |
| Phillip Fazio leads the
cast as J. Pierpont Finch who climbs the corporate ladder wihile singing
and dancing. |
“How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” as a
fundraiser to benefit MCC Literacy Corps, when the venue for the production
needed refrigeration repairs and became unavailable.
The musical, about the antics of a window washer who works his way up
the corporate ladder without really trying, was organized by Fazio’s
son, Phillip, a theater student, and other area students as a way to provide
funds for literacy tutors.
Fazio decided to take a cue from the musical’s main character, and
made some phone calls to secure another theater. “All the planets
were in alignment,” Fazio said.
The production ran as scheduled in July with critically acclaimed performances
at the Phoenix Theatre.
According to Fazio, having the show at the Phoenix Theatre allowed the
amateur actors, many of them college or high school theater students,
the opportunity to meet and work with theater professionals in the area.
The director and choreographer of the show was Phoenix Theatre resident
artist and award winning director, Robbie Harper.
Misha Faucher, a theater student who played Rosemary in the production,
recalls how enjoyable it was to work with the Phoenix Theatre professionals.
“Working with Robbie was so much fun,” Faucher said. “And
I wanted to do something for the community.”
The musical raised funds for the MCC tutor program Literacy Corps, which
is based on the AmeriCorps program.
Duane D. Oakes, faculty director at MCC Center for Service-Learning, said
this was the second year Fazio and the students had raised significant
funds for the program. “When Gene asked what I would do with additional
funding, I told him I would use it for community literacy,” Oakes
said. “With the power of literacy, we can change our community.”
“We raised the money and he put it to use,” Fazio said.
Last year’s show “Rumors” raised $8,500. That funding
trained 22 college students in literacy tutoring.
Through the Literacy Corps, those students were then able to provide 1,150
hours of free tutoring to children in the community.
Oakes anticipates this year’s fundraiser to allow additional tutor
training.
MCC students that participate in AmeriCorps or the literacy program receive
scholarships that can help them reach their educational goals. According
to Oakes, student participants in the programs donate time to community
programs.
Oakes said the application process is simple and there are still positions
available for the coming semester and school year. “We have the
power to change literacy in the community if the MCC student population
commits to make a difference,” Oakes said.
Fazio and the student actors are looking forward to the summer of 2004
with the possibility of another opportunity to use their talents to help
the community.
“Doing the show was pure joy,” actor Phillip Fazio said. “We
had a great experience and were able to give something back at the same
time.”
Gene Fazio is anticipating the acting and technical professionals at the
Phoenix Theatre will continue their contributions to the project. Fazio
said members of the Phoenix Theatre will participate in an outreach program
with MCC theater students this year, providing additional education opportunities
with workshops and seminars.
He also hopes that additional partnerships can be arranged with the MCC
Music Department.
“All this happened because the students wanted to give back to the
community,” Fazio said.
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