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East Union grad on center stage at Delta
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Manteca’s Amanda Lewis plays a USO singer in the Delta College production of “A Piece of My Heart.” - photo by Photo Contributed
It’s a Delta College Theatre production – “A Piece of My Heart” – starring East Union High grad Amanda Lewis.

The curtain went up on the first performance last Friday night and continues through this Saturday at 8 p.m. as well as this Sunday in the intimate Studio Theatre on the third floor of the Locke Building of the Stockton campus.

It is the third play for the 18-year-old Lewis who combines singing and acting in the role of “Mary Jo” – a USO singer in her trek to the Vietnam War as an entertainer.  “Be My Baby” is her number one song with others filling the background of the scenes.

While she was involved in only one play as a high school freshman, she is actively pursuing theater as her life’s vocation.  Amanda was a member of the Advance Choir at East Union during her four years there, and was a regular member of that singing group performing every holiday season at the noon Manteca Rotary luncheon.

Her first junior college play at Delta was in May – “Reefer Madness,” – a 1930s musical satire with a touch of Americana.  Amanda was in the ensemble in that production.

In July she joined the cast of “Godspell” at Delta – a play written in the 1970s with a cast of 12 in the roles of the disciples of Jesus.

Amanda has also been active with the Delta Singers and County Honor Choirs.  She looks forward to transferring to the UC program in the fall of 2010 majoring in Performing Arts and Music.  Her mom – Lenna Lewis – emphasized how proud she and her husband Richard are of their daughter’s pursuits.  She said Amanda would sing “Whistle While You Work” when cleaning her playtime kitchen as a three-year old at home.

When Amanda was a high school senior she chose “theater” as her senior project at St. Anthony’s School.  She coordinated the eighth grade play “”Beauty and the Beast” teaching some 20 students their singing and dancing parts.  

Sabrina Willis, Brooke Martin, Liz Old, LaFonda Black and Nichole Benesch also star in this powerful and profound remembrance of Vietnam in which six courageous women struggle to make sense of a war that irrevocably changed them and a nation that shunned them.

Inspired by stories of valiant nurses and entertainers, this stunning drama about heroism, ideals and sacrifice continues Delta College’s exploration of theatrical documentary, and offers a timely reflection on America and war.

The male cast includes Robert Holloway, of Manteca, Trini Santos, Floyd Hill, Joel Kester, Dan Wilner and Luis Alvarez.  Tickets are $12 for regular admission and $10 for students and seniors and may be purchased at the box office or at http://www.Deltacollege.edu/div/finearts/dept/dca/boxoffice.html.