Tubera to play Fantine in Les Miz Guam

Erica Faye Tubera

A young performer from Saipan will travel to Guam to play a coveted role in the beloved musical Les Miserables.

Sixteen-year-old dancer, singer, and actress Erica Faye Tubera will play the role of Fantine when the world-famous musical premieres in Guam.

Tubera is set to travel to the U.S. territory on Aug. 28 to take on the role.

Les Miserables is based on the novel written by French writer Victor Hugo. The five-part novel was re-written into a musical in 1985, according to an online source. The musical is now one of the most popular and longest running musicals in the world.

Tubera will be the first from Saipan to take on the role of Fantine in the World Theater Production’s school edition presentation of Les Miserables. It’s the role that won Anne Hathaway an Oscar in the musical’s film version and is most known for the song I Dreamed A Dream.

According to Tubera, the story behind earning an audition for the Les Miserables musical was an unexpected surprise. She said she was in Guam in March for the Tumon Bay Music Festival (the Marianas High School Glee Club—the group that Tubera is a member of—joins the festival annually). The musical’s director, Jojo Urquico, was one of the TBMF judges and witnessed her duet with Rinisa Torres on I Dreamed a Dream. The rendition won them the silver award.

According to Tubera, about a week after she had arrived back on Saipan, Urquico himself contacted her, requesting that she audition for a part in the play he was directing that turned out to be Les Miserables.

According to Tubera, she was ecstatic that she was asked to audition but was disappointed to learn that she needed to return to Guam the following weekend for the audition. Tubera said she was in tears because she knew she would not be able to afford the ticket to return to Guam. Tubera was also heartbroken because Les Miserables is her all-time favorite musical.

Fortunately, Tubera was told a few days later that a video audition would suffice. Soon after sending in her audition tape, she received news that she had been chosen for the role.

According to Tubera, she started performing at the age of 3. Tubera also cited that Disney and Broadway star Lea Salonga played the role of Fantine.

Although she struggles with the fear that she may not meet the challenge of the role, she is constantly reminded by the important people in her life that she is capable if she continues to persevere. “Acting has always been the biggest challenge for me,” said Tubera. “Knowing that I am one of the first people on the island that has accomplished this makes me feel very proud.”

She said this all would not have been possible without the support and love of her family, friends, and the love of her island.

“My mom, dad, brothers, my friends in the glee club, and my boyfriend C.J. continue to inspire me to work hard for this… now, I am more than excited to represent the island for this upcoming show and I pray it would be a success,” said Tubera.