Meet the Actor: Junior Tesoro

Meet the Actor: Junior Tesoro

Meet the Actor: Junior Tesoro
Meet the Actor: Junior Tesoro

Where were you born? Born Hermenigildo Domingo Tesoro, Jr. in Agaña, Guam, but moved to Hawaii when I was only eight months old. Mom calls me Hermie, some friends call me Jun jun, siblings call me June.

Where did you go to school? I attended St. Theresa’s for nine years! Then I taught a special drama class for my fourth grade teacher, Miss Rowley! Mrs. Ueda is still waiting for me to come back to teach her class…sorry, Mrs. Ueda!

Who was your best friend when you were a kid? My best friend at the time was Jeffrey Yeda or Brian Ozama!

What were your favorite stories? I always enjoyed reading about “Babar the Elephant” or “The Five Chinese Brothers”, but when I had my son I would recreate “Where the Wild Things Are” for him, and he’d be tickled when we’d have ‘gnashing of teeth’ and ‘slash our claws’!

When did you start doing theatre? My very first play was in eighth grade, and I played the court jester. My first play at Hawaii Pacific College, I played an English accountant, and gave him a unique laugh that included my aunt’s cackle! My first play at HTY was “Hula Heart” by Velina Houston.

Why do you like doing theatre? The creative process of dreaming up a character, and having a creative team build a whole STORY and world for this character is crazy AWESOME!

What’s been the most rewarding part of working on this play? When something is “not challenging”, you can easily approach the role or character with nothing new or original. Always shake things up! Always give your character some spice and flavor: in the voice or action or the face or a secret only you know. If the director says, “too much”, THEN you pull back. That may mean, now you give to your team. Just give anything! Your audience wants to take you in. Let them inhale with their eyes!

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