Category: Arts & Entertainment

By Nancy Dahal ‘28

With the end of the school year, the dedication of the Sem Dance Company has come to a finale with their spring performance. Ballet to Broadway, presented on May 9th and 11th, provided the student body with a transformative production on the KCCA stage. From the elegance of La Bayadere, to the energy of Ease on Down the Road and the enthralling effect of A Chorus Line, the industry of the dancers and directors involved became evident as soon as the spotlight came on opening night. 

Composed of twenty-six dancers, Ballet to Broadway delivered a creative blend of genres and pieces that left the audience starstruck. Out of those twenty-six dancers included were alumni Brennan Twardowski, Activities Director and Assistant Director of the Dance Program ‘10 and Robert Zaloga ‘20 who devoted their time both instructing students and dancing alongside them. 

Other faculty members and Lower School student, Gigi Ruderman ‘29, contributed to the performance as well, notably in the dance titled It’s Your Wedding Day in which Upper School Faculty appeared in a line dance among students. All of this was made possible by Bernadine Vojtko’s commitment to the company and her dancers. In regards to her experience in the Sem Dance Company, Aniella Gabello-Timinski ‘26 said, “My experience dancing here has been memorable. I came in as a freshman and was instantly welcomed into the community. Throughout the past 3 years, I have grown both as a person and a dancer, even earning myself a solo this year. This year’s Broadway themed performance surely has brought in a bunch of people of all experiences”

As well as determined work of the faculty, many students had a hand in bringing the performance to life. The Choreographer’s Workshop has contributed incredible pieces to an already astounding performance. The six dancers involved in the Choreographer’s Workshop: Abby Lott ‘25, Reece Fisher ‘25, Aniella Gabello-Timinski ‘26, Aubrey Fisher ‘27, Karolina Harvanova ‘27, and Melina Ospina-Wiese ‘27 have devoted much of their time preparing for this performance and have inspired many other students as a result. Reece Fisher ‘25 described her experience choreographing for Ballet to Broadway as such, “My experience choreographing here has helped me expand my knowledge of dance as well as learn how to create a piece that highlights each dancer’s ability” 

The forty-fourth annual dance show was a tribute to the time of the students, choreographers, and teachers involved and acted as a testament to the hard work Mrs. Votjko and her dancers have been in the company for decades. It is fantastic that The Sem Dance Company will continue to provide such performances for years to come and we all await what they have to offer next season.

Michael DeMuro ‘27

Sem’s Arts Department at Wyoming Seminary does a new and different type of theater production every term. At the beginning of the year, there is the fall musical. At the end of the year, there is the spring play. In the middle of the year, there is the winter workshop, the best opportunity for one to experience all facets of theater, all in a black box format, which has the audience sitting almost next to the actors while they perform.

Out of all the theater productions, the workshop is arguably the most comedic to watch as a spectator. For actors, it is also very easy to fit it into their schedules because of the flexibility provided by the directors. Depending on how many scenes you are in as an actor, depends on how your schedule is made. You can be placed in different “slates” which are different sets of skits and are shown on different nights. If for example, you are only in one skit, then you will have a lot less rehearsal time than someone who is in three skits. Regarding the process for producing the workshop, as Jason Sherry ‘90 Fine and Performing Arts Chair, one of the directors of the workshop, said, “We start with several scenes in mind that we want to do, and then we hold the auditions… it’s a real process, in the beginning, trying to match actors with scenes and trying to find something to highlight everyone.” 

Some of the scenes come from more famous areas of pop culture, such as Saturday Night Live (SNL), or they could be from smaller sources such as indie playwrights.  Students are also given the option to write a scene. Regardless of the source, whether the scene makes it into the show depends on how well the scene can be used, and if there are actors that fit the roles provided.

It is not just rehearsal and scenes that make the show, it also comes down to the technical aspects. As for the process, Moira Poepperling ‘25 said, “For tech, I sit upstairs in the booth, and I have to mark up every script as to what cues go where… sound, lights, sound effects, everything.” Everything from a phone ringing to a gunshot, all sound effects have to be prepared and ready to go at the sign of a cue from an actor, which as stated earlier, has to be noted on a master script. Then the people working the tech have to be ready to click the prepared sound effect right on cue, and if it’s missed then it’s missed and the show must go on. 

The winter workshop provides many opportunities;  new actors are allowed to experience the stage, and seasoned actors can try roles and genres they have not tried before. Next time that the winter workshop is premiering, go watch your peers on the stage, and perhaps you will be inspired to step onto the stage yourself.

By Abby Lott ’25

On Saturday, October 5, the Arts Department showcased Wyoming Seminary’s vast performance opportunities. The showcase took place in the Kirby Center for Creative Arts and was open to all students, faculty, and family who wished to attend.

The Drama Department opened the showcase with a preview of their upcoming performance of Once Upon A Mattress. With the performance running from November 8 through 10, George Malloy ‘28 and Laura Olsen ‘27 had only been working on the show for a few weeks, but nonetheless performed a scene along with their duet “In a Little While.” 

Following the Drama Department’s wonderful performance, the Wyoming Seminary Dance Company performed their beloved number, “Uptown Girl” to the tune by Billy Joel. The number featured company members between the graduating classes of ‘25 and ‘29, including Reece Fisher ‘25 who describes her experience performing as “Joyful!” Further saying that the Arts Showcase is “always a pleasure to perform in. It is so lovely to showcase our hard work within the company to our family and friends before performance season begins.” Contrasting the upbeat number, Senior, and Arts Department representative, Abby Lott ‘25, performed a Lyrical solo, titled “Lullaby,” to the song by Billy Joel. This heart-warming number was created as a tribute to motherhood and the connection between mother and child.

Within the Music Department, the Jazz Ensemble performed a tune called “Now’s The Time” by jazz legend, Charlie Parker, consisting of improvisation opportunities for the musicians. Senior, and Arts Department representative, Tommy Majkowski ‘25 performed a solo in the piece, along with other ensemble members. In addition, the string ensemble performed a work titled “The Lovers’ Waltz,” originally written by Jay Unger and Molly Mason. The composition performed by the ensemble was arranged by Andrew Dabczynski to include strings and harp in the lush melody. Concluding the performance, the Wyoming Seminary Chorale presented two selections of praise and celebration. The first was an adaptation of Mozart’s festive “Alleluia, to Thee We Sing!” and the second was a French setting of the text “Chantez Alleluia!” by Dave and Jean Perry. 

When asked about the importance of the showcase, Jason Sherry, Fine, and Performing Arts Department Chair, said, “It’s always fun to put together because for some of our ensembles, it’s the first time they get a chance to perform in public. It’s also usually the only time that all of our programs get to perform together, which is so special!”

Emphasizing the excitement in the collaboration between ensembles and programs in the department, this weekend was truly a special experience for all who performed and attended. Lots of hard work goes into preparing performances, so it is always nice to see a preview of what the year is going to look like in the department as Wyoming Seminary community members.