Category: Arts & Entertainment

By Nancy Dahal ‘28

Wyoming Seminary’s Music Department certainly made their mark this past holiday season, spreading cheer with each of their annual holiday performances. December’s chapel combined beautiful music with heartfelt proclamations of faith and provided students with a magical experience prior to their departure for Winter Break. 

Principal cellist Hannah Salesky ‘26 “thought that the concert went really well, and had so much fun playing!.” Salesky noted The Toy Symphony as a personal highlight of the program, but also “loved the combined choral and orchestra pieces and the way that the sound filled up the entire auditorium.” Under Mrs. Vaida’s instruction, the group worked for months before. Their hard work paid off – from fun melodies such as the “Libertango” by Astor Piazzolla to contrastingly slow and smooth sounds such as the “Adagietto from Symphony No. 5” by Gustav Mahler, the compositions were executed with grace and ease. Violinist Zuzana Havlickova ‘26 “really love[d] the way that the music in the concert brought different people together.” 

Along with the string ensemble, the chorale contributed to the fantastic spectacle. Notably, the Madrigals select ensemble touched audience members’ hearts with “The Snow” by Edward Elgar and the Chorale brought fun holiday cheer with Andy Beck’s arrangement of “Sleigh Ride” with its own horse soloists. Chloe Caputo ‘26 also performed an incredible solo as a part of “The Bleak Midwinter,” arranged by Mark Hayes, prior to the full choir/orchestra’s performance of “Silent Night” that closed the concert. Thanks to the hard work of Dr. Hall, Mrs. Hall, and Ms. Tsukasa as well as all the students and faculty involved, the Chorale continues to bring festivities to our campus. 

These two different ensembles fused their talents to present a showcase that truly wowed the community. The variety of pieces performed ranged heavily in manner with somber declarations to triumphant celebrations all packed into an explosive demonstration of technique and passion. Students and faculty involved sang their hearts out for the holiday season, a testament to the countless hours spent perfecting sequences on their individual instruments. 

By Abby Ryu ’26

The 2025-2026 Wyoming Seminary Fall Musical Blood Brothers took place this past weekend, November 7-9, on the Kirby Center for Creative Arts (KCCA) stage. For those who did not attend, Blood Brothers, originally written by Willy Russell in 1983, tells the tale of twins who were separated at birth and grow up in very different socioeconomic classes. Chloe Caputo ‘26 played the poor mother, forced to trade one of her twins, played by Sophia Roper ‘28 and Kurt Soreth ‘26, to a rich infertile mother, Kate Barth ‘26, as she could not support both financially. 

The cast worked tirelessly throughout the months leading up to opening night under the guidance of director Mr. Sherry and faculty advisors like Mr. Harvey and Mrs. Voijtko. Every day was spent rehearsing, either blocking (positioning actors on stage) or working on music or dancing. When asked about the most difficult part of preparations, Sophomore George Malloy ‘25 didn’t hesitate in his response: “the accent, which is Scouse or RP British depending on the social class.” Regardless of the challenges however, the cast did not falter in continuing to put forth their best effort and it definitely paid off; the work poured into the production was very clearly felt by the audience. 

This year marked the end of an era in Wyoming Seminary Theatre as it bid farewell to many long-time staple performers–Kurt Soreth ‘26, Chloe Caputo ‘26, and Kate Barth ‘26. When asked about her feelings towards participating in her last Wyoming Seminary Fall Musical, senior Chloe Caputo ‘26 reminisced “I have made some of my best friends through SEM theatre and will always cherish memories I’ve made here. However, I’m also very excited to see what’s next for me in the future.” A similar sentiment–nostalgia towards the past but also excitement for the future–is felt towards Wyoming Seminary Theatre more broadly as this year welcomed new performers and featured younger names in leading roles like Sophomore Sophia Roper ‘28. The performance, all in all, served as an unforgettable final bow for seniors and left both the audience, as well as the performers, in excited anticipation for what’s to come next year!

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.