Category: Arts & Entertainment

By Benecio Carpentier ‘24

Theater season is in full swing, so it only makes sense that SEM Drama is on the homestretch for November’s performance of ‘Guys and Dolls.” The iconic Broadway show, based on the short stories of American writer Damon Runyon, has been performed across the world since its 1950 opening run. The classic show about New York gamblers and dancing damsels hasn’t been performed at Wyoming Seminary since 1996. 

“Guys and Dolls” follows Benecio Carpentier ‘24 as gambling ringmaster Nathan Detroit challenging big-time better Sky Masterson, played by David Getz ‘24, to a bet over Sky’s ability to woo conservative mission worker Sarah Brown, portrayed by Rachel Lewis ‘25. As Sky becomes stuck between his betting ways and his love for Sarah, Nathan struggles with his own romance with ditzy dancer Adelaide, performed by Lily Roberti ‘24, and his reluctance to marry her after fourteen years. 

Supporting cast members include Ari Froelich ‘24 as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, Michael Vodzak ‘24 as Benny Southstreet, Kathryn Eidam ‘27 as Big Jule, Abby Whitby ‘24 as Major Abernathy, Chloe Caputo ‘26 as General Cartwright, Harry Xu ‘25 as Rusty Charlie, and Matias Tollinen ‘25 as Harry the Horse. The show’s soundtrack, composed by legend Frank Loesser, includes timeless songs like “Fugue for Tinhorns”, “Adelaide’s Lament”, and “Sit Down, You’re Rockin the Boat.”

Abby Whitby ‘24 gave her thoughts on how different the musical experience for “Guys and Dolls” has been compared to last year’s “Bright Star”; Whitby said, “…going through the big ensemble numbers in the first rehearsals was good, because we could get it down easier, the stuff that was easier to learn.” Technical Director Floyd Bussie, Jr. worked in tandem with Director Jason Sherry ‘91 to design and construct the set pieces for the show’s Broadway setting.  

By Dino Perusko ’24

“You take a couple of geniuses, put them in a room together and… Holy schalmoley”, a line from unintentionally funny and old Gaston, might best describe what has been rehearsing for the past 1 month and a half on the BPAC stage at Wyoming Seminary. Sem’s drama department has been preparing its first spring play after almost a three-year break due to the pandemic, and it is coming back in full swing.

Set in a smoky cabaret in Paris, Picasso at the Lapin Agile presents two geniuses at the start of their career in 1904, just one year before Albert Einstein transformed physics by publishing his Special Theory of Relativity, and three years before the famous painter shook the art world with his cubism in the painting Les Demoiselles d’Avignon. The play also casts time-traveling Elvis Presley and slightly delusional scientist Schmendiman.

Filled with the new ideas that have transformed the 20th century, the play takes its audience from humor-filled scenes to more serious and thought-provoking dialogues set in the dawn of the 20th century. With hilarious one-liners, shaky and unstable relationships, and two geniuses that have marked the 20th century,  the play is secured to keep the audience entertained, shaking from laughter, and engaged since “the lights came up, and the lights went down”.

Directed by Ellen Sherry, featuring Dino Perusko ‘24 as Freddy, Harry Xu ‘25 as Gaston, Peyton Popple ‘23 as Germaine. Benecio Carpentier ‘24 as Einstein, Ari Froehlich ‘24 as Sagot, Ainsley Eidam’23 as Picasso, Kate Soreth ‘26 as Schmendiman, Anna Chong ‘24 as Countess, Holly Egbert ‘23 / Lauren Urosevich ‘23 as admirers and Alex Smulowitz ‘25 as a visitor, this absurdist comedy written by Steve Martin will shine on stage, in the black-box setting of BPAC, on Friday, April 28, as the first spring play at Sem since 2019.

By Lily Roberti ’24

Wyoming Seminary’s Dance Company finally brought the show of the year, “Dance Creations,” to life on the stage of the Kirby Center for Creative Arts. With pirouettes, tour jetés, and smiling faces, the second weekend in May revealed the hard work they’ve been putting in all year long. Sem’s forty-second annual dance show was a huge success, bringing boarders, day students, and parents together to celebrate dance.

With a significantly smaller dance company than last year, Sem Dance Company had very large shoes to fill. Twenty-nine dancers made up the company this year. This included four lower-school students, one alumnus (Robert Zaloga ‘20), and six other male dancers who volunteered their time to accompany us. Que Riggins ‘24, one of those generous male dancers, says, “Dance has given me the opportunity to see the arts from a different point of view. I’m able to be an onstage performer rather than just being behind the scenes.” The show was also graced by two faculty dancers, Brennan Twardowski and Charles Carrick.

Sem’s dancers had been preparing for this show since before winter break. They rehearsed through months of difficult choreography, juggling other extracurriculars and schoolwork, and multiple injuries within the company. It all turned out to be worth it, as the exhilaration of being on stage and showcasing their talent brought many spectators. Lauren Urosevich ‘23 says, “The show this year is our first show that is 100% back to normal since 2019, which is super exciting! The dance company has been working very hard to bring this show to the stage for everyone to enjoy. This time of the year is super exciting for the dance company as a whole, but as a senior it is very bittersweet.”

This year, six students were chosen for the honor of choreographing their own piece for the show. Seniors Lauren Urosevich, Holly Egbert, Sasha Roumyantseva, Allison Luo, and juniors Lucy Lew and Molly Kopetchny were the lucky group. From beautiful, flowing lyrical pieces to loud, sassy jazz, these student choreographers brought great variety and talent to the stage. Holly Egbert, a dedicated member of the dance company for four years, shares, “Getting the opportunity to choreograph my own piece for this year’s dance show has been an amazing experience. I was able to work with so many talented dancers to craft a dance that we all loved.”

Of course, the dance show could not have been possible without Bernadine Vojkto and Brennan Twardowski. Mrs. Vojkto’s commitment has been crucial in the formation of this wonderful performance, and Ms. T’s assistance and creativity helped get the show up and running. This year, Ms. T took it a step further and became a choreographer, creating an upbeat and fun piece called “She Can Dance.” Mrs. Vojtko’s experience helped set up most of the choreography that hit the stage, including a  jazzy theater piece, “Too Darn Hot,” and the finale of the show: a series of Western-inspired dances concluding with the entire company onstage for “Hoedown.” Raphael Cooper was the final talented pro involved in choreographing, putting together a bold tap sequence to “Fireball.” With the collaboration of these phenomenal professionals and the dedicated dancers, Sem’s 2023 Dance Show was a huge success!