T O D A Y - Berwick Academy

18
theatre and dance.
In addition to voice
lessons, I sang in the
school choir all four
years of high school.
Berwick Academy
provides students with so many opportunities, and I
was able to host my own private voice recital junior
year. Berwick allowed me to use the auditorium, and
I am very grateful that I attended a school that would
so graciously lend out a large venue just for a single
student. The dance program was also a great learning
experience as well. I studied tap and jazz dancing for
three years with Christine Bessette. The classes were
extremely fun, and they were
crucial in supplementing my
passion for live theatre.
“I believe that my experience in the theatre department really
allowed me to explore myself and develop my own conceptual
capabilities tremendously.” - Dana Fennessey
“My studies in both
music and dance helped
prepare me tremendously for
my involvement in theatre.
Berwick Academy provided
so many opportunities to
grow as an actor, whether one
was participating in a drama
or a musical. Ever since my
fi rst year at Berwick, I was
lucky to work in the theatre
department. There was such
a sense of collaboration and
exploration of self, both as
actors and as individuals, and
these qualities transformed
those involved into more wellrounded
thinkers and people.
Working with Liz-Anne Platt
and Polly Davie on various
theatre productions was a blast.
To be able to take a character
and shape it into your own is
such a positive experience.
They were so supportive of
each actor’s decisions and
allowed you to reflect on characters and emotions in
such unique ways. Whether it was how you decided to
craft an interpretation of a song from Oklahoma! or how
you delivered a specific line in The Mouse Trap, the team
was very supportive and creative.
“After graduating from Berwick Academy, I
decided to attend New York University. Originally, I
studied Music Business, but I ultimately transferred into
the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at NYU after
Gail Haskell plays along with her student during the
spring recital.
my freshman year of college. The original purpose of
majoring in Music Business was to combine a business
education with further musical training. I took classes
in music theory, sang in the Tisch School of the Arts
choir, and enrolled in private voice lessons. I knew that
I did not want to be a professional musician but instead
just engage in my hobby during college. Unfortunately,
the program was far too music-focused, and I decided
to gain a broader business education in NYU Stern.
After my freshman year, I no
longer took music classes or
sang in the choir, but I did
take private voice lessons
when my schedule allowed.
“After transferring
into NYU Stern, I decided
to double major in Finance
and Management &
Organizational Behavior.
I am thrilled with my
business education, and I
feel that it has prepared
me for a diverse array of
careers, as well as show me
how to think strategically.
I just graduated from NYU
Stern, and I begin work at
Barclays Capital in their
Investment Banking division
this summer.
“I feel that my
experience in the arts at
Berwick Academy has had
a strong impact on the way
I think and interact with
others. Life is all about
people and collaboration,
and so are music, dance, and theatre. Even if one is
performing in a solo recital, there is a team of people
who helped prepare, organize, and run the show. No
one works alone in the arts, and I believe that my
experience working with others at Berwick has allowed
me to be at ease when working in a group setting.
“One anecdote I will always remember
summarizes so perfectly why music and art are the
fundamentals of teamwork. A choir director once