Winter Performing Arts Night 2024

This year’s event took place on the evening of Tuesday, February 27, gathering the community to celebrate the end of the winter season and the beginning of the spring season. 

The Jazz Ensemble kicked off the night with soulful performances of “Moanin’” by The Jazz Messengers, “Tough Talk” by The Crusaders, and “Lucretia” by Megadeth, all led by Performing Arts Chair Steve Cady.

Zoe Jacobs ’24 took to the stage for a performance of John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery” and was accompanied by Humanities Department Chair Greg Martin on guitar and backing vocals. Later in the performance, Zoe returned to the piano to perform an original song titled “The Girl I Knew.”

In a series of skits that was both interactive and laughter inducing, the VA Improv Troupe prompted the audience to come up with three words by asking for a fun place to go, an activity people like to do, and something you would find in a neighbor’s garage. The audience came up with “arcade, eating, and rat”, and the team improvised a silly string of stories that incorporated all three words. 

As the VA Improv Troupe departed the stage, the stage was set for the Chamber Ensemble to perform. They started off with a traditional English round “Welcome Every Guest” (composer unknown) followed by the first movement from a string quartet by composer David Stone then concluded with the 2nd movement of Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony.

The Improv Troupe came back to perform again with a musical theater twist on improvisation. Starting with input from the audience about a suggestion for spring break, the beach, their dialog started. When Mr. Barron heard a snippet of dialogue that sounded like a really good title of a song, he enlisted the audience's help by shouting “SING IT!” and the actors burst into song whose lyrics would tie to the most recent line of dialogue. For instance, one actor said, “My perception of reality is vastly shifting right now” in the skit, to which the actors had to come up with a song about that line on the spot. The songs they came up with were impressive as was having the poise and creativity to do so on their feet. The laughter from the audience signaled that this was a great addition to the evening program.

Vocal Ensemble Instructor Ashley Storrow led the Vocal Ensemble next in performances of “Love is Love is Love is Love” by Abbie Betinis, “Ishe Oluwa” by Women of the Calabash, and “Kaleidoscope Heart” by Sara Bareilles.

Next, the Jazz and Chamber Ensembles joined together for Chicago’s “Make Me Smile”. Then the Vocal Ensemble rejoined for an all-ensemble performance of “Build Me Up Buttercup”, a song written by Mike d'Abo and Tony Macaulay, and released by the Foundations in 1968. With the stage filled with performers coupled with a lively well known song, it was hard not to sing along. 

For the finale, Dance Coach Lindsey Fitzgerald took to the podium to introduce the three part performance the Dance Team gave. Each of the three different routines explored a different phase of life: childhood, growing up, and adulthood. Before each phase was represented, Ms. Fitzgerald gave words on each, their meaning, and how it might connect not only to the lives of the dancers, but to the audience before her, and beyond. “Childhood” was expressed through the song “Young Turks” by Rod Stewart, as the dancers playfully pranced across the stage. “Growing up” was personified through powerful, structured movements, choreographed by Dance Team Co-Captain Ruby Besson ’25, to “Runaway” and “Praise God” by Kanye West, and “Vienna” by Billy Joel. Finally, “adulthood” was represented lyrically with Mitski’s “Two Slow Dancers”. 

Vermont Academy Performing Arts recognizes Dr. Jennifer Zaccara, Brian Gilloran, Jeff Gaudet, AMT Productions, VA Faculty, Maintenance, and Housekeeping, and families and friends of VA for their help in supporting another fantastic Winter Performing Arts Night. Photos of the night can be found here on Flickr. 

Vermont Academy Jazz Ensemble

Mr. Steve Cady, Director

Sofia Bianconi ’24

Bryce Boyd-Tucker ’24

Eric Chen ’27

Asper Donath ’26

Mason Evans ’26

Ana Hernandez-Merkle ’25

Charlie Hodgson ’25

Hale Hurwitz ’27

Aly Lantz ’25

Caitlin Masure ’25

Oliver Norkun ’26

Sydney Palmiotto ’24

Luke Pennell ’26

Morgan Studin ’25

Oliver Walsh-Fischetti ’25

Vermont Academy Improv Troupe

Mr. Jonathan Barron, Director 

Libby Cooper ’25

Andy Darcy ’25

Asper Donath ’26

Suki Lambert ’25

Caitlin Masure ’25

Casey Rhodes ’27

Maya Sbardellati ’25

Vermont Academy Chamber Music Ensemble

Mr. Steve Cady, Director

Bryce Boyd-Tucker ’24

Asper Donath ’26

Ana Hernandez-Merkle ’25

Suki Lambert ’25

Caitlin Masure ’25

Catherine Min ’27

Sydney Palmiotto ’24

Luke Pennell ’26 

Antisha Ssuna ’25

Morgan Studin ’25

​​Vermont Academy Vocal Ensemble

Ms. Ashley Storrow, Director

Sofia Bianconi ’24

Libby Cooper ’25

Raymond Feng ’25

Suki Lambert ’25

Caitlin Masure ’25

Catherine Min ’27

Casey Rhodes ’27

Maya Sbardellati ’25

Vermont Academy Dance Team

Ms. Lindsey Fitzgerald, Coach

Lexi Berrettini ’24

Ruby Besson ’25

Grace Duffy ’24

Sydney Palmiotto ’24

Rico Putnam-Pouliot ’24

Morgan Studin ’25