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We love love. So in the vibrant spirit of Valentine’s day, here are some of our favorite faculty love stories:  Student Life Associate Kevin Kelly and Language teacher Xiao Feng Kelly first met when Mrs. Kelly was invited to the University of Maine in Farmington as an exchange professor from Beijing. Mr. Kelly happened to be taking classes there, and the two first met during a fateful exchange at the dining hall. Going to school in Hawaii for three years, Mr. Kelly said, “I was really really good at looking at people’s nationalities … so I went up to [Mrs. Kelly] and I said, ‘Excuse me, are you from China?’” Mr. Kelly jokes that it was “Not the best opening line,” but soon enough, the couple was skiing down Mount Sugarloaf in Maine on their first date. Mrs. Kelly said, “I never thought, after teaching so many years, that I would come to the United States and meet some American guy in the dining hall!” Now, Mr. Kelly and Mrs. Kelly have been together for 31 years, with two daughters and a granddaughter who recently turned one. They said they really just love being together with family, whether it is over the holidays, going out for dinner, or witnessing their granddaughter first try to walk while holding onto the couch.  Senior Associate Director of Admission Dana Emerson and Science Teacher Toby Emerson’s story starts at a Halloween party. In around three years time (including two breakups, after both of which Mr. Emerson admits he “came back on his own”), Mr. Emerson planned to pop the big question at a golf course. However, the week of the planned proposal, Mrs. Emerson fainted and split her lip open against the bathroom counter, as well as sliced her ring finger on a broken glass. Mr. Emerson, however, decided that the show must go on–he says he still brought “his bride” down to the golf course, where, after his proposal, he discovered that the ring did not fit on Mrs. Emerson’s “swollen bloody finger,” Mrs. Emerson explained. She also recalls that after the proposal, Mr. Emerson made them continue the round of golf. Now married nearly 30 years, Mr. Emerson says that their favorite dates include walking their dogs and watching the sunset at the beach on the Cape. Mr. Emerson is proud of the things their love has withstood, including one anecdote he shared: when Mr. Emerson was driving with Mrs. Emerson and their one-year-old son, who had started crying hysterically and vomited. Mrs. Emerson says that she knew “our son Zeke was going to get sick and [Mr. Emerson] refused [to pull over]” even after she repeatedly insisted, and “I got so mad that I chucked the puke at the side of his head. I knew that he really loved me.” Spanish Teacher Yoel Castillo Botello and his partner Elad Carmel’s story is deeply rooted in their academia and research. Profe Botello, a scholar of Iberian literature and performance, first met Dr. Carmel, a scholar of British history and philosophy, when they were going to conferences in New York City. Profe Botello says that “actually, it was really nice, because we met at Stonewall, which really is a very important iconic bar for the LGBTQ movement in New York City.” While their story begins in a city, Profe Botello says that “because of COVID, we really started prioritizing, going out and doing hikes, and finding beautiful places to visit and to walk by, and I think that that has become our most important way of dating.” As a couple, one of their favorite spots includes the National Park in New Hampshire.

For upperclassmen here at Deerfield, one of the many perks that comes along with seniority is the freedom to move about campus during the designated study hall period. From the hours between 7:45 to 9:45 p.m., students have an array of options for how they will occupy their “free” time. On school nights, you can find juniors and seniors practically anywhere on campus: studying at the library, grabbing a snack from the Greer, or making a trip to a friend’s dorm. This freedom differs tremendously from the typical nighttime routines of underclassmen, but recent events inside the upperclassmen dorms have brought back restrictions, creating this dreaded block of time. “Dorm restrictions” have taken the campus by storm as winter angst has impacted the student body in many ways. Two upperclassmen dorms affected by these restrictions are Rosenwald-Shumway and DeNunzio. Incidents on select floors resulted in a temporary 7:45 curfew for its residents. Students in DeNunzio say unusual behavior regarding bathroom activity caused the restrictions.  The junior and senior students of “Rosho” and “DeNunz” are not the only ones under this atypical spotlight. Additionally, underclassmen have been affected by these current dorm punishments. In the freshman girl’s dorm, Johnson, cacophony is bound to erupt. When noise levels reached a certain level, members of Johnson were put on a temporary “lockdown.” During this lockdown, affected Johnson residents were required to stay inside their bedrooms. They were not allowed to leave unless particular circumstances arose. Any attempted jailbreaks from the “lockdown” would have resulted in worsened consequences, so students remained put during their “time-out.”  As continued “misbehaviors” happen inside the dorms, it raises the question: are these new restrictions and lockdowns the best way to elicit behavioral changes? In other words, how effective will these restrictions be? Is it reasonable to punish all hall members for select peoples’ behavior? When asked, certain students said they believe this method is unfair because it punished hall members who were not part of the problem incident. Although this sentiment is shared amongst students, are there other possible solutions for dealing with poor behavior inside dorms?  Despite the inconveniences the dorm limitations have put on underclassmen and upperclassmen alike, is it possible that the members of affected halls have forged a closer bond with one another? After all, one of the critical components of happiness at Deerfield is building positive connections with one another. Dorm restrictions certainly give students something to bond over, but hopefully, the continued early check-ins will end with the Spring Term in the near future.

How much of sports is physical, and how much is mental? This season, the Girls Varsity Hockey Team experienced a series of losses until their recent win against Winchendon on Wednesday, Febraury 1. Earlier in the season, the team tried what seemed like everything to try and get back into the groove of things, including a unique experience one might call a spritual ceremony. This experience was led by one of the team’s assistant coaches, Science Teacher Toby Emerson, who was influenced by his multiple superstitions. He said that he had already “exhausted every combination of clothing, hats, and rituals before games, so this was the final straw.”  The spiritual ritual was held in front of the McAlister and Field quad right after the team’s practice on Thursday, the day before the team’s home game against Northfield Mount Hermon. The ritual took around 25 minutes and consisted of the team standing around a firepit with music. Each player brought a token they wished to burn to this event.  According to one of the team’s captains, CC DesLauriers ’23, the ritual was essential, because “as a team, we realized that we needed to move forward and not dwell on the past [games]” she said. DesLauriers described the burning part of the ritual as helpful because it encouraged and enabled the team to “[feel] better about our next game and [feel] much lighter without the weight of our past few games on our backs” she added.  Although the girls lost to NMH the next day, the team put up a strong fight and the game went into overtime resulting in the final score of 1-2. Despite the loss, the game dynamics revealed that the team had built a stronger connection and reinvigorated passion for their sport and a determination to win.  The two games that followed the ritual were losses, but that third game after, the Girls Varsity Hockey team finally brought back a win against Winchendon. The saying “third time’s a charm” holds true, as it was the third game since the ritual that they won. The ritual may have been just the charm the team needed.

At Deerfield, many student athletes undergo the college recruiting process while juggling school work and an active social life.  According to Colby University hockey commit Owen Clifford ’23, the timeline of the process varies in length depending on the athlete. “You always have to be open to new things,” Clifford explained. “Things will change, coaches can get fired, and you just have to go into places with an open mind and try to figure out what the best fit for you is.”  Clifford added, “Not getting caught up on the school is a big thing. Going where you want to go, going where you’re gonna be happy, going where you’re going to get a great education and also playing a high level of hockey is important.” Clifford noted the importance of not getting caught up in the allure of “going D1,” saying, “Find where you want to be. Whatever it is. It could be the school’s food, coaches, or even just a sick locker room. Find what you want out and pursue it.”  Harvard University baseball commit Ryan McHugh ’23 stressed the importance of academics. He said, “At the end of the day, your education is most important.” He also emphasized the importance of grades during the recruitment process, saying, “Grades really do matter to coaches.” McHugh’s advice for potential recruits is to stay focused on the important things and not get distracted by the attention and media. He said, “Getting recruited at a young age is a good thing; it means you are talented and coaches respect and admire that. But, it is more important to focus on being a good teammate, and have fun.” In most NCAA sports, athletes can legally talk to coaches either on or after June 15 after sophomore year or September 1 of junior year. However, many college coaches begin to scout online as well as talk to athletes’ coaches before this time.  The hours of dedication and hard work often pay off on National Signing Day, which happens once a term. On National Signing Day, athletes sign the National Letter of Intent, a binding agreement to attend their chosen university and compete in their athletic program. While different athletes may sign at different times, it serves as an opportunity for athletes and their families to celebrate the monumental task of committing to play college athletics.  Recruiting at Deerfield, a school with an already strenuous workload, is a unique challenge. As one progresses through the recruitment process, McHugh suggests, “Talk to your coaches and create a list of potential places you would want to take a look at.” He notes that while the recruitment process can be confusing, it is important not to get lost in it. McHugh advises Deerfield athletes in particular to “learn to love Deerfield and what Deerfield has done to help your career.”

This winter season, the Deerfield ski team has gained an impressive new asset: a remodeled ski room.  Having been motivated by growing demand for the room’s improvement, team Captains Bob Zhang ’23 and Joe Brown ’23 redesigned the room, located in the basement of the Barton dorm, with Visual and Performing Arts Teacher David Payne. “Despite our stellar record, there was not much of a locker room culture. There was nowhere to sit and the doors on lockers were falling off,” Zhang said. “Joe and I had both taken architecture with Dr. Payne and realized that we could use the skills we learned in class to help out the Deerfield community.” The remodel includes a team meeting space, movable tuning benches, and seating.  However, numerous challenges arose during the project. “There were no blueprints for the old ski room in the archives, so we did not have access to preexisting, accurate, measurements of the room,” Brown said. “We had to get in the room with a tape measure and get creative!” Additionally, the students had to accommodate safety policies in their design. “I recognized that there are so many logistical elements that are crucial in design like fire codes and air circulation,” Zhang said.  Despite these difficulties, the students completed the new design with improved tools and layout for the ski room. Team Captain Josephine Cramer ’24 emphasized how the new room’s additional space and seating has brought the team together. “We used to not be able to fit [in the locker room], but now we can,” she said. “Now, we can have team meetings in [the ski room] and can be together as a team.”

Maeve Baker ’23 first picked up a squash racket at the age of seven and has not looked back since. Baker, a four-year member of the Deerfield Girls Varsity Squash team, began playing due to the influence of a childhood friend in her hometown of New Canaan, CT. Eleven years later, she has found success on the squash courts that few others can match. She quickly fell in love with the game, citing the individuality of the sport as a primary reason: “I never really liked team sports growing up, and what I like about squash is that it’s really all about you. You have complete accountability for your success or failures and can’t really credit or blame anyone else,” she said. However, Baker has found joy in celebrating victories and accomplishments with her teammates while simultaneously learning from them. She said, “I think that I learn a little bit from all my teammates, and it’s nice to have people to rely on when things are intense, but also to support, alongside yourself.” Baker emphasized the importance of team chemistry for any successful squash program, an aspect of team culture that she has worked to cultivate as a team captain this season. Teammate Kate Chorske ’25, said, “Maeve is a hard worker who inspires us to play to our best every day.” While she is a very accomplished player, one achievement stands above all for Baker: representing the U.S. during the British Junior Open in January 2023. “It was a super cool opportunity to have, and it’s something that has always been a  goal of mine. Other girls on the team, they’ve been going since they were nine, ten years old, but, for me, it was my first time on that stage.” Baker, alongside Boys Varsity Squash player Christian Capella ’25, was one of 50 players chosen to represent Team U.S.A. in England.  Baker’s stellar play earned her interest from numerous colleges, and, last year, she committed to playing squash for Stanford University. At Stanford, Baker will join her former squash teammate Isabella Rolfe ’21. Stanford disbanded their women’s squash program in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and just recently reintroduced the team to their athletics department. The 2021-22 season was their first “proper” season, and they struggled. Baker said, “Many of the players on last season’s team were walk-ons, they didn’t have that many recruits, so they kind of struggled competitively. But, I’m excited to be a part of a program that’s rebuilding and to have the opportunity to directly contribute and witness the team become more successful as time goes on.”  Baker aims to be a cornerstone of the women’s squash program at Stanford, akin to the integral role that she is had on Deerfield’s team over the past four seasons. She continued, “At Stanford, I’ll have the opportunity to play in the top nine as a freshman, which is pretty rare, since they’re still in this rebuild. But, as time goes on and they get new recruits, it’ll be harder to stay higher on the ladder. It’s usually the opposite — as time goes on for a player in the program, their spot on the ladder is usually more secure, but it won’t be that way at Stanford.”  Baker usually plays squash six out of the seven days of the week, sometimes twice a day, while maintaining a consistent regimen in the gym. This work ethic will be imperative to the completion of Baker’s ultimate goal: winning a national championship for Stanford.  Baker’s co-captain, Alex Kelsey ’23, attested to Baker’s work ethic and leadership, saying, “Maeve’s commitment to the sport, through tournaments, and showing up early to practices and staying late, is inspiring to younger players.” She continued, “People see her devotion to the sport, her passion for the sport, and it’s a good model on how to buy in and develop work ethic. Her work ethic inspires intensity on the team, and it makes younger players want to go there early, stay there late, hit the ball hard, and it helps the team stay motivated at practices. It’s inspiring to me.”  Thus far, Baker’s hard work has paid off. Alongside being committed to Stanford, Baker is currently ranked as the #9 U19 women’s squash player in the country. While she has made numerous sacrifices in order to find success as a squash player, Baker has fallen in love with the sport along the way: “I can’t imagine my life without squash,” she said. “I think even after college, when I have a career, I’ll always play, even if it’s twice a week, playing matches, hitting the ball round, just staying fit.” This sort of passion has not gone unnoticed to those close to Baker.  Personal friend and Girls Varsity Squash manager, Caroline Ghirardini ’23 said, “Her dedication toward the sport is demonstrated by the hours upon hours she spends in the courts, and the good amount of time at Deerfield she has given up for tournaments and training.”  Playing at the #1 spot on the ladder for Deerfield over the past two seasons, Baker has set the bar for what it means to be a Deerfield squash player. Many teammates and Deerfield community members will be rooting for her as she continues her journey with the Cardinal next year.

In a sea of over 20 male-identifying post-graduates that joined the class of 2023 this fall, Callia Ferraris ’23 and Kaley MacDonald ’23 are the only female-identifying PGs continuing their athletic careers at Deerfield this year.  Ferraris and MacDonald both play for the girls varsity hockey team where they’ve made a significant impact. Head Coach Brooke Fernandez described Ferraris, “a versatile team-first player, who has seamlessly stepped into a leadership role for us on and off the ice.” She continued, “Because of her phenomenal work ethic and smooth and steady presence, she is counted on in every on-ice situation for us this season.” Of MacDonald, Coach Fernandez said, “Kaley has incredible poise with the puck and great hockey IQ.” She also applauded MacDonald for her “calming presence on the ice for [the team].”  Prior to hockey season, however, the girls first had to adjust to life at Deerfield. For Ferraris, the transition was eased by her place on the varsity field hockey team this fall. For MacDonald, however, getting used to life on campus was a bit tougher. Luckily, the pair had help from CC Deslauriers ’23 and Marnie Todd ’23. Ferraris said, “Shout out to CC for being our Green Key and showing us the ropes.” MacDonald added, “And Marnie for being really welcoming.” MacDonald, hailing from the Nobles and Greenough School, has found Deerfield spirit to be a defining trait of the school, though she said, “I still have a hard time doing Aga Chi or singing the Evensong.”  Ferraris agreed, comparing Deerfield’s fan base to that of her previous school, the Taft School: “We don’t get as many fans as the boys, but compared to the amount of fans we got at Taft, it’s night and day.” She added, “I probably would have come [to Deerfield] instead of Taft if I had known how much school spirit and athletic support there is here.”  Reflecting on her time in the Valley thus far, Ferraris expressed that there is a more relaxed nature in a PG year compared to a typical highschool experience. At Taft, she said, “I was a part of clubs, I did everything, and I knew everybody.” At Deerfield, however, she said, “It’s kind of refreshing that I don’t have to worry about any of that.” An additional benefit of being a PG is, according to Ferraris, “getting to cheat the system.” She explained, “We get here and we automatically get all the senior privileges.” Referring to her own Deerfield experience, MacDonald said, “There’s so much here, but we’re here for such a short period of time that it’s so hard to ‘buy in.’”  A true measure of her time here, however, will be at Commencement this May. Earlier in the hockey season, MacDonald and Assistant Coach Toby Emerson made a bet about whether or not she will cry when it’s time for her to bid goodbye to Deerfield. If she does end up shedding a tear, MacDonald will get a tattoo of the Deerfield door, and if not, Mr. Emerson will get MacDonald’s email — kmacdonald23@deerfield.edu — inked.  Though hockey season is ending soon, Ferraris and MacDonald are looking forward to spring in the Valley. Some of their goals for the warmer months include visiting the Rock, taking a dip in the River, getting back into a routine of eating breakfast in the dining hall, getting tan on the Lower Fields, and continuing to meet friends on campus. For the time being, the pair is finding company with their newest friend, a beta fish named Pumpkin who they share with Delauriers and Todd.

When Forrest Gao ’23 was five years old, his parents bought him a small electric keyboard. From there, his passion for the piano was sparked. He soon upgraded to a full sized piano, began taking lessons, and by 8th grade was recognized as PBS’s June 2018 Classical Student Musician of the Month.  Regarding his parents’ influence on his musical journey, Gao said, “My grandfather was a pretty musical person, but I think my parents didn’t play too much music in their time, so they really wanted me to play some piano.”  Gao finds inspiration in musicians both far and close to home. For example, he names famous Chinese pianist Lang Lang as a specific role model. More locally, Gao said with certainty that he takes inspiration from Deerfield pianist and piano teacher Yu-Mei Wei. Gao described Ms. Wei as a “fantastic pianist” and said, “I have to thank her a lot for all of the improvement I’ve made in my piano playing throughout my time at Deerfield.” When it comes to the piano’s unique traits as an instrument, Gao described, “It’s a difficult instrument because we can’t really string together any notes like on the violin or cello.” He finds enjoyment in the challenge that comes with the individuality of the keys, however. When Gao is able to create the illusion of a legato and the notes align just right, he falls in love with the music.  When Gao came to Deerfield, he began playing chamber music, and making music in a group setting quickly became special to him. During his time at the Academy, he has been a part of several chamber groups as well as the Advanced Chamber Music class during his sophomore and junior years. He has enjoyed being able to play with a variety of musicians such as violinists, violists, cellists, and flutists, as well as group sizes ranging from duos to quintets.  When Gao has a performance approaching or a big piece he is trying to learn, he will practice for around an hour and a half five days a week. Daphne Huang ’25, a musical peer of Gao’s, said, “Forrest learns things very fast, and you can totally tell he uses his analytical brain when he works on music.” She shared an anecdote about his ability to manipulate notes: Huang once asked Gao if he could make a certain portion of a piece “sound soft and round and beautiful like a pearl,” and she was amazed by his ability to do so.  One of Gao’s most memorable performances was at Carnegie Hall when he played Saint Saëns Piano Quintet in A Minor. He recalled that, since he had COVID a week before, he was uncertain about his ability to play preceding the performance. Gao was grateful to have ended up performing and said, “we had practiced for half of the school year on this one chamber piece and so finally being able to perform it was incredible.”  Gao also fondly recalls playing the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto with Ms. Wei for the 2023 Senior Concerto Competition earlier this year. Gao had anticipated complications with the logistics of playing alongside Ms. Wei with two pianos, but ultimately said, “I think we were able to mix our sound together really well.” Performing this concerto had been a dream of Gao’s since sophomore fall when he first heard it. Gao said, “I listened to all three movements of the concerto. And the one that stuck out instantly to me was the second movement.” He added, “It’s a very beautiful melodic movement. Very slow and passionate.” On Gao’s performance, Ms. Wei explained that the difficulty with the second movement of the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto is playing it slowly.  As the winner of the Senior Concerto Competition, Gao will be playing the piece again with the Deerfield Orchestra. Ms. Wei said, “I can’t wait to hear how the orchestra and him collaborate together, which will allow more color and possibilities.”

Deerfield’s plays and dance performances are some of the most attended events on campus, yet very few see what goes on behind the scenes. In theater, it takes an extreme amount of effort to convince the audience that the play is set in a different time and place. In dance, it’s very difficult to portray the characteristics and theme of a song. From the dance production Paquita in the Spring of 2018 to the upcoming Fools production, Costume Designer Karen St. Pierre is the mastermind behind all the amazing outfits students wear on stage.  Ms. St. Pierre’s career started when she received her honors undergraduate degree in Fiber Arts from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Afterwards, she worked on large productions for Hollywood Studios and Sony Pictures as an on-set costume designer. Hired 7 years ago by Director of Theater Catriona Hynds and Director of Dance Jennifer Whitcomb, Ms. Hynds said Ms. St. Pierre was chosen “because of her professionalism and willingness to go the extra mile.” She brought to Deerfield her numerous years of experience in the theater, film, and costuming industries.  She is not only known for her breathtaking designs, but also for her cheerful demeanor and welcoming support. Gracie Spencer ’25 said, “She genuinely cares about her students and it comes off very strongly.”   To Ms. St. Pierre, costume design is both a vital art form and a means of communication. For the theater department, her process begins with receiving the script after the production is chosen. She then sits down in her studio and reads through as an audience member to get a taste of what the play is like. Next, she dives into the background research of the where, when, and what the characters are like. Ms. St. Pierre said, “Being a good costume designer means you have to love historical cultural studies.” During her process, she highlights key facts and preferences of each character in the script to understand their background. She also studies what comes from the storyline to influence how the character acts, thereafter impacting a change in the way they dress. When trying to costume a character, Ms. St Pierre said she asks, “Are they influential, struggling, and what is their story arc?” She then notes down ideas of what the costume itself could look like.  In Fools, Ms. St. Pierre tried to create a “late 1700-1800s fairy tale book look” taking place in a nondescript village, where the costumes contain large amounts of texture with an earth-tone muted palette. Ms. St. Pierre found that, during that time, young girls were usually in a dress or skirt. To show that Sophia, the female lead, is a youthful character, she decided to costume her with dresses. Her costume starts with a jumper with a nightgown underneath, then a nightgown, and a wedding dress and a motherly gown for the end. As Sophia slowly realizes she falls in love, her costume reflects that with touches of sweetness and simplicity.  Sophia’s costumes are all easy quick changes, which goes for most other characters in the play. Not only does Ms. St. Pierre have to think about the design of the costume, but she also needs to keep in mind the switch from scene to scene with a costume change. Ms. St. Pierre especially designs it so students can change from each costume quickly without trouble.  For dance showcases, costumes are more finely tuned to the dancers’ preferences and chosen songs. At the start, she meets individually with each choreographer and hears their vision, listens to their music, watches their rehearsal video if they have recorded one, and starts brainstorming her ideas downstairs in the costume studio. Along the way, she collaborates with the performers to make sure the costume is to their liking.  Later on, closer to the show or performance, Ms. St. Pierre then takes these costumes and holds a costume fitting. She brings on a rack of costumes labeled individually with the student’s name, allows them to try them on, then the dancer practices in their clothes to guarantee the costume will work with the choreography. During this step, Gavin Mariani ’23 notes that “Karen makes you feel very comfortable and makes sure you have the right look.” If there are any difficulties or adjustments needed with the costume, Alice Ai ’24 said “Karen would help you pin it up and help sew it.” She pays detailed attention to needed additions and comfort levels of the costumes, especially mending to how the actor feels.  Her hard work continues throughout the dance showcases or theater productions. Behind the stage, Ms. Hynds said, “She is always there to aid with quick changes so actors aren’t left alone.” She also does the crew laundry every night, making sure everyone has a clean costume for every performance. To many students, her insistence on them having fresh clothes makes an impactful difference.  Ms. Whitcomb said, “Students often forget about the brilliance of her work because the costumes behave themselves… therefore that makes her presence invisible.”  Koko Akpan ’23 said, “Karen works behind the scenes, but she is one of the only reasons why the dance and theater program is the way it is. could not function without her.”

Amassed over decades of productions, the Deerfield theater program’s prop room holds a priceless collection of relics from past plays and musicals. According to the Royal Shakespeare Company, a prop “is any object used in a performance that isn’t part of the set or worn by an actor.”  Prop #1: A Working Typewriter (pictured above) The DA Theater Program performs many period-pieces, meaning that the play or musical is set in a specific era. Before the late 1980s, typewriters were still commonplace in most offices. This model, a Royal Safari III, was produced in the late ’80s. If the murderer needs to leave a note in a 90’s murder mystery, look no further. Prop #2 Fake Blood (pictured below) Especially in tragedies, blood gets spilled. Most recently, Deerfield performed Radium Girls by D.W. Gregory, a play based on a true story in which three dozen factory workers died from radium poisoning. Teeth, cheekbones, and whole jaws rotted from the radium, which was repeatedly exposed into the workers’ jaws from the motion of licking their paintbrushes. In a nightmare sequence, an actor walked on stage with blood falling from their mouth and spat it all over their uniform. Although the acting looks real, the blood is most definitely fake. Prop 3: A Non-Functioning Iron (pictured above) “Business” is a theater term describing the actions an actor does while delivering their lines. Business can be related to the plot of the play, or it can be completely unrelated. Ironing is fantastic business, as it is a mundane task allowing for the complete focus of the actor on their lines, and also doesn’t pull the audience’s focus away from them. Is a character breaking up with the love of their life? Maybe they are just ironing. Prop #4: A Best Actor Award (pictured to the below) “World Building” in theater is a term encompassing all the ways a theater company reinforces the world of the play for the audience. It can range from the set and the costumes all the way to the dialect and furthermore. One way theater companies build their worlds is through props. For example, if a famous, prolific movie star lived a life of success, perhaps a “Best Actor” trophy would adorn their walls. And the fake Oscar goes to… Prop #5: A Pie stuffed with a Decapitated Head (pictured to below) Sometimes a play needs a very specific prop. For example, this pie was procured for a production of The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged). In cases where a hyper-specific prop is needed, the tech crew searches far and wide for just the suitable object to fit the job. In this case, pie a la decapitated head was the answer. Props may not always look as they seem, especially if they are needed for stage trickery. Sleight of hand was necessary for this fireplace constructed for a DA performance of Clue by Peter DePietro where the back had been removed, allowing for easy exit and entrance. Add stage lights, and the actor disappears!

On Sunday, January 29, Deerfield musicians traveled to Choate Rosemary Hall to perform in a joint concert with Choate musicians. Deerfield’s orchestra, jazz band, advanced vocal ensemble, and pianists rehearsed during the day with their Choate peers and then performed together in a concert that night. In addition to rehearsals and the final performance, the day also included master classes for musicians and time to socialize.     The idea of a collaborative music experience between the two schools sprang from the tradition of the annual Deerfield–Choate athletic competition, which just celebrated its 100th anniversary. Director of Music Thomas Bergeron and Choral Director Michael Pfitzer sought to bring to the world of art the spirit of enthusiasm that the two schools carry to the athletic field. Instead of competing, however, students would demonstrate their dedication and skills in a discipline built on sharing and communication; students from the two schools come to know each other as equals instead of rivals, since, in music, a group can only succeed when all participants do their part.  Discussing the idea for this new “Choate Music Day,” Mr. Bergeron explained that musical performance is about a group of people striving towards the same goal, which creates a certain type of trust among them. “In addition to technical performance,” Mr Bergeron said, “there is creativity in the moment. There is decision making… The only difference between musical performance and athletic competition might be the motivation on a musical stage is emotional and creative. It is about expressing an emotion and about reaching an audience. The motivation creates a different kind of energy.”  Iris Wong ’23 who was the concertmaster for the joint orchestra performance said, “it was [a] really fun experience working with double the musicians with the simple intention of breathing musically as an unit.” Among the works played at this joint concert were Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite for string players, featuring Deerfield soloists. A combined winds ensemble played Gustav Holst’s First Suite in E-flat. Jazz bands performed Count Basie’s Vine Street Rumble. Deerfield and Choate pianists will play a variety of four and six hand compositions. The combined choruses also embodied the theme of harmonious collaboration by singing works including Eric Whitacre’s Lux Aurumque, which conveys the idea of heavenly light and celebration, and Arianne Abela’s Now We Can Begin, about the women’s suffrage movement. Dr. Pfitzer looks forward to the connections that Deerfield students will make with their Choate peers. He said, “We get there and understand that the Choate students next to us feel the same way – they are prepared but they are also nervous just like us. … And at the break we are going to look at each other and say ‘Wow, that was hard’ or ‘Hey, that sounded really cool.’ We will make a connection over music.” Both Mr. Bergeron and Dr. Pfitzer are familiar with the spirit of rivalry. Mr. Bergeron graduated from Yale while Dr. Pfitzer received doctorate at Harvard. Annually, the two colleges compete on the football field on a Saturday similar to Choate Day. The Friday night before, a choral concert is held to create a moment of togetherness before the rivalry the next day.  This year the concert is hosted by Choate to align with the athletic schedule of Choate Day which also happened at Choate. For Deerfield to do so next year will require our school to identify a space large enough to accommodate the combined size of the performing groups.  Mr. Bergeron and Dr. Pfitzer are grateful to Choate for hosting this first occasion. They hope that this adaptation of Choate Day will become an annual tradition that the two schools look forward to and where they can “win” together.

The characters in the winter theater production of Fools were cursed with stupidity from Monday, February 20th to Saturday. Was Leon Tolchinsky, the main character, able to reverse the curse? Fools is a comedy written by Neil Simon that was written in 1981. It originally premiered on Broadway at the Eugene O’Neill Theater, located in New York, on April 6, 1981 and ran for 40 shows. The play takes place in 19th century Kulyenchikov, a town in which the villagers have been cursed with stupidity. Leon Steponovich Tolchinsky, a school teacher, has come to the small town to teach Dr. Zubritsky’s daughter, Sophia, and his wife, Lenya. However, the plot thickens when Leon falls in love with Sophia. The set has been designed to look like a mythical Eastern European village. Members of the tech crew and cast helped to build the set, acquiring skills in construction, carpentry, and painting along the way. It is a big set with Bavarian-esque houses, trying to incorporate Eastern European and Germanic windows and roofs. An important detail is that “because it’s a town filled with idiots, everything’s just a little bit off, like the windows are a little bit cattywampus [and] the doors are just a little bit too short.” Catriona Hynds, Fine Arts Department Chair and Director also added, “There’s a lot of really silly things that are going on.” Rehearsals ran from Monday through Friday. Although the amount of time each actor has to spend at rehearsal depends on their call time. Lead characters such as the role of Leon will practice between 12 to 13 hours a day. Theo Schulhof  ’25, a staff writer in the Scroll and who plays Snetsky the sheep shepard, said that “the rehearsal process is rigorous and extremely rewarding. We start off with a read through, meaning we sit around a table and read our lines to understand the story. Then we block the play, meaning we get the play up on its feet.” After, each actor works on character development, where each individual creates the different quirks and mannerism specific to their characters. Finally, the show enters tech, during which all the lights, sounds, and costumes are added to make the final show. The lead character Leon will be played by Hawk Okpokwasili ’25. One way he has prepared for the role is by practicing the script with his younger sister. Another, important part of Hawk’s preparation is working to analyze Leon as a character and try to find characteristics that he can relate to. Okpokwasili has noticed that “Leon as a character is very inquisitive, he loves teaching, it excites him, and I think in the play he and his intellect are inspired by love.” Sophie Petronzio ’25 will be playing Sophia, the doctor’s daughter. This production will be her first Deerfield production. Her character, Sophia Zubritzky, is a young lively girl who is cursed with idiocy. The character is different from herself, so to prepare for the role she watched videos of characters who are similar to Sophia including Giselle from Enchanted and Cinderella. Petronzio sais she is excited “to play such a vibrant character and to highlight her positive characteristics in an entertaining way.” The production has around 25 actors and features a combination of veteran actors and new faces. Okpokwasili hoped that people are able to come out to support their peers, their hours of hard work and to see a play that “make[s] you smile and laugh.”