24 minute read
Trailblazing in the arts
How eight alumni are making their names known in their lines of work
There’s no contending the rich artistic presence throughout Cheshire Academy’s 226-year history. Renowned artists Rockwell Kent and John Frederick Kensett, musicians like rap artist and social activist Talib Kweli Greene ’93 and famed guitarist Eric Bloom ’62, and performers such as actors James Van Der Beek ’95 and voiceover artist Christian Rosselli ’00, have called Cheshire Academy home throughout every century, decade, and graduating class.
But the arts have not always been at the forefront of CA. Originally comprised of a drama club and various musical ensembles, classes related to the arts did not make their way permanently into the curriculum until the 1920s. A photography club was later formed in 1936 and, a year prior, the Roxbury Auditorium (later named Memorial Hall)—which offered a stage and roughly 600 seats—was opened in what is now the Watch Factory complex.
Faculty made sure to put forth an effort to grow arts at CA throughout the years by organizing annual productions and continuing art-centric clubs. Students, too, did their part, including in 1972, when classmates put together “Zenith,” a three-day celebration of the arts featuring music, photography, films, and coffee on campus.
Four years later in 1976, performing arts groups were without a home when CA sold its theater. Following the theater’s closure, performances were held in the Harwood Student Center, Arthur Sheriff Field House, Gideon Welles Dining Commons, and on the top floor of Bowden Hall. Despite the setback, many alumni prospered and found themselves graduating from CA with an appreciation for their talents, an appetite for more, and with positive memories of the encouragement and support from faculty and staff.
At Cheshire Academy, we want to ensure our students’ needs and talents in the arts are met, and new opportunities are offered. The proposed Community Fine and Performing Arts Center—an addition to the existing visual arts building—will provide our students a dedicated stage on which they can perform in front of up to 550 spectators. The newly renovated classrooms for all arts— musical, visual, and performing—will give students and faculty new, high-quality spaces in which to teach, learn, and freely convey artistic expression.
Eight young alumni, some of whom come from a long history of artists and others who are trailblazing their own unique passions, have shared with us what they’ve accomplished since graduating and, in their own words, express their excitement and optimism about the proposed CFPAC addition. Read their stories on how they are making names for themselves, and how they believe the new center will benefit all CA students and the community at large.
TWO ALUMNI USING THEIR PASSION TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY
When he was in first grade, Jonathan Bergamo ’13 went with his parents to see The Cranberries perform live. It was the first of many concerts Bergamo would attend with his mother and father, and an introduction into the field in which he now works.
Over the years, Bergamo picked up a few instruments of his own, including the violin, guitar, and drums, and continued to attend concerts with his parents. He also connected with band management staff, such as for the Dave Matthews Band. At the time, Bergamo did not know that he would find himself pursuing a similar career.
Today, Bergamo works as a fan engagement and data specialist for Nettwerk Management in Boston, under the umbrella of Nettwerk Music Group. He handles and oversees artists’ social media posts, digital advertising, and the team’s communications strategy.
The Boston location manages 15 bands and artists. Bergamo works with the artists to learn what their priorities are and how they want to disseminate information to the public related to new music, albums, and tours, and uses his knowledge and experience with Nettwerk to effectively get their messaging out.
Similarly, Eric Stern ’09 grew up around music. Most of his family has involved themselves in the arts, including his father—a bluegrass banjo player—and his brother, a filmmaker. Stern always had a passion for both music and filmmaking, but admits that he “was always kind of shy” and drawn more to the behind-the-scenes work.
Now Stern works as a re-recording mixer, sound editor, and producer for Flavorlab, a New York City-based award-winning audio production company. In his role, Stern designs sounds for movies, documentaries, and reality television shows. He also works in other mediums, including podcasts and radio.
Stern always believed he would pursue a career in music or film and, at CA, he was heavily involved in the school’s music program. It wasn’t until his junior and senior years when he began to experience what would later become his profession. In Julie Anderson’s Spanish class, for example, Stern created films for many of her assignments. One of the videos resembled an older silent film, requiring him to time the music just right to the video.
In his senior year, Stern and a few of his classmates created a video on the issue of academic dishonesty for the National Honor Society. Again, part of his role was to line the music up to the footage.
“It was the first time I really had to match timing and try to make something fit in a certain sequence of time, music-wise,” recalled Stern. “…It somehow came naturally to me.”
When Bergamo studied at Cheshire Academy, he already had a passion for music, but members of the faculty helped him to nurture and build upon his interest in music management.
“I realized there were aspects of this that I was really good at, and Cheshire Academy really gave me my own path to explore and supported me in that,” Bergamo reflected.
As an International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme student, Bergamo was also able to use art classes to further explore music. He also helped manage the fencing, varsity football, and varsity baseball teams, which is a skill set he uses to this day.
“Almost all of my art projects—the ones I chose myself—by the end were almost separate creative pieces that let me explore things around music. I think this was a really great opportunity to get me started thinking about all of that,” he said.
Following CA, Bergamo attended and graduated from Northeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in music with a concentration in music industry. He minored in business administration and recording.
Eric Stern
While at Northeastern, Bergamo participated in one of two co-ops at Nettwerk. Before he graduated, he was brought back to help Nettwerk promote Dispatch, an American indie/roots band that had recently reunited after a hiatus. He was later hired by the company.
“They brought me in to do some digital advertising work,” recalled Bergamo. “Dispatch was about to put out their first new album and come back together as a band for the first time, really, in at least six years.”
Bergamo was tasked with rebuilding Dispatch’s fan base. “They wanted me to dig in on Dispatch’s community and find those opportunities where we could start building fans again and start connecting with people as they [the band] hit the road.”
In the summer of 2019, Bergamo set a goal to get Dispatch fans to become friends with one another with the intention of building a deeper community connection. At three headline shows, Bergamo planned pre-show parties. In Maine, for example, Bergamo worked with Rising Tide Brewery to host a pre-concert party, which offered attendees a Dispatch-themed beer. The event was a success, with brewery owners informing Bergamo it was one of their best business days.
“I felt like I got to create a real moment that had an impact within the fan community, but also married some of my loves,” Bergamo said. “I love beer, I love music, and I love that band, so being able to put all those pieces together, to create something really real, was kind of incredible.”
After CA, Stern graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in music technology and computer science. He later graduated from New York University’s graduate program with a music technology degree. Stern started with Flavorlab in 2016 and, since being hired, has worked on various projects, including the short film “Boy in a Backpack,” produced by Josh Hutcherson.
“That was released just online, but it got a lot of YouTube views and a lot of attention for a brief period of time,” explained Stern. “That was my first time doing something that a lot of people were getting their eyes on, and I was really proud of that at the time.”
One year later, Flavorlab was hired for a documentary about the 2016 presidential election. Stern worked on audio for dialogue and sound when text would come onto the screen, demonstrating tension in the clips.
More recently, Stern worked on “Crypto,” a movie featuring Kurt Russell, and “After Everything,” a comedy drama film that follows a young couple during a troubling time. “After Everything” premiered in NYC, and Stern was able to attend.
“I was excited to go to the premiere and work on something that was released in a theater, and see people who were there to watch it,” Stern said. “… I wasn’t the main mixer, but to be involved was really exciting.”
While in college, Stern worked as part of CA’s summer program, including teaching a class on electronic music. Even at that time, he had heard about the proposal for the CFPAC and shared an excitement for the building’s potential. Reflecting on his time at CA, he noticed how the arts were scattered across campus, including in the Field House, Student Center, and Bowden Hall.
“We were never interacting back then,” he said. “With a new center, students and faculty being in one space and all the creative people interacting with each other is huge.”
Thinking back on his experiences at CA, where he garnered skills such as critical thinking when faced with unique situations, Bergamo is grateful for his time at the school. He visited during the 2019 Homecoming & Family Weekend, where he was able to witness firsthand the school spirit elicited by the new bleachers overlooking the Armando Simosa ’08 Athletic Field and Track. He’s optimistic the CFPAC addition would only further boost morale.
“It would be transformative,” Bergamo said. “I think to how people view and experience Cheshire Academy in such a positive way, so I hope that it keeps continuing the way that it is.”
“THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS”: PERFORMING, STAGE CREW, AND SETTING UP THE NEXT GENERATION OF ACTORS FOR SUCCESS
When it comes to theater and performing arts, many young alumni have fond memories of the Black Box Theatre, located on the second floor of the Field House. It’s a small, personal space that can seat around 100 people, with darkened walls and a stage for CA students to experience the rush of performing in front of a live audience. For some, the theatre is their first exposure to a stage and lights.
For Michael Fiske ’10, who dedicated all his afternoon programs to the arts, his exposure to the Black Box Theatre was the first time he realized he wanted to pursue the arts as his profession.
“The arts, in general I think, has a sense of community. We talk about this a lot at work, that this is a passion-based industry,” noted Fiske, who is now office manager, management associate, and head of development with theatrical production and general management company Fifth Estate Entertainment. “(Cheshire Academy is) the first time I think when it really clicked, that lightbulb went on that this is the type of career I want to have.”
With a father who works as a director of photography, Kallie Taylor ’10 grew up around cameras, either as the subject in focus, or learning hands-on how to use the equipment.
“I just loved playing with his camera when he would let me, so I always knew I wanted to go into something digital,” she said. “I’m more of a digital learner and worker, so I’ve always been drawn to it.”
At Cheshire Academy, that passion grew. A digital arts class, taught byLindsay Furman, sparked her interest in the industry. Now Taylor works asa production assistant for the AmazonPrime Video show “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
“I work in film. I always wanted to end up in that area—I wasn’t sure exactly where—but I always knew that I wanted to go into the arts and CheshireAcademy definitely helped me with that,” she said.
Julie Robles ’07 is another alumna who was immersed in the arts from a young age. Her mother, Ruth D’Agostino, isa world-traveling opera singer, and her great-grandparents were the Boudinis, the vaudevillian duo known best as the infamous magician Houdini’s opening act.
When she arrived at Cheshire Academy, Robles told faculty that she was interested in theater. With the administration’s support, Robles was able to perform in 18 plays during her time at school and took as many theater classes as she could.
Robles now works as the theater technical director at the Allen-Stevenson School in New York City, as well as an actor at The Pit Comedy School.Robles was connected to the directorship through Stacy Donovan, the school’s former director and former theater director at CA.
“(Cheshire Academy) really helped me figure out who I am as an actor and as a young person, and it helped me figure out that thisis what I really wanted to do with my life,” reflected Robles. “It also made me realize when I was there that I not only wanted to be an actor—I also wanted to run a drama department. I wanted to do both; I wanted to be in education, and I wanted to be in the arts.”
Michael Fiske ‘10 and Kallie Taylor ‘10 have both been involved in the production of the Amazon Prime Video series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Photos courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.
Photos courtesy of Amazon Prime Video.
Fiske graduated from Quinnipiac University with a film, television, and media arts degree. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Astoria, Queens, with a friend and began interviewing for jobs.After one year, he was hired by Food Network, and later accepted an internship with a theatrical general management company. It was there when he met Nathan Gehan who, at the end of Fiske’s internship, informed him he was leaving to start his own business.The two parted ways, but remained in contact.
From there, Fiske went to work on the second season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” as a production assistant within the costumes department. He was unaware Taylor was also workingthere in the props department.
“I specifically remember taking out the trash, going around the corner, and running into her. It was the most surreal experience,” reflected Fiske. “I think she even said she saw my name in the mail room. It was just funny. It’s weird how worlds can collide like that.”
For Taylor, the chance to run into Fiske showed how far the two had come since their time at CA.
“There was a sense of pride. We were both like, ‘Look at us now,’” recalled Taylor.
Two weeks after graduating from Wheaton College as a film and new media major, Taylor visited a friend in New York City. Her friend’s neighbor was a production designer who was looking for an intern for the film “The Family Fang,” starring Jason Bateman, Nicole Kidman, and Christopher Walken. Taylor took the opportunity and moved to NYC for the job.
Following completion of the movie, Taylor continued working for the same production designer, including on the HBO pilot for “The Deuce.” She later met her current boss and worked with him as his production assistant for “The OA” and, currently, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Between seasons, Taylor worked in the art department for “Ocean’s Eight.”
Outside of work, Taylor is taking online classes for graphic design. The courses, she believes, will help her in her career, including for when she is tasked with creating props from different time periods.
“In the show, [Maisel] begins in the 1950s, and it’s now moving into the 1960s. A lot of what’s needed—props, costumes, accessories—is hard to find now,” she said. “You can buy products on eBay, but a lot of it is fabricating props, which is really cool … Sometimes I’ll put something together. There’s a lot of visual stuff, too. We have to make newspapers, beer bottles, and they all have to be realistic.”
Taylor has been with the “Maisel” crew since before the season one pilot aired in 2017. As such, she has a tremendous pride in how much attention the show has received.
“It was something that when we started, none of us had any idea how big the show was going to be,” she said. “It’s huge and it’s cool because we’ve been nominated and we’ve won a lot of awards—not just the actors, but the art department and the camera department. It’s something when people ask what I do, when I bring that up, it’s cool to see peoples’ reactions. It gives me a sense of pride.”
After CA, Robles attended and graduated from Pace University’s School of Performing Arts program with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. From there, she participated in regional theater and Off- Broadway shows, and completed some tours before graduating in 2016 with a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
Now at The Allen-Stevenson School, Robles believes that Donovan has “passed the torch” on to her to teach the next generation of actors. After work, she performs.
“It’s great because I’m getting to do now what I wanted to do when I was 13. I wanted to run a drama program during the day and then at night, go do my own thing, which is perform,” explained Robles. “I’m performing at The Pit, which is one of the top improv theaters in the country, which is really great. It’s the best of both worlds.”
At the Allen-Stevenson School, Robles spends much of her time working with middle school-aged students. While she works with them on the intricacies of theater, she also teaches them life skills—including some that she herself learned from Donovan. “It’s getting them ready for the rest of their lives,” she said.
Julie Robles
As for Fiske, he reconnected with Gehan and has been working with him since 2018. In the winter of 2019, he worked with Cirque du Soleil on its “‘Twas the Night Before…” show in Chicago. As management associate, he assisted the general manager on all aspects of the show.
Looking back on his time at CA, Fiske believes the CFPAC addition would spark more interest in the arts on campus.
“I just loved my experience so much,” he said, “but, obviously, people being more exposed to proper production value and an actual audience would be great.”
Robles believes that the new CFPAC space would be “great for kids to get an upgraded experience to an already amazing arts program.”
“I remember being at Cheshire Academy as a freshman or sophomore and us talking about, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we had an actual auditorium? Wouldn’t it be great if we had upgraded lights? Wouldn’t it be great if we had updated booths?’ and now it’s finally coming into play. It’s like a dream come true,” Robles said.
Taylor shared a similar view to Robles. She believes that that CFPAC addition would help set students up for success in their professional lives.
“Being a high schooler who knew that’s what I wanted to go into, I wish they had had more arts electives … I’m now a little jealous that that’s possibly going to happen,” Taylor said. “I think the addition is huge with all the content that’s going out now. I hate to say it, but everyone’s obsessed with Instagram and streaming, but it’s a huge part of our world. I think that it’d be awesome to give kids the opportunity to learn the skills to create content for those platforms."
USING VISUAL ARTS AS A FORM OF SELF-EXPRESSION
Sometimes it takes a piece of equipment in hand for someone to excel at their passion. Just ask Ashley Baylor ’14, Andrew Buick ’06, or Jason Lee ’15, three alumni who were guided to their careers by being introduced to, respectively, a sewing machine, pen and ink, and a camera.
Since she was 9 years old, Baylor, now a merchandise sample assistant for American Eagle Outfitters, as well as a content creator and fashion blogger, knew she wanted to go into fashion.Entering Cheshire Academy, she wasn’t sure if she would pursue the career of businesswoman or artist until she met art department head Francois Poisson, who made resources available for her to explore. During her time at the Academy,Baylor was able to expand her knowledge of sewing after Poisson acquired for her a sewing machine, which she later used to make pillowcases for girls in Africa as part of a Coleman Group project, and created a wearable dress constructed out of newspaper.
Poisson, Baylor added, also pushed her to find a passion for painting.
“Mr. Poisson was amazing in that process, pushing me creatively. That’s when I knew … I wanted to go for design, “Baylor said. “… He gave me the materials and worked very hands on to help me with (building a portfolio) and provided me with materials that I needed so, when I got to college, I learned to sew even more. I was able to produce collections.”
Like Baylor, Buick, a creative professional currently working as a senior graphic designer for engineering firm Brown and Caldwell in Walnut Creek, California, was helped by Poisson. Buick had been drawing throughout his childhood, but it was halfway through his time at CA when he realized he could make a profession out of his talents.
Poisson, for example, assisted Buick and other art-driven students with building their portfolios and applying to art schools. It’s something for which Buick is still grateful.
“That was really helpful,” reflected Buick. “I don’t think a lot of schools offer that to their students, and it definitely helped us build our applications.”
For a birthday gift to himself, Lee picked up a camera to explore the trade. He began taking photographs and later involved himself with likeminded classmates at CA.
“I was president of the photography club until I graduated, and I had a really good relationship with (former teacher) Ms. Sarah Ritz-Swain,” Lee said. “She helped me a lot and helped guide me through to become a photographer, so I’m really grateful for Cheshire Academy for leading me to be good at what I’m good at.”
Following CA, Buick graduated with a degree in communications design from the Pratt Institute. He later graduated from the User Experience Design Immersive program offered in San Francisco by the General Assembly, which educated him on designing and navigating mobile applications.
“That’s a really strong emerging field right now, and it’s nice to have that skillset as a graphic designer,” Buick said. “As a graphic designer nowadays, you have to have a lot of tools in your belt—illustration, user experience, visual design, web design … adding those extra skillsets is helpful in finding work.”
Lee graduated from New York University in May 2019 with a double major in film and television, and journalism. While studying at NYU, Lee networked with filmmakers, ultimately landing himself a position as director of photography for a Chanel Taiwan commercial, which aired on digital camera manufacturing company RED’s website.
Jason Lee
As the director of photography, Lee was tasked with taking the director’s vision and creating the visuals for the work. The opportunity, Lee said, has landed him other roles and helped to get his name out to the public as a filmmaker. He is in the process of submitting a new narrative, titled “Delusion,” to film festivals.
“I’m just really happy to be doing what I’m doing, and I’m very grateful that I’m having some amount of success in the industry,” Lee said. “I’m grateful that I have the support of my parents and the background needed for me to do what I’m doing … not everyone gets to do what they love. I think it’s such a blessing for me.”
He urges anyone looking to find a career in the arts to do what they love.
“Really have a passion for what you do,” he said. “Don’t do things to achieve things. Do it because you love it and put love into whatever it is you’re making. I think that is the road to success.”
Baylor later graduated from Philadelphia University with a degree in fashion design and from LIM College with a Master of Professional Studies degree in fashion marketing. While in school, she began to receive positive comments about her attire, with many people asking where she bought an outfit. Most times, people would be in disbelief at how little Baylor spent.
As she began to blog about fashion, Baylor found herself opening up about other personal issues, such as anxiety and mental health.
Ashley Baylor designing a dress made for the American Heart Association’s Red Dress competition, presented by Macy’s.
“It was World Mental Health Day in October 2018,” Baylor remembers. “I was like, ‘Maybe I should open up my blog to more than just fashion,’ because I think there are so many important things in my life as well, and struggling with anxiety was one of them.”
The post, dated Oct. 10, 2018, reflects on Baylor growing up with anxiety. Four years prior, she visited a doctor after believing something was wrong with her heart. The doctor, she wrote, informed her that she was having mini panic attacks due to her anxiety.
“I received so much response from people who were going through the same thing but didn’t tell anyone, people who were afraid to tell others and felt like they couldn’t relate to anyone,” Baylor said. “I just want my brand to always be authentic, but I didn’t know I would influence people or make someone who is struggling be a little less lonely. So, to me, that was huge.”
After moving to San Francisco with his now wife, Buick worked at a publishing company and Sears Holdings, the latter of which was where he designed graphics and prints for girls’ and toddler girls’ clothing. Buick called the fashion industry “very quick, but also very fun,” and has been able to see his designs worn out in public by consumers.
The first time he had such an experience was on a hike with his wife. Buick had designed some active wear for women, which he saw being worn by a fellow hiker. The encounter took him by surprise.
“These clothes, they get produced by the thousands, so there must be a lot of kids wearing my work around the United States, which is kind of cool to think about,” Buick admitted.
Thinking back to her time at CA, Baylor believes that the new CFPAC addition would benefit current students, as well as the surrounding community at large.
“I know that’s something that the school really needs and could benefit from,” she said. “I think it will push students farther because they’ll feel like they’re being supported, their needs are being supported, and that they’re at a school that cares about what they want to do, career-wise or even as a hobby.”
Buick agreed with Baylor, commenting that the new space will help push students to strive in all subjects.
“Having a new building with bigger studios, extra classrooms, and more equipment will definitely help the arts at Cheshire,” Buick said. “… Art education is really important. Pushing that creative side of your brain helps in other disciplines as well, so I think a new space would be really beneficial.”
