Academy artists in grades JK through 12 featured their works of art at the annual exhibit. The Art Show Reception was held on Sunday, May 16th from 1pm-3pm. Student artists, families and faculty joined together to view our aspiring artists’ works of art, enjoy refreshments and mingle with the other artists’ and their families.

Please join us in celebrating our student artists at the Sixth Annual Academy at the Lakes Art Show.

The exhibit will be held Monday, 5/17 through Saturday, 5/22 at Frame By Frame Gallery in New Tampa. Gallery hours are 9:30am–6:00pm Monday through Friday and 9:30am–5:00pm Saturday.

Address: 16035 Tampa Palms Boulevard West, Tampa, FL 33647
Phone: (813) 977-4841.

For more information contact Sarah Gates or Shelley Grossbard.

Academy alumnus, Michael Setteducato (Class of ’09), currently a freshman at John’s Hopkins University, has been accepted as a summer intern at the Moffitt Cancer Center. The SPARK internship is a 10-week research study program consisting of 40 hours per week of intensive faculty-led research at Moffitt. Interns design and execute a research project under the guidance of an assigned mentor while gaining hands-on laboratory experience by conducting experiments and collecting and analyzing data in a high-tech environment with access to professional resources. Participants document, report and present their findings. In addition, students have the opportunity to attend weekly seminars exploring the latest developments in cancer research technology, methods and application. Enthusiasm for research as a career, as evidenced by a student’s GPA, extracurricular activities, and written statements, set a candidate apart during the application process. Michael is one out of only 20 students nation-wide selected by a faculty committee to participate in the summer internship program. Michael first began developing and honing his scientific research skills in our Advanced Scientific Research program in high school.

STUDENT NEWS

Students at Academy at the Lakes are seeing their Musical Dreams become Reality.

Shannon O’Donnell and Alexis Setteducato, both Class of 2011, are on their way to seeing their dreams of musical and theatrical success come to fruition. Both girls have been accepted to some of the nation’s most intensive and acclaimed collegiate summer programs for the arts.


Shannon O’ Donnell has been enrolled in many of the arts classes offered at Academy during her middle and high school career. From chorus to drama, dance and musical theory, she has seen her love of performing blossom at Academy. Her true passion for the craft can be seen in her every involvement at Academy; whether performing in the school’s musical, assisting in directing, or even set design. Shannon is currently working in two shows outside of school; “Moby Dick, the Musical”, in which she plays the lead Ishmael and she’s also collaborating on a brand new musical “Coast 2 Coast, Hitsville” with Solerno Theatre. Shannon intends to pursue a Bachelor in Fine Arts in Musical Theatre and ultimately her Masters in Fine Arts in Musical Theatre. Her greatest ambition is to perform on Broadway as well as tour nationally and internationally.

Shannon surely possesses the focus, drive and talent to get there. Her talents have been recognized by two of the country’s top musical theatre programs. The Broadway Theatre Project saw several hundred applicants during 9 live auditions across the United States and accepted Video auditions as well. There were only 200 available apprentice positions for the 2010 Session. Shannon will be one of them! She will have the unique opportunity to study with some of the most accomplished producers, casting directors, directors, and choreographers in the performing arts world. Playbill magazine refers to Broadway Theatre Project as, “The world’s most prestigious musical theatre arts education program for high school and college students.”

Shannon has also been accepted to Indiana University’s Midsummer Theatre Program, a dynamic theatre and drama institute designed especially for young artists. Classes are taught by IU faculty professionals, outstanding teaching assistants, and guest artists. Dozens of talented and dedicated students from around the country come together for two weeks of challenging and rewarding theatrical training and exposure to one of the richest cultural landscapes in the country. Each year they only accept approximately 20 of the nation’s most promising students.

Alexis Setteducato is another talented student who has made the most of the rich arts program at Academy at the Lakes. As a prominent member of the choral program, she recently starred as Maria in Academy’s spring musical, The Sound of Music. During her tenure at Academy she has been enrolled in drama, dance, music history, and music theory courses. Alexis is currently studying to become a classical singer taking private voice lessons, diction coaching, and piano and guitar lessons. Last summer, Alexis attended The Peabody Conservatory’s Summer Vocal Institute at John’s Hopkins University. Her goal is to attend a university with a strong music program where she plans to pursue a Bachelor in Vocal or Opera Performance. Her long term goals consist of obtaining a Master’s degree in Opera Performance, completing an apprenticeship in either Italy or Germany, and joining an opera company.

This summer, Alexis has been accepted to The Boston Conservatory Music Division’s Vocal/Choral Intensive summer voice program which focuses on training high-school students who are serious about singing in classical styles. The two-week program mirrors the Conservatory’s college curriculum, serving as a great introduction to a conservatory education. This summer voice program at The Boston Conservatory is designed to strengthen performance skills, sight-singing and musical skills, enhance vocal technique by working with professional singers and the Boston Conservatory faculty.

Alexis has also been accepted to Eastman School of Music’s Collegiate Vocal Institute at The University of Rochester. This internationally acclaimed program is for students who are seriously considering a career in music. The highly individualized program emphasizes solo performance and is designed for mature students of advanced performance levels who can work well in a focused collegiate type environment. Only students that possess high level musical skills, good organizational skills, and mature personal skills are asked to study with members of Eastman’s Community Music School faculty and members of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Alexis was offered a scholarship to support her attendance this summer.

We are most proud of our outstanding students and of the Academy programs that inspire and nuture their diverse talents.

Director Chris Holcom and his amazing production crew are working diligently to make this our best show to date! You won’t want to miss this production which features the varied talents of more than 170 of our students and faculty!

Our story begins in the pastoral foothills of Austria where Maria (Alexis Setteducato ’11) is enjoying the freedom of an afternoon to herself. Although she has longed to join the nuns at Nonnberg Abbey for as long as she can remember, she finds the rules that dictate daily life at the Abbey too restrictive for her taste. As much as she longs to complete her vows, she finds it difficult to behave as a proper nun should.

When widower, Georg Von Trapp (Jason Pitcairn ‘11) writes to the Mother Abbess (Ali Buckman ‘11) seeking a governess to manage his seven mischievous children (Sophia Sokolowski ‘12, Kevin Dobish ‘13, Chloe Mansell ‘14, Dillan Villavisanis ‘14, JoAnna Longo ‘13, Hannah Burnley ‘17, & Grace Szarko ‘18), he ends up with more than he bargained for in this conflicted postulate. Although Maria arrives to find an unhappy and resentful brood, her kindness, compassion, and sense of fun soon win the affections of not only the children, but the Captain himself. As the sounds of music, joy, and happiness begin to ring throughout the household once again, Captain Von Trapp realizes that he has fallen in love with Maria. This presents quite a dilemma as he is currently engaged to the lovely and charming Baroness Schraeder (Sara Dobish ‘11).

Maria and Georg von Trapp eventually marry and the family is looking forward to happily ever after, only to have their world brought down around them by the 1938 Anschluss of Austria, where Nazi Germany takes control of the country and demands that Captain von Trapp assume a position in the German Navy.
How will the story end? You’ll have to come to the show to find out!

Reserved Seating (Producer Tickets) will be on sale Thursday, February 4th, from 3:30-4:30 in the McCormick Music Pavilion. If you would like to reserve your seats, please fill out the order form and bring it with you. You may also mail your ticket order form to the Business Office.

Download the order forms here. Forms are also available online at: Sound of Music Ticket and Video Order Form. General Admission tickets will be available at the door.

Please contact Ms. Morse at amorse@academyatthelakes.org for more information.

Costume Fitting Schedule

• SK through 6th Grade Permission Slip
• 7th – 12th Grade Permission Slip

Additional information will be posted to the Community/Fine Arts page as it is received.

Academy at the Lakes faculty member Chris Holcom is in the news again! Chris is the Director of Jobsite Theater’s latest production Night of the Living Dead, now playing at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Shimberg Playhouse.

Photos are available on FLICKR and JOBSITE THEATER.

Ticket information is available at TBPAC.ORG.

About Chris Holcom | Show Information | Show Teaser

St. Petersburg Times correspondent, Marty Clear, wrote the following article about the play.

LIGHT THRILL, BIG FUN

In Print: Saturday, October 24, 2009

TAMPA | Marty Clear, St. Petersburg Times

Way back when in ’67, George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead introduced a new kind of horror movie, more explicit and more intelligent than almost anything the genre had shown before.

There were even some sociological subtexts to the film. One central character was a young black man who took charge in crisis, and gave orders to white people, some of whom actually deferred to him. In a film of that era, that was perhaps more shocking than the sight of zombies graphically eating human entrails. (Roger Ebert, in his original review of the film, repeatedly referred to that character as “the Negro.”)

Jobsite Theater’s production of Night of the Living Dead (adapted for the stage by playwright Lori Allen Ohm) wisely recognizes that the things that shocked us then won’t shock us now. Though the stage version is faithful, it’s also lighthearted. The story is still compelling, and not without chilling moments.

Basically, the plot involves a group of people — a family and two strangers — who take shelter in a vacant house after a nuclear mishap causes dead people to reawaken and seek out human flesh.

Director Chris Holcom sets just the right tone. He has fun with the material without letting it descend into campiness.

Some of the acting is really good, and some of it merely okay. But none of it’s bad. Even though her character cowers in silent wide-eyed shock through most of the play, Kari Goetz is fun to watch as Barbra, and Jason Vaughan Evans and Caroline Jett are strong in smaller roles. He’s the local sheriff and she’s the mother who’s holed up in the house.

Katrina Stevenson’s costumes — mostly those of the legion of undead — are also very cool, and the makeup and other special effects (including blood and guts that are fairly believable but not disgusting) by Danny McCarthy are impeccable.

On the way out of the theater, the opening-night audience was asked to keep the ending a secret. That apparently refers to a tacked-on segment that has nothing to do with the story. It’s a fun bit to watch, but for Jobsite to imagine that’s it’s a big surprise is odd. In fact, it’s far too predictable. Still, it’s a harmless capper to a slight but thoroughly enjoyable show.

VIEW THE SHOW TEASER:

SHOW INFORMATION:
Night of the Living Dead runs through Nov. 15 in the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center’s Shimberg Playhouse. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 4 p.m. Sunday. $24.50 plus service charge. (813) 229-7827 or TBPAC.ORG.

ABOUT CHRIS HOLCOM:
Chris Holcom has been a Jobsite Theater board member and Artistic Associate since 1999. Most recently, he served as an actor in Embedded (Chip Webb/Cove) and as director for Jobsite’s production of A Dream Play. Other notable appearances for Jobsite have been in Maxwell, Titus Andronicus, March of the Kitefliers, Mineola Twins and Delusion of Darkness. He has also appeared in Romeo & Juliet for American Stage’s Shakespeare in the Park and Look Back In Anger for Hat Trick Productions. In addition to acting and directing, Chris also has served as a special effects make-up artist for Jobsite’s productions of The History of the Devil, Dracula, Beauty Queen of Leenane, Playing With Fire: After Frankenstein and The Pillowman.