Photo by Andrew Garver
Eager students, parents, and teachers congregated in the Recital Hall on Saturday, April 23, to watch the long-awaited senior recital for Drew Springer-Miller ’16. The audience came to witness what was the culmination of Springer-Miller’s artistic legacy at Choate.
Springer-Miller is known for her skills in acting, having participated in 22 plays and musicals, staged and organized many plays at Choate, and performed in the a cappella group Lilith. Chloe Khosrowshahi ’18, a member of the acting Arts Concentration Program, stated, “Drew is one of the best actresses here at Choate. She is extremely dedicated, hardworking, modest, and respected throughout the campus.” Will Raccio ’18 added, “Drew definitely captured the audience’s attention. She has a big presence on stage.” She is the definition of a true performer, embracing theatre, dance, and music.
Springer-Miller’s voice resonated during the opening song of “Good Morning Baltimore” from the musical Hairspray, which she delivered with energy and witty charm. Namsai Sethpornpong ’17 said, “It was filled with vitality; the tune was catchy. It just made me happy.”
During “Matchmaker” from the 1988 musical Fiddler On the Roof, Simone Wolynski ’16 and Harley Kirchhoff ’16 accompanied Springer-Miller, singing their own solos and showing their bond as friends and as artists. Wolynski, who has been roommates with Springer-Miller for four years, says, “She worked incredibly hard preparing for this event. The nights leading up to the performance, she was singing in the recital hall and our room, preparing for the big day. The recital definitely showed Drew’s hard work and her talent.” Kirchhoff added, “I have been doing shows with Drew since freshman year, and watching her perform is always my favorite thing. This recital was no exception.”
Springer-Miller also sang songs from other performances with varied melodies, such as “I Get A Kick Out of You” from Anything Goes, a 1934 musical, and “She Used to be Mine,” from the 2016 musical Waitress, written by Sara Bareilles. Throughout the performance, pianist Mr. Thomas Martin accompanied Springer-Miller as she transitioned from song to song. He remarked, “I had four rehearsals with Drew prior to her concert. I knew of her talent, but getting to actually work with her was incredible. She was committed and involved every step of the way to create her recital. Her performance is one to remember.” Her voice teacher, Mr. David Eiduks, helped her coordinate the recital. He says, “I could not be more proud of Drew. She really took control of the stage, and she took us on a journey through musical theatre. She has gained such mastery of her voice, paring vocal control with specific acting choices. Her composition and musical phrasing truly capture each character’s emotional life.”
Springer-Miller’s senior recital was incredible to witness. Although one of her last performances at Choate, it is definitely not the last that we will see of her. She said, “My goals for the recital were to show the pieces that would help me grow and stretch as a person. I am definitely going to continue singing and acting. I am going to get a BFA in acting in college. I am a little sad that my journey at Choate is almost ending, but I’m excited about what the future holds for me.”
