1st , so during intermission , I would go to my office to submit an application and then come back to the theater to call act two ,” he remembered . He moved the fall production to December to avoid the insane conflict between his two worlds .
O ’ Sullivan names The Complete Works of William Shakespeare ( Abridged ) ( Revised ) in 2018 and Les Misérables in 2022 as his favorite Prep shows to produce thus far . The latter was the first musical he ever saw on Broadway in the 10th grade . He notes how difficult the demand of being in such high-caliber productions is , especially for high school students . He never thought he would run the FPDS back in the late ’ 90s and takes great pride to honor those leaders before him and the Leonard Theatre . O ’ Sullivan and his team have helped FPDS become an award-winning company . He challenges student performers to go beyond their perceived limitations and never accept indifference or mediocrity — that they should believe in themselves and follow their passion . That FPDS is a family , where the company bow ( cast and crew ) is the final bow — everyone together .
ABOVE : O ’ Sullivan was cast as the Judge in the 1997 FDPS production of Inherit the Wind .
O ’ Sullivan received his MA in School Counseling from Manhattan College in 2008 and later added his MSEd in School Building Leadership in 2021 from Fordham University . He also introduced a full-year academic course in the Visual and Performing Arts department called Fundamentals of Acting . This past fall he was selected as an inaugural winner of the National Catholic College Admission Association Lifetime Achievement in Catholic Education Award in 2023 . The award celebrates his dedication to promoting the value and benefit of Catholic institutions for higher education and the mentorship he provides to younger counseling professionals .
Find what you are happy doing and what you are passionate about . Trust yourself .”
— TJ O ’ Sullivan , Director of College Counseling and Fordham Prep Dramatic Society moderator
O ’ Sullivan ’ s advice as a Director of College Counseling to students afraid of pursuing a career in the performing arts is simple : “ Find what you are happy doing and what you are passionate about and the money will come . Trust yourself .”
In the spring of 2020 , five graduating seniors went on to pursue acting and performance majors at their colleges of choice , a record number for the Prep and a memorable achievement in a long line over the course of the last 14 years .
“ Maybe one day they ’ ll end up owning a theater company or find their way back to Fordham Prep running the Dramatic Society ,” he said .
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Mario A . Ciampi , Jr . ’ 78 Chair of the Board
Vincent E . Murray ’ 98 Vice Chair of the Board
Anthony I . Day President , ex-officio
Marc Antonecchia Esq . ’ 88 P ’ 23 , ’ 25
Camille M . Banks-Lee P ’ 20 John D . Bergen ’ 60 Rose B . Caiola-Musacchia P ’ 22 Rev . John J . Cecero , SJ James J . Conforti ’ 82 Mary Ellen Coyne P ’ 18 Charon D . Darris ’ 94
Joseph V . Femenia ’ 94 Sean Gregory ’ 94 P ’ 24 Ronald A . Hoina ’ 82 , P ’ 17 Dr . Llew Hyacinthe ’ 80 P ’ 08 ’ 15 William M . McGlone ’ 78 Rev . Michael C . McFarland , SJ Kuni Nakamura ’ 86 † Leslie Poole Petit , Ed . D P ’ 18 ’ 22 Alex R . Rovira , Esq . ’ 95 Alexander Richard Russo ’ 75 Albert N . Sackey ’ 94
Christopher M . Santomero ’ 87 , P ’ 22
Neil A . Scanlon ’ 94 , P ’ 25
†
Fordham Prep mourns the loss of trustee Kuni Nakamura ’ 86 . Read his obituary on page 39 .
Fordham Prep wishes to express profound gratitude to Tom Huvane ’ 84 , Ray Dorado ’ 75 , Dr . Kirk Sperber , and Christian Talbot for their dedicated service as members of our Board of Trustees . Their terms ended in June 2023 . We are grateful for their steadfast commitment to the Prep ’ s Catholic Jesuit mission .
The Prep is thrilled to welcome our new board members : Marc Antonecchia Esq . ’ 88 P ’ 23 , ’ 25 ( Partner at Holland & Knight LLP ), Sean Gregory ’ 94 P ’ 24 ( Senior Correspondent at Time Magazine ), and Dr . Llew Hyacinthe ’ 80 P ’ 08 ’ 15 ( Physician and Urologist at SUNY Downstate Medical Center , University Hospital of Brooklyn ), and Leslie Poole Petit , Ed . D P ’ 18 ’ 22 ( Principal at Dominican Academy ). Our new members began their board term on July 1 , 2023 .
Ray Dorado , Esq . ’ 75
Tom Huvane ’ 84
Dr . Kirk Sperber , MD , PMH , MS
Christian Talbot
WINTER 2024 VOLUME 44 , ISSUE 1
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