26 LimeLight November 2010www.thewestwordonline.com

Cara grimaldi started performing seri-ously in eighth grade, when she performed in the musical Honk at turn of River middle School. She later became a familiar name in the Westhill drama program. grimaldi, also known as Julie Jordan in Carousel, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Cosette in Les Miserables, and Velma in West Side Story, was the star of numerous Northstar productions. She was also involved in Con-cert Choir and Chamber Singers for four years.

“Not only is Cara very talented, but she was also a very kind and supportive lead and [Northstar Playmakers board] officer,” senior and Northstar President Sam Wise said.

Now a freshman at Boston Univer-sity, grimaldi is majoring in Vocal Per-formance, an exclusive major with 12 students in this year’s freshman program.grimaldi is heavily involved in performing arts. “i do a lot of singing and acting in my

program,” she said. “We have voice recit-als and operas to be involved in at Boston University as well.”

the courseload, including music theo-ry, ear training, and piano, along with two choirs that she participates in, are stress-ful because they’re very time-consuming, but it’s worth it to grimaldi. “it’s differ-ent from high school. i love doing this, so it’s never like I’m doing something I hate,” she said.

grimaldi plans to graduate with a dual degree in music education and vocal per-formance. “my only hope is that i receive the best education possible and have fun while doing it,” she said.

What she misses most about Westhill is “being surrounded by people that i’ve known for years. it was a comfortable en-vironment to be in,” she said. “As crazy as it sounds, i had some really fun times be-ing at Westhill, working on shows until 11 p.m. the week before the [premiere].”

After graduation, Grimaldi hopes to become a music teacher and to perform on the side.

Bene Cordaro, a star performer in the Northstar Playmakers’ productions of Car-ousel, Beauty and the Beast, Les Misera-bles, Rumors, Romeo and Juliet, and The Crucible as well as some of the all-school musicals, is now a freshman at Western Connecticut State University.

While at Westhill, in addition to per-forming, Cordaro was the secretary of the Northstar Playmakers board her junior year and then the president her senior year.

“Bene was a very inspirational influ-ence in our productions and in Northstar. She was very upbeat and bubbly, allow-ing things to be more lighthearted when we were stressed, like during hell week,” senior and Northstar Vice President Jackie Abbott said.

Currently, Cordaro is majoring in voice. many people in the music program at Western Connecticut State do not gradu-ate in four years because it is difficult to

fulfill all of the requirements that come with this major, but Cordaro would like to learn as much as she can and graduate on time.

When majoring in voice, it is dif-ficult to get involved in the theater pro-gram. instead, Cordaro is involved in two operas, Amahl and the Night Visitors and Street Scene. She has a lead role in the latter.

Although she is advancing in her per-forming arts career, Cordaro still misses things about Westhill. What she misses most about being involved in Northstars is “fooling around with my fellow the-ater lovers and singing show tunes at the top of my lungs. You’re not really supposed to be belting out songs when training to be a classical soprano,” she said.

Cordaro has big dreams for her fu-ture. “i’m hoping to move to New York [City] and audition for both theater and opera,” she said. “I’m also hoping to go to graduate school for voice and become a professor.”

Cara Grimaldi

Back to the futureRecently graduated musical talents discuss the next acts in their lives

William Strong played Billy in Car-ousel, performed in Beauty and the Beast, and had a lead in Les Miserables. he now attends Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

“Will was a very important member of the Northstars during his four years at Westhill. Apart from being one of the most talented singers to walk through the halls, he was a good mentor to all younger kids and a great guy,” junior Seamus Ronan said.

Strong is now continuing his perform-ing arts interest at college. muhlenberg has a strong background in theater and performing.

Although Strong is not performing in any shows at the moment, he is a member of a Broadway-based acapella group at muhlenburg called Noteworthy. he also plays guitar and has performed at several open mic nights at muhlenberg.

Strong embraces these chances to share his passion with other students. “i re-ally like it here. It’s a cozy environment where you can really be an individual and not just another face in the crowd,” Strong said.

Opportunities at muhlenberg College seem endless for Strong. “It’s quite an en-riching experience,” he said.

During her four years in the drama pro-gram at Westhill, Danielle Behunick played Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Julie in Carousel, and Cosette in Les Miserables. She is now a student at Berklee College of music in Boston.

“She had the most beautiful voice in Beauty and the Beast, that was really her time to shine,” junior Julia Busto said.

At Berklee College of Music, most of Behunick’s classes involve music theory, ear training, music technology, and perfor-mance. in these music-based classes, Behu-nick is taught how to write her own sheet music and the basic outline of a song.

With this new knowledge, Behunick

has learned how to properly per-form with bands in front of live audiences. She displays her tal-

ents to her fellow students and other Bos-ton residents each week as part of a band that performs in the area. the band in-cludes other Berklee students and Berklee graduates.

Behunick said, “i plan on double majoring in vocal performance and mu-sical therapy while at Berklee College of Music.” Berklee has many opportuni-ties for her, and she plans on taking ev-ery audition and singing chance she can get.

“it is so inspiring to be at school where everyone is as passionate about music as I am,” Behunick said. “I am living my dream.”

Cara Grimaldi, Bene Cordaro, William Strong, and Danielle Behunick / Contributed Photos

Briefs compiled by Nicole Pellicano and Jainee DiDonato / Staff Writers

Bene Cordaro

Danielle Behunick William Strong

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