Once Upon a Performance

female wearing pink standing in front of fireplace at a private school in Philadelphia

March 25, 2022

This week’s #FiredUpFriday spotlight had quite a night last Friday when her passion for singing landed her at The Kimmel Center with a role in the world premiere of the opera The Hours. Junior Sarah Shoff has been singing with the Pennsylvania Girl Choir weekly and every other weekend since she was 8 and working with a voice coach since January of 2021. Sarah was selected by the prestigious girls’ choir to audition for The Hours and her role is the youngest female in the opera. But, this wasn’t Sarah’s first rodeo with classical music! This past summer, she donned a nun’s habit and performed in Puccini’s Suor Angelica with Opera Box. You might say Sarah was fired up in her performance with a trio of headliners, conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and will ignite again on the Rec stage in the Players upcoming production of Once Upon a Mattress! Sarah shares, “I love to sing. I love the theater. I love the rush of it.” We’re listening, Sarah, and we can’t wait to learn where this passion takes you!

Look for ticket sales for Once Upon a Mattress in April! The Rec will reopen for this performance April 28-30.

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Our 2021-22 social media campaign, Fired Up Fridays, pays tribute to the message engraved in the stone mantelpiece above the fireplace in the Henry Library that reads: “Kyndle yr awne ffyre” (Kindle Your Own Fire). Each Friday we will shine a light on members of the school community whose passion runs deep for a particular interest, activity, class, or hobby. #FiredUpFridays posts on Insta and Facebook, so be sure to follow along!