2021 Class – Friday October 29th
Jamesville-DeWitt Fine Arts Hall of Fame
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Debra Barsha 1977 Music-Theater
If you’re looking for Debra Barsha, you will find her hopscotching across the boundaries of contemporary music. Gleefully defying classification, Barsha is that rare talent who sees show business itself as a medium. Singer, songwriter, actress, composer, pianist, raconteur, Barsha is just as comfortable fueling the grooves on a George Clinton album as she is writing an Off-Broadway musical about a pop-art icon (Keith Haring-Radiant Baby). With a career that includes television soundtracks, children’s musicals, one-woman shows, and national tours with post-mod British pop-stars (Thomas Dolby), Debra manages to put the undeniable stamp of her own musical personality on the full spectrum of her work.
Debra won the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Award for composing the music to Radiant Baby, (Public Theater, directed by George C Wolfe.) about graffiti artist Keith Haring. Radiant Baby will get a new production in June of 2022 at The Two River Theater in Red Bank New Jersey. (book and co-lyricist is Forever Plaid’s creator Stuart Ross). This month she performed selections from the upcoming production with Tony award winning actress Lena Hall singing 3 songs live at The Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, NY where they installed the Keith Haring exhibit Radiant Vision.
Debra co-wrote book, music and lyrics for the all-female musical A Taste of Things To Come (with Hollye Levin), which ran at the Bucks County Theatre, Broadway Playhouse (Chicago) and off-Broadway at The York Theatre (directed by Lorin Latarro) and is published by Concord Theatricals.
She was a composer for the song cycle Songs From An Unmade Bed (New York Theater Workshop), Sophie (Jewish Repertory Theater), NBC’s Policewoman Centerfold soundtrack, and wrote book, music and lyrics for her one-woman shows Go to Your Womb and A Womb With a View (CAP21/Cherry Lane Theatre). Her holiday musical (co-written with Tim Sulka) The Most Miserable Christmas Tree got its world premiere in New York. Debra’s musicals (co-written with Sheilah Rae) include Every Other Thursday and Our Very Best People (both adapted from Edna Ferber short stories). The first was performed at NJ Rep in an evening called Five By Ferber (published by Smith and Krauss). Barsha and Rae also wrote the 15-minute musical From This Moment. Barsha and Rae received a NAMT writers grant for their musical The Helena Project.
Her songs have been recorded by Rebecca Luker, George Clinton and Marty Balin among others. She sang on Prince’s 1-800 New Funk, George Clinton’s R&B Skeletons in the Closet and Thomas Dolby’s May The Cube Be With You. Barsha also played keyboard and sang with Thomas Dolby on his Flat Earth Tour.
Barsha originated roles and was the music director for the original Off-Broadway companies of both Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding and Charles Busch’s Swingtime Canteen. She also served as music director for the Steven Sater/Serj Tankian world premiere of Prometheus Bound (A.R.T .- directed by Diane Paulus).
She conducted Karen O’s opera Stop the Virgens! at St. Ann’s Warehouse and at the Sydney Opera House. Barsha wrote the vocal arrangement for the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s single Sacrilege (conducted live on Late Night With David Letterman with Broadway Inspirational Voices) and Awolnation’s single I Am (conducted on Late Night with Seth Meyers). She arranged vocals for Orange Is the New Black star Lea DeLaria’s David Bowie tribute album House of David. She is one of the playwrights of the live-streamed Period Piece (dir. Karen Carpenter). Her song We’re Still Here (a tribute to our healthcare workers) can be viewed on Barsha’s YouTube channel, performed by her. Barsha was the Associate Conductor for both Broadway’s Jersey Boys and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. She is currently the pianist for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical on Broadway. In January 2020, Debra performed with the cast on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Paulie Cerra 1985 Music
Paul Cerra, aka Paulie Cerra, is a saxophonist, singer, piano player, songwriter, arranger, and producer, living in Los Angeles.
Originally from a small rural area bordering the F-M, F-P, and J-D school districts, Paulie considers himself very fortunate to have attended Jamesville-DeWitt. It was a wonderful place for a kid to grow up. The teachers and counselors were helpful guiding students into adulthood and further them in their chosen career paths. Paulie makes special note of teachers Ron Nuzzo, Bonnie Nye, and Carl Wenzel, and also coaches Bruce Quimby, Jack Schmitter, and Tom Muench.
Inspired by the household music being played by his mother and older siblings, attracted Paulie to the saxophone. The sounds of Bruce Sprinsteen, Bob Seger, James Taylor and Pink Floyd along with jazz and ’50s Rock N Roll were always in the air. Early encouragement by CNY jazz impresario, Frank Malfitano, who would sneak Paulie into his Syracuse Jazz Fest shows, exposed him to many great live performances by jazz legends like Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, David Sanborn, and Michael Brecker. These shows left a lasting impression on him and deepened his love of saxophone and music. Frank later hosted Paulie on his “Just Jazz” radio show.
Being from a hard working family with six boys, and not a lot of money, gave Paulie a late start in music, which proved to be a daunting obstacle to overcome. Being new to the band program as a junior in high school meant he was years behind the other students in reading and ensemble work. Case in point was his finishing dead last in All-County on saxophone. Band director, Ron Nuzzo, always encouraged him to keep practicing. As did renowned CNY woodwind and saxophone teacher, the late great Jerry Santy. Paul studied with Santy for years and continued with him well into his career. Jerry would always have inspiration when a student needed it. Many were sports related such as, “don’t be the guy who sits on the bench asking to be put into the game, only to get your chance and promptly commit three errors in the first inning, never to be heard of again. Work hard and earn the right to be put into the game.” This lesson carries on with Paulie today.
Dreams of studying with Santy’s mentor, the great saxophone teacher Joe Allard, eluded Paulie when he was rejected by the prestigious New England Conservatory. But he wasn’t discouraged. He attended SUNY Fredonia and spent time playing in the jazz ensemble, along with several rock and fusion bands. He began his professional career traveling the U.S. with an R’n’B show band. After living in Memphis and backing such greats as Al Green, Wilson Pickett, Little Milton, and Bobby Bland, he returned home to de-stress from road life and resume studies with Santy. Soon rising blues star, Lucky Peterson would sweep up Paulie up, taking him around the world, headlining major blues and jazz festivals for the next two years. They would remain friends and continue working, on and off, until Peterson’s untimely death in 2020. Peterson remains a constant inspiration to Paulie as an artist.
In 2000, Paulie relocated to Los Angeles where he has amassed quite a resume, touring and recording Lionel Richie, Rickie Lee Jones, Larry Carlton, Kirk Franklin with Stevie Wonder, and fellow Central NewYorker, Joe Bonamassa. Several projects received Grammy awards, Grammy nominations, Blues Music Awards, and other accolades. In 2005, Paulie released his first of two solo records to date. Paulie’s performances have captivated audiences the world over.
Paulie’s future plans include touring, writing, recording, and producing new music. He loves Los Angeles, but always considers Jamesville and CNY his home. His inspiration during his formative years comes directly from the fantastic and inspiring teachers and coaches at Jamesville-DeWitt!
“Never become discouraged, EVER! Put in the hard work, study, keep learning and expanding, and forever look to update your skills in whatever becomes your chosen field. Elevate your craft to artistry. As an artist, always remember that your life story is as valid as anyone else’s and deserves to be told through your art.” — Paulie Cerra
William J. DiCosimo 1970 Music
Bill’s introduction to piano was at age five when his cousin Carol Lee Augustus, came to visit, sat him at the piano, teaching him some basic melodies he picked up by ear. He was hooked and asked to take lessons. Bill studied with Tom DeSantis, father of famed local orchestra leader, Mario DeSantis, and Marian Karp. He spent a summer at the Interlochen Arts Academy program, preparing himself to audition for a number of conservatory music schools with an interest in music composition.
Bill has fond memories, of Concert and Select choirs, and being accompanist for Roaring 20’s and school musicals, all under the direction and mentorship of Bonnie Nye. With Ron Nuzzo, he took theory classes and was selected pianist for the Jazz Ensemble.
Bill was also bitten by the rock band bug by his freshman year and performed with some of his buddies at high school dances, Dewitt Community Church’s Teen Canteen, and the Campus Inn at Suburban Park. Bill’s rock hero at the time was his brother, Chuck.
Bill earned a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School, majoring in composition. He studied with Joseph Schwantner, Samuel Adler, and, as an avid fan of jazz/rock, he took master classes from Thad Jones, Oliver Nelson, and Marian McPartland. He performed with the jazz ensemble under the directorship of Chuck Mangione.
Bill earned a Master of Music in composition from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. His focused on writing/scoring music for film, studying with Bernardo Segall, David Raskin, Halsey Stevens, and Anthony Vazzana.
After graduation, Bill signed with an L.A. based music management company and did a brief stint traveling on the road with two show bands. During this time, he was introduced to a songwriter who hooked him up with doing session work, arranging, music transcriptions, and copyright filing for recording sessions at Malaco Studios in Jackson Mississippi. The company in charge of the music production was April-Blackwood Publishing, a division of CBS/Columbia Records.
Upon returning to the Syracuse area, Bill was hired by Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music in the College of Visual & Performing Arts as a full-time instructor. Professor Emeritus M. Douglas Soyars, who co-founded the Music Industry Degree Program which had seen unprecedented growth, felt the need to add a second full-time instructor who had strong music and music business background.
Doug Soyars charged Bill with developing curricular offerings to help grow the program, make it competitive with peer institutions, and attract students. Bill created courses in Song Writing, Film Scoring & Jingle Writing, and Record Production, while teaching music business courses and History of Jazz. For 6 years, Bill directed, wrote, and arranged, for Windjammer, the vocal jazz group. He later became the founding director, arranger for the Setnor Jazz-Funk Ensemble.
In 2006, upon Doug Soyars’ retirement, Bill became Interim chair and program director of the music industry program, and in 2014, was granted tenure as Associate Professor and became the permanent department chair.
In 2014, Bill and the School of Music Director developed a 3+2 Dual Degree, partnering with the Whitman School of Management. The degree allows music business majors to apply to Whitman in their second year, and if accepted, stay a 5th year to gain an MBA in their chosen area, plus earn a Bachelor degree in Music Business.
During Bill’s time at Setnor, he continued to perform, write, and do music business research. He traveled to Brazil, performing a series of concerts and guest lecturing at the University of Rio. He traveled to Japan, performing and holding master classes at Senzoku- Gakuen College of Music, and performed in Tokyo at the Blue Mood Club. Bill presented research at the ATINER Visual & Performing Arts Conference in Athens, Greece with the paper being published in their international journal.
Bill published works with Oregon Catholic Press and University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press. In 2014, Bill was named Jazz Educator of the Year by the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation and has received Syracuse Area Music Awards for his keyboard work and original music with Dave Hanlon’s Cookbook, Swing Central, and Grupo Pagan. The Bill DiCosimo Quartet’s two album releases: Grab Hold of Your Dreams and Threads. feature original compositions by Bill; recorded and produced on his own label. Both albums feature vocals by his wife, Lisa Coolican DiCosimo and have received world-wide radio airplay.
In 2016, Bill partnered with Denninger Media. He was contracted to write and record original music for documentary films: America’s First Sport – the History of Lacrosse, Agent of Change – the David B. Falk Story, The Roy Simmons Jr. Documentary, and Floyd Little Documentary. America’s First Sport has been broadcast internationally and on ESPN and PBS.
Most recently, Bill collaborated with long-time musical partner, Edgar Pagan, co-writing and recording the album Con Moto, produced by 4-time Grammy Winner, Jimmy Haslip. The 2021 release has received international airplay and has topped the Latin Jazz charts.
In May 2021, Bill retired from Syracuse University, and he now enjoys his time writing, recording original music, performing, and most important, spending time with his long-time supporter, fan and love, Lisa Coolican-DiCosimo.
Eric Lichtblau 1983 Author
Eric’s two great loves at Jamesville-DeWitt High School were writing and singing, and when he wasn’t in class, he could usually be found in the chorus room. He performed in Roaring ’20s, All-State chorus, a cappella groups, and numerous school and summer musicals with Ron Nuzzo, Bonnie Nye, and Brenda Neuss, and still considers his role as the revolutionary Perchik in “Fiddler on the Roof,” a highlight of his short-lived acting career. (And to this day, he regrets passing up the role of the Elvis-styled “Teen Angel” in “Grease” because of a cousin’s wedding in Boston on the same weekend of the show’s performance.)
Honing the written word became Eric’s primary pursuit at Cornell University. While he was a student there, he wrote for The Cornell Daily Sun and the Syracuse Post-Standard. Eric received his Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science, in 1987.
As a Washington reporter for the New York Times for fifteen years, he earned Pulitzer Prizes in 2006, for stories revealing the existence of the secret NSA surveillance program approved after the Sept. 11 attacks, and in 2018 as part of the team that examined Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and its ties to the eventual administration. He was also a reporter with the Los Angeles Times for fifteen years at the start of his career, and he has written long-form pieces for the New Yorker and other publications.
Eric has written three non-fiction books — Bush’s Law; The Remaking of American Justice; the best-selling The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler’s Men; and Return to the Reich: A Holocaust Refugee’s Secret Mission to Defeat the Nazis. He is currently working on a new book about the alarming surge in hate crimes in America carried out by white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
He has served as a panelist and moderator for various educational symposia, taking place at Georgetown University School of Law, American University, the Constitution Project, the American Civil Liberties Union, the New School for Social Research, the Montpelier Foundation and Mensa. He also has appeared as a frequent guest on numerous news shows, including CNN, PBS, NPR, CSPAN, and ABC.
Eric has been a visiting professor of journalism at both Georgetown University and UCLA, and has also lectured at major universities across the country.
Babs Rubenstein 2006 Music-Theater
Babs was always singing and dancing around as a child. Her passion for musicals began when her father rented movie musicals from blockbuster for her on weekends. She started taking dance at the age of 4 and got her first taste of being on stage. But it was Charlotte Haas who nurtured her growing singing talent. Mrs. Haas cast her as the lead (The Court Jester) in their 4th grade musical, “Many Moons,” at Tecumseh Elementary.
In middle school, Babs auditioned for the combined 7th-8th grade show choir, The Good Time Singers, led by Shawn Hebert. She wanted to be a part of the group so badly that she skipped her Bat Mitzvah Luncheon so she could make it to callbacks for the group auditions, which she passed. During her two years with the group, Mr. Herbert suggested that she audition for the Town of Manlius summer shows and Bristol Hills Music Camp, and she was selected for both of those ensembles.
During high school, Babs enrolled in every choral, music theory, and music history class that was offered. She auditioned for the show choir, In Achord, and was one of two freshman selected. She spent four years performing with the ensemble, under the direction of Beth Quackenbush. Her In Achord participation included annual trips to New York City to work with Broadway Music Director Kevin Stites. One of Babs’ favorite memories is traveling to New York to coach with Kevin for her role as Alice Beane in “Titanic,” in her sophomore year high school musical. She also had roles in productions of “Beauty and the Beast” and “Footloose.” However she is best remembered for her Freshman year performance as Madame Thenardier in “Les Miserables,” directed by Shannon Tompkins. Her mother costumed each of the four high school musicals Babs appeared in.
Babs was also very active in the Syracuse Theater Community. She took classes at The Syracuse Children’s Theater and performed at the Syracuse Civic Theatre. She received the first special Rising Star Award when The SALTY Awards were created.
After high School, Babs attended The Boston Conservatory, beginning as a voice major. During her freshman year, she was a cover soloist for the Boston Conservatory’s Women’s Chorale with the New England Philharmonic. She sang as special guest soloist for The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, and was also chosen to do a Master Class with the late Tony Award winning actress, soprano Barbara Cook.
After her freshman year, Babs switched majors from voice to musical theater, but continued to study classical voice, during the ensuing five years. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater in 2011.
After graduation, Babs moved to New York City where she hired an agent and began performing regionally. She worked at Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut, Seacoast Repertory Theater and New London Barn Playhouse, in New Hampshire, and Cleveland Ohio’s Hanna Theater in Playhouse Square. In New York City, she’s performed many new works, readings of musicals, and has created many cabaret shows. She also traveled the country for a year with Broadway’s First National Tour of “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.”
During the summer off-season, she would return home to Syracuse to direct shows for the Syracuse Children’s Theater. When the Pandemic shut down theaters in New York, she found herself living full time in Syracuse where she currently holds the position of Education Director at The Syracuse Children’s Theater.
Renee Schuls-Jacobson 1985 Art
Artist, advocate, teacher, and writer, often weaving them together simultaneously. An English teacher for over two decades, her life turned upside down in 2013 when she suffered an iatrogenic brain injury.
At age four, Renee attended art school at Syracuse University. But, during her time at Jamesville-DeWitt schools, her passion became writing. Her favorite teachers bear this out – at Genesee Hills, Mrs. Church, Jim Barnello, Carol Marmello; at Middle School, Mr. Baron; and at high school, Brenda Neuss, Jim McKeever, and Helen Landfear. Her education continued at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1989, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English and Women’s Studies. She received her Master of Arts in English at SUNY-Buffalo in 1992, while also serving as Adjunct, teaching Women’s Poetry Writing Workshop for two semesters.
Renee taught regular and honors 10th-grade English in Metairie, Louisiana, then 9th and 11th grade English at Brighton High School in Rochester. She was Adjunct Instructor at Monroe Community College, being named Adjunct of the Year in 2012. Then came her injury.
While homebound and disabled for over two years, she started painting as a way to distract herself from her excruciating symptoms, and Rasajacobson Art was born. During that time, Renée became interested in the tension between outward appearance and internal reality, and her art reflects this duality. Despite her cheerful palette, oftentimes her colorful crowd of characters seems to be deep in thought, even a little sad. Renée’s longstanding medium of choice has been acrylic paint because of its extensive layering capability and intense, vivid colors – but during the COVID-19 quarantine, she discovered a love of watercolors. All of her work employs layers of brilliant pure color, sometimes laid over an undercoat of textural pattern. She enjoys experimenting with multimedia and embellishing her canvases with buttons and ribbons and jewels.
Eight years after her injury, her brain has (mostly) healed, and it has become her mission to educate the public – and doctors, especially – about the dangers associated with long-term prescription benzodiazepine use.
In addition to being a full-time professional artist, she teaches memoir writing classes, serves as a Certified Recovery Peer Advocate, and is the author of the memoir, Psychiatrized: Waking Up After a Decade of Bad Medicine.
Renée’s is grateful to all her teachers in the Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District, especially her English teachers, Mrs. Helen Landfear & Mr. Jim McKeever, whose assignments always felt personal and relevant. Their passion for teaching and learning is an ongoing inspiration in Renée’s life.
Her home and her studio are in Rochester, New York, and she returns to Syracuse regularly as her parents still live in her childhood home on Windsor Drive. Renée remains in touch with many of her former classmates from Jamesville-Dewitt and is honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame with so many other talented alums.
John T. Shields 1975 Architecture
John was that weird kid drawing house plans and multi-unit housing at lunch in Middle School. He credits the diverse combination of history, art, math, science, literature, theater, and technical drawing classes for his early interest in architecture and design. His parents recognized his talent in art and sent him to classes at the Everson Museum and Syracuse University while in elementary school. His family enjoyed traveling to stimulating locations on vacations, opening his eyes to the world. Environmental events for the first Earth Day in 1970 also left a lasting impression on him.
Though he was a shy kid, John always enjoyed singing and joining theater productions. When Ken Sipley cast him in “Get Up and Go,” it was a real confidence-builder. He continued with singing in high school due to Bonnie Nye’s infectious enthusiasm, performing in 4 choral groups. He was involved in theater productions at J-D, as well as Salt City Playhouse and Syracuse Stage, where he enjoyed helping to create stage sets and promotional posters. As a senior, he joined an Explorer Post focusing on Architecture, which was his first exposure to the profession of Landscape Architecture.
As a senior, he was introduced to the Landscape Architecture profession when he joined an Explorer Post that focused on architecture
Though his senior yearbook states he’d become a Landscape Architect, John attended St Lawrence University to see if liberal arts might pique any other interests. But it was still set design, architecture, and art classes that he found most exciting, so he transferred to SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry to focus on Landscape Architecture. Realizing his primary passion was creating environments that were both functional and emotionally stirring, he chose to focus on urban design and site planning. In his fifth year, he spent a semester in France where he finally got to use his five years of French classes. While traveling throughout Europe on his own, filling sketchbooks with his observations, he gained an independent confidence that he would rely on the rest of his career.
After earning his degree in Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, John moved to Boston to enjoy its culture and history. His first job at Presley Associates was the expansion of Faneuil Hall Marketplace which received the 1983 American Society of Landscape Architects Urban Design Award. He also worked on designs for hotels, public plazas, and housing developments and became licensed as a Landscape Architect after his 3-year internship. In 1984, he joined Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill as a Senior Associate, helping to rework Harvard Square in Cambridge and developing a new design for Columbus Circle in New York City. At age 29 he was ready for an adventure and spent 2 months backpacking through East Africa, with sketchbook in hand. Upon returning to Boston, he began work as an urban designer at Sasaki Associates working on large scale master plans. He transferred to their new Los Angeles office, working on Warren Beatty’s home and a master plan for the Walt Disney Studio in Burbank.
His work for the studio led to a 27-year tenure at Walt Disney Imagineering – beginning in 1990 as a Land Planner for its theme parks. He spent 7 years developing and building Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World working as overall park site planner, and chief designer for the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction. With knowledge gained from the Animal Advisory Board, and multiple research trips to Africa, he also became the primary habitat designer for Disney. The safari won the 1998 Themed Entertainment Association award for best new attraction. Thereafter, he worked with creative teams developing entirely new park plans for Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Paris, and Tokyo. He went on to design new lands in existing Disney parks for Marvel, Frozen, Star Wars, Avatar, and Ratatouille. He spent his last few years at Disney working on a relaunch of EPCOT, and simultaneous roles as Art Director, Concept Designer, Landscape Architect, and Site Planner for the Disneyland Paris parks and hotels.
John retired in 2017 and has continued pursuing his passions by training to be a Master Gardener, serving as a docent for architectural tours, and traveling abroad 3-4 months each year.
Victor Russo Educator Music
Instrumental Teacher and Band Director, started at the Jamesville-Dewitt School district in 1963 and retired in the year 2000, a total of 37 years. Vic holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education, as well as a Master’s Degree in Music Education and Music Theory from Syracuse University. Vic was a member of Music Educators National Conference, New York State School Music Association, Onondaga County Music Association, and a member of the Syracuse Professional Musicians Union – Local 78.
In Vic’s first four years at Jamesville-DeWitt, he taught in the elementary schools at Genesee Hills, Jamesville, and Tecumseh. In 1967, Vic moved to the very progressive and innovative Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School. While at the Middle school, Vic taught 6th-grade band, combined 7th & 8th grade band, jazz ensemble, and pit orchestra, along with music lessons and music theory. During his tenure at the Middle school, on two separate occasions, Dr. Alice Kendrick, District Superintendent of Schools at Jamesville-DeWitt, presented Mr. Russo with Merit Awards for excellence in teaching.
In Vic’s other life as a professional trumpet player, he played in the Stan Colella orchestra for 32 years, performing at 120 engagements a year. While in Stan Colella’s orchestra, also known as the official New York State Fair Orchestra, Vic performed with Tony Bennet, Bob Hope, Engelbert Humperdinck, the Four Tops, The Temptations, Andy Williams, Suzanne Summers, Rosemarie Clooney, Mickey Rooney, and many others.
Vic always said about his career he had the best of both worlds, playing professionally, and teaching music in the best School District ever, Jamesville-Dewitt.
Roaring 20’s 1968-1969 Ensemble
A first of its kind high-school ensemble, The Roaring 20’s show choir was formed in the fall of 1968. It was the inspiration of Bonnie B. Nye. The 1969 Yearbook photo caption reads, “Roaring Twenties is a newly formed group of selected students who sing mostly popular music with their own special flair. They have made several personal appearances this year both at concerts and parties, and have added a new and exciting dimension to J-D’s performing vocal groups.”
The 1968-69 charter edition of the ensemble had 23 members, including accompanist, and would be the only group to include students from all four high school classes. One piece featured in the original group’s repertoire was, “Once in Love With Amy.”
By its second year, auditions were limited to Juniors and Seniors because the J-D talent pool was that deep. Over the years, Roaring 20’s would have two reunions, in 1989, and 1994. When Bonnie retired in 1995, the Roaring 20’s name retired with her. But the ensemble continues to dance and roar, led by director Beth Quackenbush. They’re currently called In Achord!
From Bonnie B. Nye:
1968-1969 Roaring Twenties till 1995!!!
After I was hired in 1963 by the J-D Central School Board to teach general music and choruses at Jamesville Elementary, I was transferred in 1966 to the high school. That’s where I truly belonged, and I loved all of my 30 years of teaching there. During my high school and college days, I was happily chosen to play several musical theater roles. I knew I adored being on stage and loved being in productions that centered on singing and dancing. In my third year at J-D High School, I decided I wanted to form a group of students who might enjoy doing just that.
In that first year, I also decided on the name, “THE ROARING 20’S!” I still don’t know exactly why. However, I often informed our audiences that, “We weren’t named because of the era, but are just 20 plus people who roar!” And thus began my idea for a special choir whose objective was to entertain our J-D community, in and out of school, and to thank them for their continued support!!
Our first year, 1968-69, we had twenty-three (including accompanist) very musically talented students who were chosen from all four of the high school years. We performed lighter-type music with MOVEMENT, which was rather unique in 1969. At that time, I don’t think, there were any types of high school ‘show choirs’ in the Syracuse area, so I was just following a dream of mine and I have THEM to thank for a lovely tradition!!! Those “kids” were absolutely adorable when they rehearsed and performed!! It was such a delight!! And MANY were chosen to perform in our musical that year – “Guys and Dolls!” So much fun!! After Roaring 20’s first year, I began auditioning only Juniors and Seniors because there was so much talent!!! Isn’t that fabulous????
ROARING 20’S Show Choir was a continual source of joy for me through all those years (although I always detested the auditioning process!)!! When I retired in 1995, I had had 26 years of students singing and “dancing,” making beautiful music together!! There were certainly many highlights during those decades, but nothing will match being chosen to represent New York State when THE ROARING 20’S competed in The Young Americans National Invitational show choir competition in California in 1986! We stayed in Pasadena, and competed at The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles!
I am absolutely THRILLED that our ORIGINAL ROARING 20’S MEMBERS are being honored tonight!! They will always be very, VERY special to me!!! I thank hundreds of others, too, for carrying on the wonderful history of J-D’s Music Departments!! No one more than I, can THANK enough the former music teachers of Jamesville-DeWitt Schools. They were the BEST!
A huge THANK YOU, also, to Beth Quackenbush for carrying on the THE ROARING 20’S tradition with such excellence (but under different names, of course!)!! I have to also THANK our J-D Administration and its TOTAL staff (teachers, secretaries, bus drivers, maintenance and cafeteria personnel) plus our talented choreographers and wonderful parents for their incredible, support throughout those years!! Unbelievable!!!
THANK YOU, too, FINE ARTS HALL OF FAME Committee members for being so creative in honoring the 1968-69 ROARING 20’S!!! FANTASTIC MEMORIES!!!!
Brenda Neuss Contributor
Brenda Neuss was a dedicated teacher, a show runner, a producer. She helped the students she loved shine in school, and made it possible for the performers she loved to take the stage.
Brenda came to Syracuse in 1968 to attend Syracuse University. There, she received her Bachelor of Science in Education in 1972 and her Masters of Science in Reading Education in 1976. She was employed by, and retired from, Jamesville-Dewitt Central Schools. She retired early to throw herself into theater full time.
Brenda ran professional shows with The Talent Company, and many student shows for Jamesville-DeWitt High School. She took care of details, from auditions to tickets to the spot-lit performances. She loved dramas and songs. She loved the people who made them. Her home has a hallway of framed posters from the shows that she helped produce. Brenda Neuss was born to be the first Contributor to be honored by the Jamesville-DeWitt Fine Arts Hall of Fame.
In Bonnie B. Nye’s words:
She was the best friend I ever had. I believe there are many, many others who feel the same way about our dear departed Brenda! If anyone embodied the perfect definition of ‘friend,’ Brenda Rosalie (which she hated) Neuss was the epitome!!
We became friends in 1980 when I played “Mame” at the Civic Center for the Pompeiian Players. She attended a few of the performances and then wrote me a very nice note. Until then, I hadn’t known her, and it was then that I discovered that she, too, was a teacher in the Jamesville-DeWitt School District.
Brenda dearly loved every aspect of the theater arts, and we became real bosom buddies!” From the early 80’s, she was a phenomenal supporter of the JDHS Music Department’s musicals and concerts. She helped the students, Ron Nuzzo, and me in every way: building/painting sets; making rehearsal schedules; finding any props that the students needed; writing programs; etc., etc…. Alway the quiet and intelligent ‘backstage’ hard worker, she was a tremendous asset, contributing to the successes of so many performances! (This also includes being my forever prompter in learning lines!!)
When my Roaring 20’s Show Choir represented New York State in The Young Americans National Invitational competition in California, Brenda took care of all the financial arrangements to raise funds so we could fly, house, and feed our 30 plus students and chaperones, in Pasadena. Till the time of her death, she continued to be an integral part of J-D High School’s Music Department and loved working with Beth Quackenbush, Dan Blumenthal, and all the students! How she adored being involved in all the arts!!
Personally, during countless summer vacations, we made many trips around the United States, and we usually ended up in Las Vegas! Brenda loved taking photos of everywhere we went, and they delightfully remind me of our wonderful times together!!
She was definitely an additional sister to my large family, and we all loved her SO MUCH! She just could never do enough for her many friends and family!! Brenda was the MOST GIVING, BRIGHT, CARING, FUNNY, KIND, TOUGH, PATIENT, GENEROUS, and ‘DO ANYTHING FOR ANYONE’ person I’ve ever known!! Indeed, she was ONE IN A MILLION!! (How I wish she were here to help me write this because I always sought her advice when I had to submit any kind of epistle.) I shall forever be broken-hearted that she was taken way too soon. How I miss my beautiful friend!