Vicky Li

S!NG Semore co-overall director Nicolette Cuzzo prepares for the season.

Fall is S!NG season at THHS, and as members grow excited for all the new memories and experiences this season is sure to bring, some are already hard at work. For S!NG directors, like Semore co-overall director Nicolette Cuzzo, it’s already crunch time. 

“There are too many responsibilities to count,” Nicolette said, speaking about the role of co-overall S!NG director. “We most notably write the script, but we also do a lot of coordination, especially collaborating with the other department directors so we all have an aligned vision for what we want. We also work with the actors toward putting on a great show.”

Nicolette is an experienced playwright, collaborating behind the scenes to select and develop plays for production. She also collaborated on writing the S!NG script last year. She currently serves as the Nightingale Theatre Company’s Co-Lead Playwright. 

“My best advice is to just talk to people about it,” Nicolette said of the playwriting process. “Collaboration is key. There are multiple directors for a reason. Being able to brainstorm in a group can really get the ball rolling.”

Sophomore Benjamin Wilkinson, who is the Co-Lead playwright for The Nightingale Theatre Company, said that talking about the writing process is one of Nicolette’s strengths: “Nicolette is a close colleague of mine. She is thoughtful, creative, and easy to communicate with, making the playwriting process productive and fun.”

Nicolette said she aspires to create a script that will not only tell a unique story but one that can pull at an audience’s heartstrings. “I hope to bring our audience into our characters’ lives and immerse them into this little world we built. We have some really cool ideas on how we plan to do so,” she said.

Sophomore Lilly Chase was one of the featured performers in last year’s Freshiors S!NG.  Lily spoke highly of Nicolette as a leader. “She was so encouraging and kind, which really helped a lot since I was a freshman with no prior experience with Townsend Harris Theater. She inspires me to always be patient and polite to the people I am working with,” Lily said. 

While the process of writing and directing an original musical may seem daunting, Nicolette said the results make it worthwhile: “I’m beyond pleased with the way the script is turning out. The more I discuss it with my co-overall directors, the more excited [I am] for a brand new season to start.”