Donna Kauth
Joe Santaniello reached out to Ridgefield Academy in the Fall of 2011 with an interest in teaching theatre. After reviewing Joe’s resume, I had no reservations about hiring him to instruct an after school enrichment club for our school. Joe’s impressive background as a Boston Conservatory graduate and his experience as a Crystal Theatre Director in Norwalk, CT made him the perfect fit for us.
Joe’s first club, “Rising Stars - Kids’ Acting Troupe“ became an instant success with our students. This Fall enrichment club met once a week for an hour over eight weeks and offered a variety of theatre games, singing, music, and dance. Both students and parents provided positive feedback about the club, which prompted us to extend an invitation to Joe to continue as our Winter and Spring drama club instructor. We were excited to learn what Joe had in mind for his next club offering. He expressed that his passion, other than his love for opera, was to direct theatre. Joe decided to direct a condensed musical that would end with a performance for parents, family members, and friends.
Personally, I thought Joe was crazy to take on this responsibility, This meant he would need to hold auditions, block and choreograph a script and musical score for Kindergarten through 5th Grade students, design scenery, schedule time for a costume fitting, hair, make-up, and have a dress rehearsal… all within approximately eight one-hour sessions! Much to my amazement, Joe shouldered this responsibility with ease. Joe is currently in his eighth year at Ridgefield Academy and has directed close to twenty performances for our school. We are very grateful to have him on our team.
Joe’s love for children, music, directing, and theatre shines through in each one of his performances. He has the patience of a saint and phenomenal talent. In addition, Joe has excellent group management skills, which are necessary when working with large groups. To sum it up, Joe is a remarkable theatre instructor who inspires children and helps them develop their own individual talents. I would highly recommend him for any type of theatre position in an organization or school environment.