Immaculate Heart Academy’s heart of the performing arts program has always encouraged self-expression and showcased the incredible talent of their students on stage and behind the scenes. IHA girls and students from area boy’s schools present a drama production in the fall and a musical production in the spring that are both enjoyed and celebrated by the community at large.
Ms. Maureen McNulty, the Director of Performing Arts at IHA, has cultivated a very special program for her students and says "IHA is truly a family. The community fostered by these students is amazing. They are extremely supportive of one another and are very dedicated to their art. The passion that these students have for their art and the work they put into their productions is at a professional level.
"IHA has been producing quality theater for several decades. Each year, we work to expand our program, offering myriad options for students to shine both onstage and off, during school and after school. We put on two full-length productions each year, in addition to a children's theater show and a cabaret night. We also participate in several theater competitions each year. Accolades from last year include: 2018-19 PaperMill Nominations: Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role, Outstanding Performance by a Featured Ensemble Group, & Educational Impact Award. 2018-19 Metro Awards: Comic Performance Female, Vocal Performance Female, Costume Design, & Technical Merit. 2018-19 Montclair Drama Awards Lead Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress (winner 2018-19), & Dramaturgy.
"I am so excited for our production of Mamma Mia! We have more than 50 students participating onstage and more than 30 involved in backstage/production. It is truly a community effort. The primary storyline of Mamma Mia! demonstrates the importance of female friendship and support, and how sometimes the most important and powerful families are the ones we create for ourselves."
Mamma Mia! will run April 3rd and 4th at 7:30 p.m. and April 4th and 5th at 2 p.m. The show is produced by Ms. Maureen McNulty and directed by Jodi Capeless. The choreographer is Kimberly Galberaith and the musical director is Ed Ginter.
Set design by Vincent Gunn, sound design by Matthew Morgan & Concert Audio, and lighting design by Declan Moore.
Tickets, $15 each, are available for pre-purchase and will be sold at the door.
Past Musicals at IHA: Beauty and the Beast (Spring 2019), Into the Woods (2017-18), The Little Mermaid (2016-17), 42nd Street (2015-16), The Boy Friend (2014-15), Seussical the Musical (2013-14), Legally Blonde (2012-13)
Spring Children's Theater Show is in May for visiting K-3 grade students from local grammar schools. In 2018, the show was Once Upon a Crime: The Trial of Goldilocks, starring sixteen sophomore students. Tech was provided by junior and senior members of the IHA International Thespian Society and sets were designed and created by Director of the Arts, Mrs. Lisa Encke; various IHA art classes; and members of the IHA National Art Honor Society. The show was produced and directed by Ms. Maureen McNulty, and Eagle Ambassadors served as ushers for the event.
Past Children's Theater Productions at IHA: What Happened After Once Upon a Time (2018), Once Upon a Crime: The Trial of Goldlilocks (2017-18), Princess Who? (2016-17), Red vs. The Wolf (2015-16)
Fall Drama Production is an on-stage production of a dramatic play or comedy performed three times one weekend in the fall semester. Under the artistic direction of Ms. Maureen McNulty, students have the opportunity to shine!
Past Dramas at IHA: The Curious Savage (2019), The Matchmaker ( Fall 2018), You Can't Take It with You (2017-18), Steel Magnolias (2016-17), Arsenic and Old Lace (2015-16)
Winter Cabaret: For the first time, this past February, IHA performed a thematic winter cabaret event in conjunction with Don Bosco Prep.
SPRING OPEN HOUSE Wednesday, April 29, 2020
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Immaculate Heart Academy was founded in 1960 as the first regional high school for girls in the Archdiocese of Newark. Its mission both at the time of foundation and today is to provide quality Catholic education to young women in an atmosphere characterized by respect for the individual, Christian community, and a high level of family involvement.
As IHA is a college preparatory high school for young women, a strong theme throughout the curriculum and extracurricular activities is the development of the special gifts that women can bring to society. The interests and needs of women in the areas of academics, spirituality, the arts, athletics, and social interaction drive the programs offered at IHA. As a single-sex school with a rich background of Christian beliefs and values, Immaculate Heart Academy meets the academic, social, and spiritual needs of today’s ambitious and high-achieving young women. Additionally, their emotional and psychological development is fostered by the positive, supportive, and affirming attitudes of the administration, faculty, and staff.
Known for its friendly family atmosphere as well as academic excellence, IHA has been named by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and is also a member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS).
College Preparatory High School for Young Women
500 Van Emburgh Ave
Township of Washington, NJ 07676
(201) 445-6800