Marching Band and Guard Students to Appear in Showtime Series
Students gain an appreciation for television production
Sacred Heart University marching band and color guard students will be seen in the background during an episode of the new Showtime series Three Women, based on the best-selling book by Lisa Taddeo.
Twenty-two members of the band and 11 members of the color guard spent Wednesday, February 23, and Thursday, February 24, on a set on Long Island for rehearsal and shooting. Each day was 12 hours long, and a four-hour round trip to and from campus.
“I’m so proud them,” said Keith Johnston, director of bands and orchestra at Sacred Heart University. “You are there for a 12-hour day, after coming two hours on the bus. We were there the whole day, but the part of the shoot where the cameras were actually on the band didn’t happen until about eight at night. Our students remained focused and energetic and did a great job.” By the final cut, the scene with the band and color guard will probably be no more than two minutes.
A friend of Johnston’s was acting as an extra in the series when he overheard the desire to cast an actual marching band for an upcoming scene. “He spoke up and said, ‘I know a guy!’” said Johnston.
“Working on set was such an incredible experience! Having a background in production and media through my majors, I knew this was an opportunity I had to take even to just get a glimpse at how production and filming works in the real world,” said Maeve St. Onge ‘22, color guard captain and dual media arts and strategic communication, public relations and advertising major.
“I was shocked by how many people, how much equipment and how much time goes into getting each shot perfect,” St. Onge continued. “I have such a huge appreciation for all the cast and crew members we worked with because they made our experience, as comparatively quick as it was, one that I will never forget. I would’ve never imagined being able to combine my interest and passion for both color guard and media in any capacity remotely close to what the SHU Band was able to be a part of, so I am truly so appreciative of the whole experience.”
“My experience on a television set, the best way to explain it, is organized chaos,” said sport management and marketing major Jackson Schiffbaur ’25. “The production staff had great communication. But sometimes, since we were new to this experience, we did know what we were doing. One thing I learned is this is not any easy thing to do; it may seem simple on paper—but I have a newfound respect for people who do this as a full-time job.”
The other students who acted as production extras were Michael Abbamont, trumpet; Ethan Acquadro, bass drum; Serena Alpert, clarinet; Brianna Caron, alto saxophone; Ryan Cartisano, trumpet; Madeline Costello, alto saxophone; Gianna DiMarino, trumpet; Sean Doxsey, alto saxophone; MaryAnn, Droesch, flute; Christian Escudero, bass drum; Caroline Fernandes, guard; Rudy Ferrera, bass drum; Alyssa Flanders, flute; Amanda Hanna, guard; Victoria Hrinda, guard; Emily Kusinski, guard; Luke Lizzi, bass drum; Allyson Lombardo, guard; Aidan Murphy, tubs; Trey Puentes, alto saxophone; Shannon Rich, guard; Jamie Santiago, trumpet; Chris Schleicher, snare drum; Matthew Scognamiglio, trumpet; Tim Seaman, alto saxophone; Makayla Shanley, guard; Lauren Strong, guard; Deanna Swanson, guard; Lawrence Tan, baritone; Amanda Valency, cymbals; and Caidyn Wachnuik, guard.
Showtime has not yet set a launch date for Three Women, staring Shailene Woodley, Betty Gilpin, DeWanda Wise and Gabrielle Creevy.