Irony doesn’t just belong on stage. Michele Sheehy once swore she’d never be a teacher—yet here she is as Northwood’s new theater director, channeling years of stage experience to make the program thrive under the spotlight.
“I didn’t realize how much I would like teaching theater,” Sheehy said. “When I was younger, I’d always tell my mom, ‘No, no, I’ll never be a teacher.’ And here I am teaching.”
Stepping into the position of previous theater director Danyelle Bossardet, Sheehy was met with a supportive community of both staff and students who made her feel welcomed on day one. Having to adapt to new technical resources for theater, whether it’s learning how to stage-design or set up a grade book, Sheehy expresses appreciation towards student warmth and guidance which helped her navigate those challenges.
“I love the culture here,” Sheehy said. “Everyone is so open and inclusive, and talking to the staff, everyone was so excited that I was there. I was able to get a lot of helpful information from the kids who have consistently done theater.”
Her passion for the arts ignited at age 10, when she played the princess in a children’s musical, The Frog Prince, in San Jose. She later earned her bachelor’s degree in drama from University of California Irvine and performed at various venues such as Laguna Playhouse, one of the most respected theaters in Southern California.
Sheehy then ventured overseas to perform on a Caribbean cruise that carried her talents to the Panama Canal.
“Theater teaches people soft skills that they can’t get from an actual class,” Sheehy said. “You have to be able to solve problems on your feet in front of an audience without panicking. It really helps you work in a team.”
But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for Sheehy. In 2011, she launched her own theater business that served as an after-school program for kids, running them through hands-on performing arts activities until the pandemic threatened to shut it all down.
“I really put my everything into it, and it’s okay that I didn’t always succeed,” Sheehy said. “Theater is about trying things and failing a lot, so I want my students to be comfortable with taking risks to become even better.”
Sheehy hopes to extend this philosophy of performative success to Northwood. Her vision is centered on cultivating a theater program that feels like home—a place where students can be themselves and embrace their mistakes freely.
“Mistakes are part of the learning process,” Sheehy said. “I want them to walk away feeling like they did their best.”
Sheehy looks forward to collaborating with Northwood’s dance and choir programs for the first time on this year’s spring musical, “Mean Girls,” opening in February. To her, merging three performing arts departments under one production is a great way for students to thrive.
“We get to work with all these different people,” Sheehy said. “I want to bring out different kids’ personalities and help them find their voice.”
With rehearsals starting for “Much Ado About Nothing,” she invites everyone to come support the Northwood Drama program at their fall play from Oct. 22-25 at 7 p.m. But despite already being neck-deep in auditions and callbacks, Sheehy embraces the thrill of uncertainty alongside the rest of the pack.
“Every school has their cadence of the year, and I’m looking forward to seeing what that looks like here at Northwood,” Sheehy said. “I’m excited to see all the different things that are unique here and what those might bring.”
In the meantime, she continues to adapt to her new surroundings while carrying forward the very irony she once resisted, adding Northwood as the newest chapter of her winding journey in theater arts.
