Fast Five: Rising Senior Maeve Sheehan ‘26GS on Spending Her Summer Bringing Broadway to Life

Welcome to Fast Five: Rapid-fire, insightful interviews with GS students and alumni! 

For a film buff and Broadway fan, New York City is a dream come true: just ask Maeve Sheehan ‘26GS! From studying film with Columbia University’s world-renowned faculty, to interning at the Broadway League this summer, Sheehan is taking full advantage of everything New York City, Columbia, and the Dual BA Program with have to offer. 

What is your GS story in one sentence? 

I am a Trinity College Dublin Dual BA student studying film who is here because my first short film was called Staten Ireland—kismet!

You’re spending the summer working at the Broadway League; what exciting projects or behind-the-scenes moments have you been a part of so far? 

Working at the Broadway League is literally a dream come true and I am beyond grateful to be there every day. My favorite thing has been working on the Jimmy Awards, which are the National High School Musical Theatre Awards. I was able to witness some incredible rehearsal moments and experience the talent of this year’s nominees before the ceremony. I had my favorite opening number moment picked out well before it started going viral! 

I’ve known about the Jimmy Awards for around 7 years and have been keeping up with them closely the past few years on social media, and now getting to contribute to that social media and work with the teams who make it all happen is nothing short of magical. The Jimmys themselves have grown so much over the years and to be even a small part of the growth will be something I will carry with me for the rest of my life!

What’s your favorite thing you’ve seen on Broadway this year so far? 

This won’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows me well, but my absolute favorite right now is definitely The Outsiders. I actually saw it for the first time back in September through GS Goes to Broadway (which is without a doubt the most affordable way to see a Broadway show). Since then I’ve seen it four more times, and I wrote the research essay for University Writing on the show and the power of adaptations on Broadway! 

I always find something new to love about it and will never get over the creative ways the set, lights, sound, and direction interact to create something truly magical. The rumble is worth the price of a ticket alone. And once, a cast member complimented my Outsiders bag on the subway which absolutely made my day. 

What’s your favorite “only-in-New-York-City” way to spend a summer day?

My favorite way to spend a summer day is walking around and seeing where the wind takes me. I love spontaneity and experiencing new things: buying a theater ticket at the last minute and ending up loving it, walking down Broadway and discovering a restaurant you’ve never heard of, or just seeing what cool events are happening around and stopping by! 

I am also a huge fan of movies in the park. My friends and I recently went to Brooklyn Bridge Park for one and we walked back home across the bridge drinking Shake Shack milkshakes…that was truly an only-in-New-York-City moment!

As you head into your senior year, what are you most excited to dive into—academically, personally, or otherwise?

I’m excited to see what the year holds, even if it’s terrifying going into what could be my last year of academics ever! 

I’m looking forward to learning more about screenwriting in a long form as I work on my Trinity capstone project, and I’m also ready to dive into my final year being involved in a college community. I love being involved on campus and contributing to the community around me. So, honestly, I’m excited to leave my mark and learn as much as I can while taking with me the experiences I’ve had this summer!