“The very first time that Dominic walked into an audition for a show we knew immediately, the moment he opened his mouth, that he was a deeply gifted actor,” said Visual and Performing Arts Chair and Theater Director Catriona Hynds, the theater director at Deerfield Academy.
Dominic Sessa ’22 has been a hard-working and dedicated member of the Deerfield theater program since his first year here. Sessa was a new sophomore and instantly immersed himself in the Arts program; “I started taking Acting II with Ms. Lori Clark, and that same year I also did my first show here, which was Antigone.” Sessa explained that his first show had gotten him involved in the theater program and from there he continued taking classes that developed his skill set as an actor.
Sessa took a course titled Acting and Directing during his junior year which allowed him to direct a piece and see the set from the other side of the camera. In this particular course, Sessa directed an excerpt from a play called No Exit by John Paul Sasha.
Sessa described, “Deerfield theater classes are small, so you feel a sort of conservatory type of an atmosphere, where you create these ensembles.” He elaborated, “You really are able to make more in-depth relationships that you maybe wouldn’t be able to make in any other classes because you’re on your feet and are pushed to be very vulnerable. You have to show sides of yourself that you may not be very motivated to show in other areas on campus.”
In addition to taking acting classes within his academic schedule, Sessa has also been involved with The Mellow-D’s acapella group and the Improv Club during his time at Deerfield. Sessa remarked, “Trying to get other kids involved [in these groups has] definitely had a big impact on my experience at Deerfield, but has also certainly made an impact on my future.” Ally Atwell ’22 said, “Dom is a really great guy, and he’s a close friend of mine. I’ve really enjoyed being able to see him act and learn from what an amazing actor he is. He’s always really funny and brings a lot of great energy in a rehearsal space.”
This past winter, Sessa had the opportunity to work on the set of the upcoming movie, The Holdovers. Comparing this experience to acting in Deerfield productions, Sessa said, “I was very nervous going in because I’ve never done any acting on film before. All I’ve ever done is live performance.”
The film is centered around a boarding school student, Angus— Sessa’s character—and his teacher, played by American actor Paul Giamatti, who is disliked among the other students and faculty. They both get stuck on campus during winter break and end up forming a special familial bond. Sessa conveyed that the entire process felt like a master class on everything that goes into films, “Working with professionals from every area of filmmaking; from costumes to lighting, directing, and my fellow actors as well.” Sessa described that the experience of working on the set was truly incredible.
Mrs. Hynds expressed that Sessa is no ordinary actor: “Dominic himself is extraordinary and intense, and hard-working, and he just wants to act, act, act all the time.” She explained that learning lines is not easy, but Sessa always makes an effort to know them inside and out, finding new ways to portray a line. Regarding his first Deerfield performance in Antigone, Mrs. Hynds said, “He was thrown into a role that was really challenging, a really dark character, he’s amazing.” She continued, “From that to Rumors last fall, his comedic timing is just amazing. His range as an actor is phenomenal, but what I think sets him apart from the others is the extraordinary humility that he has.”
When it came time for Mrs. Hynds to write back to one of the casting agencies that had reached out to Deerfield, she knew that some of her students could be potential candidates for the part. The casting agency had auditioned 12 Deerfield students, and Sessa auditioned for nearly an hour. This was followed by a series of Zoom meetings with the lead, Paul Giamatti. In an attempt to stray away from any false hope during the auditioning process, Mrs. Hynds explained to Sessa, “This is what dreams are made out of, it’s probably not going to happen, so let’s keep going.” Sessa responded by acknowledging that even if nothing happens, he’s learned so much in the process so far.
However, after Sessa went through another round of auditions, he ended up securing the role. Mrs. Hynds concluded, “His life will be forever changed by this extraordinary opportunity.”