It’s May in Mt. Vernon: the month that brings intoxicating tulips and the irresistible lemon sticks all wrapped up in a comforting spring breeze that has become a common occurrence amongst all its residents and visitors.
May also marks the beginning of the end as the school year starts to wind down. Within the walls of Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA) one will find the yearly rituals that solidify what it means to be a BSA student.
Whether it be AP exams, arts finals, end-of-year gallery walks or dance shows, that final month of the year is always known to be the busiest.
But this year, there is something extremely unique taking place that has been in the works for over two years; a profound, complex project that has captivated the BSA community during its production; the project that will make this school year’s end historic.
It’s finally time for the premiere of the long awaited BSA docuseries, Madison and Cathedral (MadCat). The Film Department led a project that documents what it means to go to BSA throughout several episodes, each with a different focus.
After weekends, summer mornings, and night shifts, the exceptionally talented junior (‘26) and senior (‘25) ensembles of the Charles C. Baum Film and Visual Storytelling Department, with the support of the film faculty and alumni, have brought our community the series about community, MadCat.
Students and staff were able to witness an early premiere of the docuseries on Friday, May 2 in BSA’s Schaefer Ballroom, before it was shown to a public audience at a formal cocktail event the following night.
The premiere served many purposes, as it displayed the extraordinary work of the Film Department to donors, parents, the BSA Foundation, and maybe most importantly, the students themselves.
Junior filmmaker Shamir Burg shared some of his feelings on his extended hard work being showcased to his peers: “I feel really really great, I mean, this project has been incredibly intense and arduous, and we’ve really learned a lot along the way.”
Along with the current classes of ’25 and ’26, the alumni film class of ’24 contributed greatly to the making of MadCat. Each different grade and student has their own unique perspective on the project and how they’ve seen the work grow and evolve.
“The project has been going on for years, I’ve personally been a part of it for two years, so I’ve seen the culmination of all the effort and different pieces come together on the big screen,” continued Burg.
The premiere displayed the first three episodes of MadCat in a defining debut that kept students and faculty alike glued to the screen.
Underclassmen were filled with inspiration and amazement, and upperclassmen were able to breathe a sigh of relief as uproars of applause and support reached every corner of the school.
However, the audience on Saturday didn’t just consist of those who work in the building. Members of the Board of Trustees and the BSA Foundation who frequently donate to BSA for projects like this were able to see what the Film Department had produced, including lead donors Patricia and Mark Joseph, who made the Film Department itself possible.
Prior to the screening on Saturday, Film Department co-chair Thomas Ventimiglia shared his thoughts on how the people who contributed to the project may react to the final product.
“I think they are going to see something they’ve never seen before. I think they will see the raw experience of people in this school. They are also going to see the talent, but also the sweat and intensity of this project,” Ventimiglia stated.
Attending BSA during the peak years of MadCat’s production is an experience that only a small batch of students will be able to say they were a part of.
A project of MadCat’s stature and rigor may leave many to wonder what type of legacy it might leave behind for future generations of BSA students, specifically those in the Film Department.
Film senior and President of the Student Government Association Toni Wells spoke on the MadCat legacy: “MadCat is the one project that has included every single department, so I think it will be an archival piece of some sort. It’s gonna showcase the energy, and the success factor as a staple of BSA that will inspire future generations.”
In the days, months, and eventual years after Madison and Cathedral is a finished product, it will stand the test of time and live on as a marvel of grit and tenacity from this generation of BSA students.
From sentimental vignettes from the staff, tender backstage moments, and witty elevator skits as the credits roll, the premier was a lovely showcase of talent that only skims the surface of the film department’s hard work.
Whatever significance it holds in the hearts and minds of those who worked on and watched it will vary greatly, but for the future of BSA it will be a wonderfully inspirational piece of archival footage that will show just a tiny fraction of the significance of calling oneself a BSA student.
To contact this writer, email Muse Newspaper at musebsa@bsfa.org.
Featured photos by Kyndall Roots for The Muse.
