Performing Arts

Embrace Your Creative Side

There are so many opportunities to find (and showcase!) your abilities, have fun, and grow in confidence with our performing arts programs.

From singing, dancing and acting to guitar, bell, and orchestral instruments, you can cultivate skills such as collaboration, generosity, and introspection, and get to share your unique talents with performances throughout the school year. Learn more about the benefits of the performing arts in "Take a Bow," a post on our blog!  

Private lessons are offered at Merion Mercy for guitar, voice, piano, and string instruments. 

Please contact Department Chair Dr. Cara Latham with any questions.

Performing Arts and Music Majors

Merion Mercy offers two Performing Arts Major tracks, one in theater and one in music. All performing arts students begin with a Freshman Seminar called “Renaissance Revels” in which they learn sword dances, Gregorian chant, madrigals, hand bells, lute-e-leles and recorders to reimagine a medieval festival.

Upper level courses include Honors and AP music, Acting l and ll, as well as an opera writing workshop in which students compose, create, and perform in their own original musical or opera.

Merion Mercy Music Theater (MMMT)

Led by Chris Monaco, who also directs for the esteemed Upper Darby Summer Stage program, MMMT performs two shows yearly—a drama in the fall and a musical in the spring. Almost a quarter of the school participates in the MMMT program, either on the stage or on stage crew. 

Music Scholarships

We offer partial tuition music scholarships that are awarded on the basis of a personal audition and performance on the Scholarship and Entrance Exam. See Tuition, Scholarships and Financial Aid to learn more.

Tri-M Music Society

Tri-M Society is an international music honor society, which recognizes musical achievement, academic excellence, and community service. In order to participate, students must be active in two different Performing Arts activities and contribute 20 hours of community service. This may be in the form of performing at the Convent for the retired Sisters of Mercy, singing or playing at nursing homes, helping with the needs of the Performing Arts Department, and singing or playing for the liturgies, open houses, and other school functions. An award ceremony is presented at the end of the year.

"Music has been a very important part of my life, and at Merion Mercy I have the opportunity to grow and explore across many musical formats.”
–Hannah Turek '26, Maple Shade, NJ

Extracurricular Activities (Open to All!)

All students (not just performing arts majors) are welcome to participate in these activities:

Chamber Ensembles
Chamber ensembles are small groups of musicians who are paired together and meet during or after school to prepare chamber music for concerts or other events. These groups have played concerts for the Sisters of Mercy in their beautiful convent chapel, and at the McAuley Home for Retired Sisters.

Chorale
Polish your vocal technique by singing a cappella, multi-lingual, and complex part-singing, studying more sophisticated repertoire in a chamber setting. Chorale rehearses on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:45 – 8:30 a.m. This is a half-credit course for those who love to sing, want to get better and create beautiful music. Members of Chorale sing at concerts throughout the year. Merion’s Chorale has consistently received the highest possible ranking, Superior, at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Adjudication.

Sirens of Baggot Street
Merion Mercy’s select A Capella group rehearses on Monday morning from 7:45 - 8:30 a.m. and Wednesday mornings from 8 - 9 a.m. This is a small, select auditioned group. They travel and perform at various fundraisers, competitions and events. All who are in Sirens also participate in Chorale.

Dance Team
Perform hip-hop dance and spirit moves with this cheerleading group that supports our Golden Bears athletic teams.

Dance Troupe
Join other well-trained dancers to enhance liturgies through our unique offering of Liturgical Dance, and also perform modern, tap, jazz, and lyrical styles during the Christmas Concert, Carol Night, Performing Arts Festival, and other service-related venues.

Liturgical Choir
This special group leads our community in sung prayer at liturgies. They rehearse on Wednesdays from 3:15 - 4:30. They become a community that does service together, shares prayer together at the end of each rehearsal, and perhaps will do some traveling to provide music at various celebrations.

Handbells
Collaborate and create beautiful music through the sound of bells, offered for beginners through experienced bell-ringers! Handbells meet on Wednesday mornings from 8 - 9 a.m. and play at the winter and spring concerts.

Guitar and Ukulele Mercy Beat Band
This club will meet after school on Mondays or Fridays if there are more than five uke/guitar players who would like to form an ensemble.

Orchestral Ensemble
Study and perform a vast array of repertoire with other instrumentalists, from classical music to popular theatrical extravaganzas. Orchestra rehearses on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 – 4:15. This is a half-credit course and participation is by audition only.