Christine D. Kavanagh joined St. Mary Academy – Bay View in September 1983 as the Performing Arts teacher. In her 39 years at Bay View, she has built the performing arts program to be known across New England by producing over 75 shows, both musical and dramatic and winning several awards in the process. Under her direction, the Bay View Players and Chamber Chorus have performed at venues around the world including The American School in Paris, the Vatican, Veterans Memorial Auditorium, and the Providence Performing Arts Center. 

She quickly became famous for her cabaret-style shows that she produced with musical director Diane Gualtieri, which weave together music from Broadway classics new and old, dance and costumes to tell a story.  Her annual cabarets evolved into Bay View’s largest fundraiser, Manhattan at the Bay, which transformed classrooms into New York hotspots such as Coney Island and Little Italy, all surrounding Bay View’s own Broadway. While Manhattan at the Bay has changed over the years, there has always been a show by Christine Kavanagh at the center.

While COVID -19 drastically changed the annual Manhattan at the Bay show and fundraiser, this year's virtual event will help ensure that the performing arts program fosters students' talents in vocal music, instrumental music, and drama for generations to come.

We are excited to announce the Christine D. Kavanagh Endowment for the Performing Arts,
Your investment in this endowment will support the performing arts program’s general operations and scholarships for performing arts students.

Join us in setting the stage for continued excellence in performing arts by making a gift today. Thank you for your support! ​​