'Ragtime' bridges diverse school communities
Production offers actors, audience lessons in harmony
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B.A. Sillah (lower right), as Coalhouse Walker Jr., celebrates with the rest of Harlem at the promise turn-of-the century America holds for him during a scene from "Ragtime," performed at Marquette University High School last month. (Submitted photo)
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The day before opening night, after two months and more than 100 hours of rehearsal, cast and crew members of Marquette University High School's "Ragtime" gathered on stage to celebrate Mass. It's a tradition and an important part of the "drama ministry" at Marquette.
Susan Sadjak, theology teacher and drama director at Marquette believes that this important tradition shows the students that God can be found in all things. It's also a reminder to students to keep a faithful focus on the production.
Cast members also participated in an overnight retreat where they got to know the Messmer and St. Joan Antida students who were recruited to complete the extensive cast this year. According to Sadjak, this year's retreat was more important than ever to help the students learn different racial perspectives and build relationships with cast members from schools other than their own.
"Ragtime" highlights racial conflicts among white Protestants, African-Americans and Eastern European Jewish immigrants in turn-of-the-century New York. As the plot develops, tension among the groups rises and violence erupts, but the characters are hopeful of a more harmonious tomorrow.
Read more in this week's Catholic Herald feature article.
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