Robin Hood Returns

Finally got a chance to see the trailer for the new Robin Hood movie starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett with Ridley Scott directing. My only concerning is that it's going to be Gladiator in the forest.

Still, nothing will beat the wonderfulness of Disney's Robin Hood for me:

Up In The Air

Just like everyone I've talked to and every critic I've read, Up In The Air is definitely one of the best movies of the year. During our current economic climate, the film uniquely captures the quest for happiness and the American Dream. However, it smartly juxtaposes this theme with how hard it can be to find a balance between the sometimes unrealistic American Dream and making powerful, meaning relationships in your life that complete you more than the material things you pursue. I already cannot wait to see this film again and percolate all it has to offer the just like I want to do with other works that deal with similar themes (Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby, and Mad Men). If you see one movie for the remainder of the year -- make it this one.

Aria at City Center Opens

(Aria at City Center. Go to www.citycenter.com for more views)

Just want to give a shout out to my father today. Last night was the opening of the Aria casino/hotel that is part of the larger City Center complex. My father has been working on the Aria part since February. I'm so proud of the work he has accomplished with the project. Most published reports have the budget for this project at around$8.5 BILLION (although I think the final is going to be well over that). Either way, this is the largest, non-governmental project in the world. For that, I think we should all tip our hat to Hobro3 and this crowing achievement of his career. :)

(Hobro3 celebrating his 60th in LV this past August)

Tony Braithwaite in "Flats and Heels"

Don't worry...it's just a reading at Philadelphia Theatre Company. Tony is not looking to drastically change his life style by any means. Tony joins Amanda Schoonover, Veanne Cox, and Lisa Birnbaum in a staged reading of "Flats and Heels" by Diana Fithian tonight at 7pm at the Suzanne Roberts Theater on Broad Street. This is a free event open to the public -- it's doesn't get much better than that. Hope to see you there.

Details about the play from PTC's website:

“Flats and Heels”
by Diana Fithian
directed by Rebecca Taichman
featuring Tony Braithwaite, Amanda Schoonover, Veanne Cox, Lisa Birnbaum

A hip new office comedy set in the absurd world of reality television. Two best friends battle for a promotion and cross the line from healthy competition to malicious antics. A razor sharp comedy from an exciting new voice in American theatre!

There will be a short talk back with Ms. Fithian after the reading.

Diana Fithian recently received an MFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University. Her full-length play “Girls on the Clock” received a workshop production in the summer of 2008 as part of the Brown Trinity Playwright’s Rep; previously her one-act “Take Care of Yourself” was produced by manhattantheatresource. She is currently under commission by Roundabout Theatre Company.

All STAGES readings are held in the Suzanne Roberts Theater and are free and open to the public (no tickets or reservations required)."

West Wing Kind of Mood...

Someone sent me one of these clips and I just thought I'd share 2 great scenes, from 2 phenomenal episodes, of 1 of the best shows in TV history.

1) "Noel" -- a great story for anyone who knows someone who needs a helping hand.

2) "Two Cathedrals" -- captures the way any Catholic has felt at least once in their life.

Happy Birthday Frank

If he were still alive, Frank Sinatra would be 94 years old today. I'm convinced he would still have a Camel hanging out of his mouth, a glass of Jack with four ice cubes in his hand, and be the biggest bad ass in whatever room he chose to walk into. With the Beatles and Elvis, Frank is the type of icon that will be imitated until the end of time and never equaled. I regret not liking him when I was really young because then I would have MAYBE had a chance to see him perform live when I was five or something. The closest I'll ever get is seeing Tony Bennett in 2002 in AC and hearing his tell stories about knowing Frank. Here are some of my favorite Frank songs and items:

1) "Fly Me to the Moon" -- I think his best song.

2) "You Make Me Feel So Young" -- Great song, not the cest version but I always love the last 20 seconds or so of this song.

3) Phil Hartman as Frank with one of the best lines ever: "You don't scare me, I got chunks of guys like you in my STOOL!"

Words of Wisdom from the Smartest Man I Know

A defining moment in my education life was my Junior year at The Prep. For AP English that year, I was lucky enough to have Fr. Joe Michini SJ for one semester followed by Fr. Ryan Maher SJ. For those who know these 2 men -- or have had any type of Jesuit education for that matter -- can appreciate how wonderful it is when you are taught to be a "contemplative in action." These two men challenged me in so many ways, and it was the first time ever that I was motivated to read literature without just getting what I needed in order to get a good grade. Fr. Maher -- now a dean at his alma mater Georgetown -- recently shared the following Jesuit traditions with his class this semester. Whether you are Catholic or not, I think we can all learn something from his wise words.

(Thanks courteous Maher!)

Ten things the Jesuit tradition wants you to have heard before you graduate from a Jesuit college. (There are more, but these ten will do for starters…)

Don’t settle for being less than fully alive. Evil’s main strategy is to get us to compromise away, bit by bit, what it means to be human, usually by keeping us from even thinking of God and the reason we exist at all. Or by getting us to measure our selves and our lives by standards that aren’t worthy of us.

Be bilingual: speak poetry and prose. Learn to love metaphor and the worlds of insight it opens for us. Recall that there is a reason Jesus preached so often in parables. At the same time, learn to communicate intelligently, rationally and effectively what it is you believe and why you believe it. Make room for beauty in your life: art, music, theater, poetry, literature, architecture, sculpture, dance, etc. Beauty feeds your soul and can help attune you to the “frequency” of Grace.

The culture of the “Academy” and professional schools (and most jobs) serve up thin gruel for the human soul. Take from them what helps. Reject the rest. Keep learning for the rest of your life. Seek intelligent sources of support (books, people, courses) for your faith. Intellect and faith can support and correct one another, but it takes work, the hard work of paying consistent attention to both.

Regular, substantive, meaningful conversation is the key to healthy/vibrant learning, life and faith. Be sure your life includes conversation partners and topics worthy of you. This can take some work, but it repays the effort many times over.

Know that you have a committee in your head, always read to sit in judgment of your choices and define/measure your success. Shape this committee, as much as you can, carefully. Pay it the attention it deserves, no more, no less. The committee can help you or tyrannize you, depending on your approach to it.

If you marry, marry carefully. When the time comes, ask advice of people who love you enough to tell you the truth about the person you are thinking of marrying. Consider what they say. Ask God for advice. Pay attention.

Remember, should you become a parent, you will NEVER do ANYTHING more important than raising your children. Keep in mind that children are human beings entrusted to you by none other than God. There is no higher calling on the planet than parenthood.

Love your country enough to struggle to make her better. Vote, and know why you're voting the way you do. Be sure your reasons fit into the Big Picture informed by your faith.

For those of you who are Catholic or might one day be Catholic: Love the Church enough to struggle to make Her better. We seem to be in/entering a time marked by a mindset on the part of many who exercise power in the Church characterized by a cramped understanding of “orthodoxy,” the stifling of conversation, and the confusion of conformity/uniformity with unity/community. None of these things has ever marked a healthy era in the life of the Church. The Church needs people who love Her enough to speak up...and stay.

Be open to God. For some, this will mean looking for the action of Grace and listening for the subtle voice of God in whom they firmly believe. For others, it will mean trying to be willing to entertain the possibility that God might exist. And everything in between. Openness is what matters because it gives Grace a fighting chance.

Tony Braithwaite in "This Is The Week That Is: The New Administration"

1812 Productions' "This Is The Week That Is: The New Administration" is back for it's 4th installment. Being a political junkie, this has been one of my favorite things in the Philly theatre community to look forward to -- but you don't have to be a C-SPAN groupie to love the show.

The show opens tonight and runs until Jan. 3rd. It's Written & Performed by

Don Montrey, Jennifer Childs, Steven Wright, Dave Jadico, Alex Bechtel, Brian Anthony Wilson Thomas E. Shotkin, & one of my dearest friends in the world, Tony Braithwaite.

(NB: I will be appearing with Tony in "First Impressions" this January at Act 2 Playhouse and Alex Bechtel will be our pianist.)

Some shots of Tony in TITWTI:

(Tony Braithwaite as Sen. Al Franken and Steve Wright as Bill Cosby)

(L to R: Tony Braithwaite, Brian Anthony Wilson, Jennifer Childs, Dave Jadico, and Steve Wright [kneeling])

(Tony as Castro with Steve as Obama)

Mike Rady (and others) Are Ready for a Treaty to Reduce Global Warming Emissions

The United Nations Climate Change Conference is being held in Copenhagen this upcoming week (Dec. 7-18th). President Obama is going to the conference to support the case for an international treaty to reduce global warming emissions. My good friend, and Melrose Place star, Mike Rady (SJP '99) joined several other celebrities in this PSA from Environment America encouraging people to support this initiative. "We're ready" for this global treaty and we only need to look at what some states like California and New Jersey are already doing to be a catalyst for something on a larger scale.

Others in the video: Cedric the Entertainer, Simon Baker, Alanis Morrisette, Chevy Chase, Amy Smart, Jason Mraz, Jake Mclaughlin, Frances Fisher, Ollivia Wilde, Kevin McHale, Emily Van Camp, Dana Delany, Ed Begley Jr. and Diana Agron

Happy Birthday Jigga!

In honor of the media mogul Jay-Z's 40th birthday, here's 2 of my favorite videos. I hope to accomplish 1/10 of this modern day Sinatra by the time I'm 40. For whatever reason I can't embed them, so click and enjoy:

I Just Wanna Love U (Give It To Me)

Excuse Me Miss

Netflix this RIGHT NOW!

"The Lives of Others." -- might be the best movie of the decade. What an amazing film.

Orange and Blue

This article analyzes the colors in movie posters and discovered that orange and blue are used a ton. The article mentions that this trend is seen a lot since "orange/blue just so happens to be the most common set of complementary colors because blue is 'cool' and orange is 'enthusiastic' and 'energetic.'" Being a Cuse fan, I love this. It's right up there with ole Blue eyes saying "orange is the happiest color."

Now, if only the football team could get it's act together like their hoops counterpart.....

Runyan 4 Congress

Former Eagle and current Charger Jon Runyan announced that he will run for Congress in NJ's 3rd District as a Republican after the end of this season. Too bad I don't live in the 3rd District or Jon Runyan might have been the 2nd GOPer I ever voted for (For the record, I voted for Sam Hart to Wash. Twp's Town Council the first time I was able to vote cause he was such a nice guy any time my soccer team was honored by the township growing up).

What I'm really looking forward to is all the cheesy campaign slogans Runyan's campaign and the media can create based on his candidacy. Being the king of cheese, here's my guess at some potential slogans and media headlines:

1. Runyan Tackles the Tough Issues.
2. Jon Puts the "Run" into Runyan.
3. Jon Runnin' for Office.

What are some others.....

Dexter Auction

I am a huge fan of Dexter -- actually I'm more of a fan of Michael C. Hall but the show is close to wonderful. The last line of last night's episode was an AMAZING twist. Anywho, Showtime is having a Dexter auction where part of the proceeds go to the Harlem Children's Zone. First of all, send ALL of the proceeds to them, Showtime. Second, can you get some better things to bid on please? Talk about boring. The list of things can be found here. Why not have one of Dexter's blood slide keepsakes from his murders, one of his green shirts, or one of Batista's hats. You know -- something fans might actually like and that could potentially pull in a ton for a good cause.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt on SNL

I can't remember the last time I tuned in live for SNL. Probably back in the day when Al Gore was the host and felt the need to get busy with his wife on national TV. Anywho, saw this wonderful clip of Joseph Gordon-Levitt from this weekend's episode paying homage to "Singin' in the Rain." Although he doesn't sound like the best singer in the world, he clearly has a blast performing and owns the number -- I can totally relate to that on all levels. Enjoy!

"The :nv:s:ble Play" Opens Tonight!

After a wonderful preview performance last night, "The :nv:s:ble Play" opens tonight at the Walnut Street Theatre @ 8pm to a sold out crowd. Get you tickets here ASAP -- other shows have already sold out. You don't want to miss my involvement in the surprise ending ;) ;)

Sweeney Todd Trailer

For those who missed this wonderful production here's some small snipets. Like what you see? Stayed tuned for SJP's spring production of "The Drowsy Chaperone." The Prep will be one of first high schools in the nation to produce Drowsy (a high school in Texas will beat us by a month, but we'll be a close 2nd!)

So This Must Be What It Feels Like....

To be George Clooney's friend. At least, that's what I thought when I saw this just now. Make sure you watch "Melrose's Place" every Tuesday at 9pm on the CW. Support Mike Rady!

A Conversation with Sweeney Todd's Brendan Lash (SJP '10)

SJP's production of "Sweeney Todd" continues this week. I had a chance to sit down and chat with SJP senior Brendan Lash about his experience with this show, thoughts about the spring musical, and being at a Jesuit school. Get your tickets for "Sweeney Todd" here.

(Brendan as "Anthony" with Anne Wechsler MMA '10 as "Joanna")

HB: What was the process like for this show compared to other Prep shows?

BL: "Of course like every show I’ve been a part of, the process was incredible. But there were a few variables that made this show unique. With 29 people in the cast, Sweeney Todd has one of the largest casts the Cape and Sword Drama Society has seen in the past 15 years. Not only that, but 19 of those 29 were new to Cape and Sword. Aside from the cast, the set and props were other crucial parts of the show. A giant, movable cube containing 3 doors and a slide for the chair to dump the bodies, razors which spew blood and meat pies made this a technically heavy show. Although I didn’t have much to do with the props and set, these new aspects were daunting, but they allowed for the show to be “one of the greats.” The only other big difference in the show was specific to me and my other upperclassmen. The other Cape and Sword veterans and I had a new position in Cape and Sword. With the class of ’09 gone, we were the leaders of Cape and Sword. All of this combined made for really unique show and a very special 2 month rehearsal process."

HB: What's your favorite "Anthony" moment?

BL: "I think an audience member might think my favorite “Anthony” moment would be “Johanna,” but for me there's another moment I enjoy more. “Kiss Me” is my favorite moment in the show. The reason I like that scene so much is because of the fun Anne Wechsler and I get to have. The scene is like a dance because we choreographed all of our movements. We have so much fun during the scene we get to find new things every night. Anne is also so easy to work off of because of the fantastic energy she brings to the scene. That's probably the scene I look forward to each night."

HB: If you could play any other part in the show, what would it be and why?

BL: "If I could play another part in the show I would definitely love to play Toby. He’s such an interesting character and is so important to the plot. I think he's the character that surprises the audience the most. Granted, the part would be a big challenge, but I would love to see what I could bring to it."

HB: How does being a member of Cape and Sword teach you about Jesuit ideals?

BL: "Being at a Jesuit high school I am surrounded by Jesuit ideals, but my first experience with the true Jesuit charism was in Cape and Sword. After every show closes, we set aside a day to strike the set and reflect. I remember during my second show, the spring of my freshman year, I began to understand the real feeling of the Jesuit motto, the “magis,” a Latin word whose literal translation is "the more." It means not just doing your best, but being your best. Our director, Antony Braithwaite, often says that if you treat teenagers like adults, they will rise to the occasion. Everyone does. The tangible energy this philosophy emits, the magis, is overwhelming. Now I strive to “magisize,” to be my best, and it is what I have come to expect from myself. Cape and Sword really infuses each of its members with this mindset."

HB: What are you looking forward to the most with Drowsy Chaperone (SJP's spring show)?

BL: "After doing such a dark musical like Sweeney Todd, I think I really look forward to doing a lighter and more comedic show. The one thing I did miss in Sweeney Todd was dancing. One of my favorite parts of a musical is the choreography and I will be very excited to get back into that in the spring."

Sweeney Todd @ St. Joe's Prep

Last night was Opening Night of Sweeney Todd at my beloved alma mater St. Joe's Prep. Quick SJP joke I heard this week and loved:

Q: "How many Prep Guys does it take to screw in a lighbulb?"

A #1: "FIVE -- 1 to screw it in and 4 to scream 'Yeah Prep!'"

A#2: "FIVE -- 1 to screw it in and 4 to talk about how awesome it was for the next 30 years."

Funny cause it's true :)

Anywho -- Sweeney Todd is another stunning success on the Prep stage. Technically, this is the most intense show the Prep has taken on since my days as a student. Set changes complete with a spinning parlor/house/barbershop, 2 movable staircases, and a shaving chair with a slide to help Sweeney's dirty work are all highlights (The first time the chair was used last night got applause mid-song!). I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the stage crew during the rehearsal pricess this time around and I couldn't be more proud of a group of guys. The set looks amazing -- as always -- and in true Prep form the set changes are executed like several characters in the show -- very professionally. (Rimshot!)

As for actors -- I don't know where to begin for fear of leaving someone out, but some amazing moments from last night:

• Every single thing Kevin Toniazzo-Naughton '11 (Sweeney) and Gianna Yanelli (Lovett) MMA '10 did. The quintessential production of Sweeney with Angela Landsbury was an inspiration for SJP's version. There are moments that these 2 highschool actors capture as well as 2 Broadway legends.

(Gianna Yanelli MMA '10 and Kevin Toniazzo-Naughton '11)

• Joe Binck '11 (Tobias) singing "Nothing's Gonna Harm You" in Act 2. Solid performance all around by Binck, he nailed this number and it's amazing to see how far his as come as an actor, person, and singer.
• The chemistry between Brendan Lash '10 (Anthony) and Anne Wechsler MMA '10 (Johanna). Both take complicated -- and at times boring songs -- and make clear and engaging choices.

(Brendan Lash '10 as Anthony and Anne Wechsler MMA '10 as Johanna)

• Freddy Ventura '11 (Judge Turpin) has the creepiness of Alan Rickman in Die Hard (mostly because he looks like him) and serves as such a worthy adversary to KTN's menacing Sweeney. Freddy off the stage is one of the most polite and humble people I've ever met -- it makes this performance even more impressive.
• Hasani Allen '12 (Beadle Bamford) -- as a Mad Hatter look-alike -- is strong as the Judge's #2. Great work with the accent if I do say so myself :)
• Kelly Leonard MSJA '11 (Beggar Woman) was SO impressive. She completely disappeared on stage and really knocked my socks off.
• Pat Dooley '10 showed why he is one of the funniest actors in SJP history as Adolfo Pirelli.
• Everyone else -- before I get carpal tunnel -- was wonderful. I thought the ensemble was particularly good in "God That's Good!" at the beginning of Act 2.

(Joe Binck '11 as Tobias)

I can't wait to see all of these performances grow over the run of the show. I encourage anyone in the Philly area to come see this production. I guarantee -- for only $10 -- you will see a Broadway caliber show. Honestly, if you come see the show and are not satisfied, I will will personally give you your money back. I'm that sure that I won't have to spend a dime. And don't just take my word -- Tom Byrn a local actor who was in Spinning Into Butter with me in April and will be appearing in On Golden Pond at Act 2 Playhouse in Ambler this month took me up on an invitation to see SJP's Urinetown and was throughly impressed. I saw him after a show 2 weeks ago and he brought up Urinteown and how great it was.

Get ticket for Sweeney Todd here.

Nick Fondulis on 30 Rock

Nick Fondulis was one of my fraternity brothers in Syracuse -- um, yeah, I was in a frat -- what are gonna do about? So what if I wasn't a huge meathead -- but I digress.

Nick, like me, is an actor. Unlike me he is actually making some big steps in his career and on his way to being "The-Next-Mike-Rady" in my life. Nick's been popping up all over TV the past year, in particular on NBC. He had a stint on the short-lived "Kings," was on the opening episode of "Mercy," and most recently played the role of Jayden Michael Tyler on last night's "30 Rock" (one of my favorite shows on the boob tube). After what I thought has been just an "OK" start for the 3-time emmy winning show last night's episode, "Audition Day," was the best episode this season. Nick was extremely solid. Keep an eye out for this guy -- and if you look closely, you'll probably see me hanging on his coats tails too. :)

Last night's episode can be seen on Hulu.com by clicking here.

And here's some photos courtesy of Nick's Facebook page. He's the headshot in each. His character was a new actor the show was thinking about hiring.

Trick-or-Treating with Angelina

On election day, I saw this photo of Angelina Jolie that filled me with memories of my DC days.

If you look close at one of Angelina's 7,000 children -- who I guess is dressed as a greasy mechanic for Halloween -- you'll notice a unique hat. It says "Council on Foreign Relations." CFR -- as it's commonly known -- was my former stomping grounds when I was personal assistant for Gene Sperling, who is now a top advisor to Treasury Sec. Geithner. CFR was our home base for the 7 or more jobs Gene had at the time. Although Gene is known for his economic work, he did a ton with education issues in developing country, specifically with woman. During my year with him, Angelina Jolie met with him countless times to go over talking points, etc. for her outreach work and she served as honorary chairperson for an event we ran that year for the Global Campaign for Education (GCE). Unfortunately, Angelina was in Namibia having her baby with Brad Pitt at the time. She no doubt got the hat the following year when she actually visited CFR. Still, kinda neat to be connected to this picture in a 6 degrees type way.

Cool side note -- after my year with Gene, I went back to teaching for 2 more years at at DC Prep, a charter school in northeast DC. Gene heard that I was doing in-class connections about the GCE with my students and invited me and some select students to meet Shakira - that year's honorary chair of the event! Here's some pics from the day:

(Ja'Nay McCray, my ex-girlfriend, Erika Murray, Dijion Howard, and me)

(Ja'Nay and Erika demonstrating how great they are!)

(Ja'Nay and Erika console Shakira after I told her we had to see other people)

Whip It Good

Really liked this film that took a basic story about a girl feeling pressure from her mom to be a certain way (compete in beauty pagents) and of course the girl (Ellen Page) finds a totally different outlet for her personality (roller derby). This had the potential to be boring and cliche and did a great job of not sliding into easy plot traps. Witty script, great dialogue, and funny characters -- Really liked Ellen Page, Alia Shawkat (Maeby from Arrested Development), Kristen Wiig and Daniel Stern. The only problem with the movie is that I can't get this song out of my head now and it wasn't even in the film once!

Tony Braithwaite's Call to Arms

This past Sunday was the Alumni/Father & Son Communion Breakfast at my beloved alma mater, St. Joe's Prep. One of my closest friends, Tony Braithwaite, was the keynote speaker. His speech, in a word, was AMAZING. The text is below. Enjoy:

Prep Alumni and Father/Son Communion Breakfast – October 2009

By Tony Braithwaite ‘89

(Introduced by Charlie Gallagher ’66)

Thank you Charlie.

Full disclosure up front. Charlie told me last year that if I gave his son a part in the show he’d let me do this speech. Now you know.

You’ll all forgive me but I have to leave immediately after my speech today as I have a matinee performance of a play called Boeing-Boeing at Act 2 Playhouse in Ambler. Boeing-Boeing is a rollicking comedy that runs until next Saturday. For tickets and information please visit act 2 dot org. Or call 215. 654. 0200.

That’s 215. 654. 0200.

Ask for Beth.

25 years ago I entered St. Joe’s Prep for the very first time as a Pre-8^th Grade student. And coming home from the Prep on the bus that very first day, the bus stopped at a red light in the neighborhood at a corner right near here, and some young men from the neighborhood began to throw rocks at our bus. One rock went right thru my window and hit me directly in the forehead, drawing blood.

That was my first day ever at St. Joe’s Prep.

Now, if anyone had told me on that day, that 25 years later I would find myself here at the Prep giving a big swell speech talking about how much I love the Prep, and have devoted much of my life to the Prep, I would have told them, “Yeah that sounds about right.”

That is because, rock-pelting aside, from that very first day of Pre 8^th I loved everything about St. Joseph’s Prep. I still do.

On that first day, I began to bleed for the Prep.

Like so many of us who love the Prep, it’s hard to put into words what exactly it is we love, what it is that makes the Prep the Prep. It’s hard to explain.

One way to put it is that the Prep is not a school, the Prep is a way of life.

A Prep admissions catalogue in the 60’s defined that way of life this way: “The Prep spirit is created by the whole Prep family: the students, Faculty, alumni, parents, and friends. It is more easily experienced than expressed. Especially when we are all together cheering, laughing, singing, chatting, greeting, or crying. It’s just there and I guess that’s what it’s all about.”

In his book, the history of St. Joseph’s Prep, Father James Gormley S.J. quotes a Freshman in 1976 as saying this: “I’ll admit that the Prep has its bad points, Jug and sophomores for example, but there’s one really special thing here. I suppose that it’s a kind of feeling and it happens all the time, especially at a rally or something where everyone’s together. They start –I mean we start – cheering and pouring forth our pride in knowing that we belong here.”

Over my many years as a student, alum, and teacher I’ve come to think that the Prep is a way of life characterized by critical thinking, by intense knowledge of self, concern for others, deep spirituality, a keen wit and a strong sense of humor, the importance of brotherhood, and an indefatigable rising spirit. That, perhaps, is the Prep charism.

Where did that charism come from? Well, for years that charism was fostered at the Prep dominantly by, of course, the Jesuits. Ah the Jesuits. The best there is. The creme de le creme of the church, once called by Time Magazine as, “the bad boys of Rome.” There’s a famous saying that goes, “You can always tell a Jesuit. You just can’t tell him much.” The Prep Jesuits were giants of education who were grossly over qualified to be high school teachers but - lucky for us! - found themselves doing just that.

The Prep Jesuits were men who would have been titans of industry, politics, business, medicine, law, the arts, etc. but whose calling intuitively recognized the utter importance and absolute opportunity in teaching men in their teen age years - instilling their charism to young men at a time in their lives when it would be most likely to stick.

Men whose vocation also included devotion to this great institution: again, lucky for us! Since 1851 the Jesuits have loved the Prep - and since 1851 the Jesuits have lived the Prep. And in doing so they made us - alumni for over 150 years - love the Prep and live the Prep. They were the first for whom the Prep was a way of life.

How did they instill it in us? How did they make us love these ideals, and thereby love the Prep? I mean, come on. Kids, loving their school!? People from other schools can’t believe that Prep alums love their school. Let alone return to it, donate to it, support it. And yet that’s exactly what we alumni willingly do. One of my favorite stories in this vein comes from a few years back, when LaSalle College High School’s Development team actually came to the Prep and asked our development team, “What the hell are you guys doing to get your alums to love you so much? Please tell us.”

So, the Jesuits started all this, way back in 1851: but how did they do it? Well for one, they treated us like men. They treated us like men and we rose to the occasion.

The Late uber-devoted alum Hank Quinn ’52 of Wrestling Gym fame once said that what the Jesuits did was instill in us - right from the get go as Freshmen – the reality that any baby years, any kid stuff, was over for us. We were men now. And we had to act as such.

What was so remarkable - something that these great men knew almost instinctively it seemed - is that the more they treated us like men, the more they respected us - the more we respected them, and respected the charism they wanted to instill in us.

That philosophy seems so simple and yet it’s so easily - and so often - lost on so many educators we read about in the world today: fear-based educators, who talk down to students and thereby instill a passive mistrust in them. Aren’t we fortunate that we had the Jesuits, treating us as men.

This is part and parcel of a Jesuit philosophy called, “cura personalis.” It translates into care of the individual person.” The Jesuits believed that in order for education to really flourish, their students must be deeply known for who they are as individuals. And in order to do this, the Jesuits helped us to first figure out who we were as individuals. They talked to us, they believed in us, the mentored us, and as such they knew us.

A member of the class of 2000 said to me once at a Reunion, “At the Prep they cared for us as individuals and somehow we got also got a great education along the way.” This kind of Jesuit charism naturally fostered community, and broke down many typical, “Us/Them,” walls and barriers that often exist between Faculty and students. A Prep senior in 1997 – one of the brightest kids I taught here – said that Jesuit high schools were the last bastion of true centers of learning, made popular in the ancient Greece and the Renaissance, characterized by respect by the master teacher for the individual students.

I was fortunate enough to be a student and then a Faculty member at what will probably be viewed - when the History books are written - as the last of the Jesuit era at St. Joe’s Prep. The last time there were more than a handful of Jesuits at the school, as there are now. Names like Keller, Michini, Maher, Sauter, Taggart, D’Allessandro, Collins, Garber, Ward, Hricko, O’Connor, Peduti, Grady, Ryan, Dennis, Boyle.

In 1988 one of these greats, former Prep Chaplain Father Joe Michini, kicked the Prep up a notch from its already high pedestal when he brought an unknown Retreat called Kairos to the school. Mine was the first senior class to go on Kairos. In fact I am still wearing my Kairos pin on my lapel today.

For the uninformed: Kairos is a deeply impactful spiritual retreat, rooted in the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, which provides the students a 4-day off-campus experience to strengthen their relationship to God, to self, and to others. Right from the get go in 1988, Kairos’ impact at the school was unmistakable. It’s been a big hit here for twenty years.

Kairos, and the confluence of having these great Jesuits at the Prep at that time, brought about a set of kind of halcyon years for the Prep in the 1990’s. The Jesuits of that era somehow managed to interweave the messages of the Kairos Retreat - which nearly every student willingly went on - with Prep Pride and a sense of brotherhood. The results were palpable and overwhelming to those of us fortunate enough to be here at that time. Long term Faculty member Earl Hart probably said it best when he said, “the kids are just nicer now.” And I vividly remember a new Faculty member saying to me during this time, “Tony, I’ve worked at a lot of places and this kind of education doesn’t happen anywhere else.” My educational role model, the man who hired me, former Principal Father Herb Keller was fond of saying about the Prep, “It’s the best place in the world.”

It was during this time – these halcyon years, this Kairos Culture time - that I was asked to take over the Drama program here, in hopes of making some improvements to it. This task proved easier than I imagined. For you see, at the Prep, it wasn’t just the kids who got cut from sports teams who did the plays. In fact one year we had more kids going out for the show than for football. Over the years we’ve even had so many kids wanting to work on our Stage Crew to build the sets that we had to go to an application and interview process. A Mothers’ Club President once playfully told a group of new Prep moms, “Have you ever heard of a school where there are cuts for Stage Crew?” I am currently directing my 31^st production, Sweeney Todd. We open November 6^th. For tickets and information please call 215. 978. 1019.

That’s 215. 978. 1019

Ask for Beth.

I am deeply proud of the Drama program at Mother Prep, and running it truly has been the greatest joy in my life, as Charlie’s introduction mentioned. For example, this weekend, I had four performances of a local show as a professional actor – my dream come true – plus a family party, and this event. And yet tomorrow at school the set is due to be completed, and we have four hours of acting review. And I have looked forward to that more than anything else.

Our philosophy in Cape and Sword is to empower the kids. To treat them with respect, to treat them like adults. And the results have overwhelmed us.

I saw some tangible signs of those results this summer standing in the middle of Times Square New York. I had brought our students to see the Broadway musical Avenue Q, and then attend a workshop run for them by four New York actors. With me were several alums of the program, who have returned to assist me. I have been so blessed over the years that more than 30 alumni of our program have come back at one point or anther to join the Adult Staff. We all stood in Times Square looking up at a huge billboard advertising the TV show Melrose Place. And there - larger than life on a poster in the world’s busiest thoroughfare, was the star of Melrose Place, Michael Rady, class of ’99, former star of the Prep stage. Next to Rady’s billboard was an advertisement for Momma Mia!, the hit Broadway musical which now stars Alyse Wojichowski, better know to Prep audiences as Golde in 2005’s Fiddler on the Roof, among other roles.

Alyse emailed me the day she was cast in Momma Mia! to thank me, and the Prep, for all we’d done for her. Alyse joins more professional actors, comedians, singers, etc. the likes of Justin Hopkins, Howie Brown, Chris O’Donnell, Joe Mallon, Jeff Civillico, Maria Brinkmann, and a myriad of others who credit Prep Drama as shaping their success.

Mike Rady tells the Hollywood press that St. Joe’s Prep and the Cape and Sword Drama Society made him who he is today. I will be Best Man in Mike’s wedding in May. He sent me a text just this morning that said, “Good luck today with the speech for the Communion Brekfast.” (Now he did spell breakfast wrong, so we can’t take THAT MUCH credit.)

We in Cape and Sword strive every day to keep the Prep charism alive.

For you see, that’s now our charge.

It’s mine, it’s yours, and it’s the charge of all here today. It’s up to us now, the alums, the students, and the mostly lay Faculty and Staff in whose hands the Prep charism has been entrusted.

Part of Jesuit philosophy involves seeing the world as it is, facing reality. And the reality for Jesuit schools today is that if they are to survive they will be manned not by Jesuits, or certainly not by many Jesuits. We at St Joseph’s Prep today enjoy the stewardship of some wonderful Jesuits, but they are four in number. Now, lucky for the Prep, we have a terrific foursome in the persons of Bruce Maivelett, Frank Skechus, Michael Magree, and of course George Bur. But the time is already here when the passing on of the great Prep charism is no longer in the hands of just the Jesuits. And this should give everyone here some serious pause…

For years, those entrusted to passing on the Prep charism, the Prep way of life, were the Jesuits - men who had been trained for years in the deep nuances of that same charism, and men who devoted their very lives, their whole beings to that charism and to its longevity. The Jesuits passed along to their students what had been instilled in them for years and years over the course of their intense study and training.

Can we lay people adequately do the same?

Are we up to this task?

It gets trickier still I’m afraid. Because much of modern educational philosophy flies in the face of Jesuit charism. How does one practice cura personalis – care for the individual student - in a world where many educators are told in their Masters programs, “If there’s ever a school fight, run the other way. You don’t want a law suit on your hands.” It isn’t so easy for teachers to know and mentor students as individuals when all modern litigious warning signs say, “don’t get too close!”

And make no mistake; it’s difficult to follow in Jesuit footsteps. Case in point: when the great Prep fire happened in the 1960s, then-Principal Father Joe Ayd went running into the fire to rescue the Blessed Sacrament from the Prep Chapel. This man had devoted his entire life to the Prep mission, his entire calling was St. Joseph’s Prep. Who of us here would be willing to rush into a burning Prep today to rescue something precious for fear it be lost forever?

The late celebrated Jesuit Pedro Arrupe said that the spirit of all Jesuit schools must be one which produces men for others. Father Arrupe stated that the Ignatian spiritual and educational tools must be used to mold men whose love of God and other men would fuse to produce social justice. This must be done, Arrupe said, even if it means a radical change in one’s own manner of life and environment.

Arrupe’s charge must become our standard to bear, as we, the lay people, take up the great cause.

Here’s the good news: the Jesuits think we’re up to the task. They’re ready and willing for us to do this. And they want to help us in this transition. But we must heed this call as strongly as they heeded theirs. We must take charge of the Prep, and care for her needs. (Perhaps we can start by reinforcing the windows on those pre-8^th busses and making them rock-proof.)

But seriously, this is our vocation now. To give our lives in ransom for the many, as Father Feeney spoke so eloquently of in his homily this morning. To deeply and knowingly pass on the great Jesuit charism and the Prep way of life. We – all of us here, all who cherish Mother Prep and hold her dear, we who love the Prep and live the Prep – it is we who must be as devoted to this vibrant institution as those great men who came before us have been. We must be able to give to the next generations the very essential Prep that was given to us. We must, like the Jesuits before us, never take the Prep way of life for granted. And we must be ready to run into the flames if we ever feel that something precious about the Prep might be lost.

So…who’s ready for this challenge? This steady and just war, this great fight – the fight to sustain Mother Prep. Because it needs us all. Everyone here, every son of the Prep. To fight the good fight. And guess what, more good news: the fight is ours for the winning and the day is dark for the foe.

For the Prep is – and must always be - a great way of life.

Gerry Loke '99

This just in courtesy of The Fightins:

SJP '99 Showing Up All Over This Weekend

The Class of '99 -- one of the best class to ever enter that walls of St. Joe's Prep -- met this weekend for a wonderful 10 year reunion. In related news, Gerald Loke '99, noticeably absent from reunion festivities this weekend, apparently was the recipient of a flying bat from the Flyin' Hawaiian, Shane Victorino, at last night's game. This photo shows Craig Seager investigating where the bat landed -- Mr. Loke doesn't appear to be in the shot. Sources say he was already outside trying to sell the bat.

Dirty Rotten at the Walnut

This was one of my favorite things I've seen at the Walnut Street. Paul Schoeffler as Lawrence (Lithgow on Browadway) was perfectly cast and very charming. This was much much to my surprise since I thought he was kinda boring as Javier in Les Mis a year ago. Tonight, I could see why he's a Broadway talent and really wished he remained in the WST's Producers cast as Roger Debris. Also loved Fran Prisco as Andre the Frenchman. Very funny -- great dead pan. I guess not all LaSalle grads are god awful :) (Yeah Prep!)

Heir to the Throne?

I grew up a HUGE Elvis Presley fan. I know, it may seem strange but I've always like solo acts who can control a crowd with their presence -- it's why I always compare my love of certain Hip-Hop stars to Sinatra/The Rat Pack. Anywho, Elvis' 17-year-old grandson, Benjamin Keough, just signed a $5 million dollar record deal (5 albums total). From this picture, and others I've seen online, doesn't seem like I'm going to be into the goth style of music he's probably going to put out. Maybe we'll all be happily surprised and he'll do his grand daddy justice like other notable offspring (i.e. Jakob Dylan/The Wallflowers for one). In the end, I think this is probably going to be another case of "fool's rushing in" to make a quick buck off a famous name. You knew I couldn't make it through this without one cheesy Elvis song pun....

700 Sundays

Courtesy of my good friend Bill - I was lucky enough to be about 15 feet from Billy Crystal yesterday afternoon for a delightful 2 1/2 hours. Billy Crystal's one-man show, "700 Sundays," lets us into the life of an American comedy icon. Every second of the show was amazing -- it's sounds trite -- but it really was. Not a single word/moment was wasted -- amazing jokes and story telling coupled with touchy moments from tough times in Billy Crystal's childhood. His timing is impeccable. Some highlights were:

1. Comparing the first time he saw certain anatomy parts of his grandfather to a lava lamp.
2. Going for a jump ball against someone 3 times his size. ("We looked like a human semi-colon!")
3. Wise words from his family members, ("The glass is always half full...half filled with something that can kill you!")

The performance will go down as one of the best live events I've ever seen. It holds a spot with the 1st time I saw "The Producers" on Broadway, heard Billy Joel, and watched Michael Jordan (even though it was the game where Iverson crossed him over). It was an amazing performance and overall a wonderful Sunday :)

Quit Your Whining

This is the kinda stuff that's going to send me to hell, but I think it's hilarious. It's like the song "Schadenfreude" from Avenue Q.

Another Cape and Sword Alum Breaks Into the Big Time!!!

For those who don't know, Cape and Sword is the drama society at my beloved alma mater, St. Joseph's Prep. Under the director of the multi-talented Tony Braithwaite, the organization has many alums making a big splash in all aspects of the entertainment world. For the 3 people that read this blog, you know that I brag about my boy Mike Rady all the time being on Melrose Place.

Anywho, another Cape and Sword Alum, Alyse Wojciechowksi, hit the big time this week when she took over the role as the daughter in "Mamma Mia!" on Broadway! The picture above has Alyse (BTW her stage name is Alyse Alan Louis) with Tony Award Winner Beth Leavel. Leavel is taking over as the mother a.k.a. the Meryl Streep part.

A few cool connections here:

1) Beth Leavel won her Tony Award in The Drowsy Chaperone as the title character -- one of my favorite shows of all time that I was lucky enough to see her in. The Prep is going to be one of the first high schools in America to produce the Drowsy Chaperone this Spring. Hmmm, I wonder if AXB will try to get BL to join us for a workshop? :)

2) I have to brag a bit about the my only 2 encounters with Alyse on the Prep stage. First, her and Dan Schwartz (Fiddler on the Roof) beat out myself and Kate Brennan (1776) as best couple at the 1st Annual Tony Awards -- kinda cool to lose out to someone who went on to star on the Broadway stage.

Second, I was in a reading of The Mystery of Edwin Drood with Alyse and many other alums in August 2007. Alyse played the title role and I was Neville Landless. Anywho, this reading was the moment when the seed was planted to return to the world of acting. Three months later I was cast in my first professional show, The Fantasticks (Kimmel Center), and a year later I moved home to pursue things on a full-time basis. She's on the Great White Way and I live at home....cue the Charlie Brown music....