AXB's Speech to the SJP Mothers

Haven't posted in forever, but thought I'd share a wonderful speech by Tony Braithwaite (SJP '89) delivered Sunday, September 25th at the St. Joseph's Prep Mother-Son Communion Breakfast:

                  "Thank you very much.  I am really honored to have been asked to speak to you today, and so a big thank you to the wonderful Prep Mothers’ Club who set all this up.  Specific shout outs to Ceal Biello, Melissa McGrath, Judy Centrella, and Ellen Giangiordano.  I have always been a huge fan of the Prep Mothers’ Club.  My own dear departed mother was a member of the Mothers’ Club, my sister is a member.  It’s a wonderful organization.  I would even consider joining the Prep Mothers’ Club myself, but I’m pretty sure  don’t meet the one big qualification.

            Before I get to the bulk of my speech today, I want to take a second to advertise The Big Bang again…  (3 people applaud)  ..a show which apparently 3 people saw.  It’s 70 minutes long, it’s hysterical, and it’s at The Kimmel Center thru Halloween.  I sure hope you can all come.  Taking no chances, I also brought in flyers that are on the tables in front of you with all the information you’ll need to buy tickets.  I also have some tickets on me right now and I can even make exact change. 

            …also, Father Maivelett: pay close attention cause I may be getting you up to answer questions about my speech just like you did to us during your homily today…

But I digress.

I thought I’d open today with a story from my very first day of Freshman year.  A story that my own dear mom always thought was pretty funny.  On the first day of classes of my Freshman year in 1985 – I was in Homeroom 1A, we were the honors section, the nerds – the air conditioning was broken in the building.  It was sweltering.  We all sat waiting quietly in room 101 for classes to begin, sitting there with our hands folded, me and all these other 30 little guys, all in identical blue blazers and khaki pants.  First period bell rang, and in walked our English teacher, though we didn’t yet know who she was, it was the first day, they didn’t mail schedules home in those days.  We didn’t know she was our English teacher.  We would come to get to know and love her – she’s no longer here, but she was a great teacher – but that first day we had never seen her before.  We just knew that a women in her twenties walked into a room.  And the other thing we all sort of knew was, well, that she was…strikingly beautiful.  She did not introduce herself immediately.  In fact because of the broken air conditioning, her first words to us were these: “Oh wow, I am just so hot.”  And I remember sitting there thinking to myself: well who am I to disagree with that.

That was my first day.  And that was the fall of 1985.  I then spent 4 years here as a student, I worked here during the summers in college, and I returned to teach here 17 years ago.  I had been living a miserable existence as an actor in Los Angeles.  Suffering thru a ton of rejection, and a series of near misses, including coming this close to landing the part of Chandler on the tv Friends….  (Crowd sighs: awww)  …I know how ya feel.  A teaching position opened up at the Prep and I applied, got it, and came back to Philly.  I was hired to teach 6 sections of Freshmen Religion and Sexual Education.  I was very careful on my first day not to say, “Oh wow I am just so hot.”

The man who hired me to teach was then Prep Principal Father Herb Keller, now the President of Scranton Prep.  In addition to teaching, Father Keller handed me the reins of the Cape and Sword Drama Society and he gave me a kind of Mission.  He wanted to make sure the plays here at the Prep were better than any other schools', so that kids would actually enjoy going to school plays, that they would be popular and competitive, and that students would find them actually enjoyable, and the comedies actually funny, which as we all know sadly doesn't really happen at many other places.  Father Keller wanted the theatre program here to be as strong as crew or football.  17 years later, I’m proud to say that I think it is.  Serving as Director of The Cape and Sword Drama Society for nearly two decades has truly been the joy of my life, and it’s a job I hope to have until the day that I die.  Which is good, because I applied to be the Principal at this new Cristo Rey School in Olney and they turned me down.  I don’t know who they got instead.  I hear it’s some guy from Beyonne.

            I feel incredibly lucky because I love what I do for a living, I really do.  And that in large part comes from my own mother, Sally.  We lost Mom - too young - a few years ago and I wrote a show about her called, “Look Mom I’m Swell.”  Swell was her favorite word.  In the show I tell a story about how I was a misfit kid who wasn’t good at sports, and was bookish and dorky, and all that stuff (real hard to imagine, I know) and how she helped me be me.  I really suffered thru childhood, always feeling like an outsider.  And then I came to the Prep.  And things started to become different.  I remember I came home from the first day of Freshmen Orientation and taught my Mom the Prep Fight Song that the Seniors they had taught us that day.  I can vividly remember my mom singing the Fight Song, and the corners of her eyes were moist.  She was sort of crying tears of joy, just a little bit, because she could tell – maternal instinct – that I had found happiness at St. Joe’s Prep.  All 700 of you wonderful moms here will have to forgive me when I tell you that I actually had the best mom of all time.  Ever.  And I think it was for one big reason.  Her main concern all thru my life was that I was happy, and that I was having fun.  That’s what she cared about.  More than anything, more than grades.  I don’t even remember her ever looking at my report cards!  We didn’t have Power School in those days (thank God!) but if we did I know for certain that my mom would have only checked if there were catagories marked Fun and Happy, and if I was doing well in those subjects she’d be content.  Above all, my mom wanted me to feel loved.  She was glad I came to the Prep, and found that love here.

             I know many of you feel the same way.  On back to school night a few years ago my sister Angie McAllister, sitting right here, hi Angie.  Angie told me that her favorite person was Sister Kate Woody, who had my nephew for Religion.  And that was because Kate Woody said to all the parents at mini school, in her demure Southern accent, “Ok look, here’s the course expectation form, and you can read that on your own if you want to, but I am going to talk about  what you really want to know.  Is my son ok?  Does he have enough time for lunch?  Does he know where the bathroom is?  What happens if he misses the bus,” etc.” Angie said those were her exact concerns: she saw that night Kate Woody got it, and that Kate was reassuring her that the boys would be cared for here.  They would be loved. 

            What I cherish about the Prep, why I have devote myself to this place, and why I brag about it now to you is because I believe this place is special.  And Kate Woody’s story is a great example of the many ways in which the Prep is not merely concerned with your kids getting good grades.  We want your sons to belong.  We want them to be loved.

            A few decades ago, Pedro Arrupe, the Superior General of the Jesuits, said that Jesuit Schools had gotten the education thing down, they did that well, they got that, and that was great, but that there was truly a bigger concern.  That the new charge was to delve into richer, more profound formation, the formation of the spirit of the young men in our charge.  Jesuit Schools need to form Men for Others.  As we say here today, Men for and With Others. 

            Its one of the things that makes the Prep special.  And I do believe the Prep is special.  But I also believe, and I’ve thought a lot about this, that St. Joe’s Prep is better now than it ever has been.  I really believe this.  I was even here as a student when the Kairos Retreat was first introduced, and that was utterly amazing.  And I thought that era couldn’t be topped.  Long term Faculty member Earl Hart said at the time Kairos was the best addition to the Prep ever.  But I went on Kairos last spring with the current Seniors and it was richer and more impactful than it even had been.  The Mission of the Prep has simply never been more fully animated here on a day to day basis than it is right now.  There are currently Ignatian evenings for parents, there are more service opportunities than at any time in the Prep’s distinguished history.  In my little corner of the world in Prep Drama – we currently involve 10% of the student body in the various programs that the adminstration has asked us to add in recent years.  The Prep’s added the Sophomore Conversation, and the Freshman Retreat.  The campus is bigger and better, the student body smarter, and the place is booming.  And the best part is that, in true Jesuit fashion, our President – our gentle, sweet natured, smart and humble Presdient - has instituted a new mantra for us amdist all these wonderful additions: Let’s Go Further Still.  In fact Father Bur ended a Faculty Meeting the other day with the motivating words: We can do anything!

Another reason I believe the Prep is at its best now is that so many of our sports teams are coached by men who, “get this place,” – men who realize the importance of character above all.  Men who see their sports as integrated to the mission of the school.  One specific story related to this.

            Our current head football Coach Gabe Infante came to see our production of The Producers last spring.  And he was so impressed by what he saw, that he wanted the whole team to see the show.  He tricked them into thinking they were coming in to an evening practive, but instead they attended one of our final performances.  And they loved it.  Let’s be clear – the entire football team cheered on the Drama kids at a play.  That that just doesn’t happen at other schools.

            Yes I truly believe that the Prep is better now than it ever was.  Now granted I wasn’t here from 1851 to 1984, but Mr. Griffin was and he assures me I’m right.

            One of the reasons that the Prep is in the good shape its in these days is of course our Principal, and my own dear friend, Mike Gomez.  A man who gets Jesuit education, in his bones, deep down, he lives it.  There will be plenty of opportunities to thank Mr. Gomez as we say goodbye this year, and thank God for that, but at this time let me just share with you my own strong concern regarding his departure.  No matter who gets the job, whoever it is, there is simply no way that new Principal will give us off for as many snow days as you have, Michael.  My God.  We were even closed for rain this year, people!  What’s next, no school due to too many falling leaves?  Days off for high pollen content?!  We get so many snow days from Mike that I am convinced he must have been trapped as a child in some icy tundra somewhere.  But nobody’s complaining.

Mike is one of the many reasons the Prep is in such solid shape, one of the many reasons that your sons are loved here.  I had the opportunity to speak to the Freshmen class the other night in the Gesu for their Retreat.  And I said the following words to them, words that were said to me, words that have been said time and again: “Yes, you have a great journey ahead.  An amazing, epic Prep journey.  But that doesn’t mean there won’t also be times of disappointment along the way.  Prep students are all used to being the best at their grade schools in sports, academics, and activities, and now all those bests are gathered here in one school.  As such: you won't get an A on every assignment, you won't pass every quiz, you won't make every team or get cast in every play; you won't win every race, make every tackle, score every goal.  You will feel awkward at times, and alone.  You'll probably do something stupid without thinking and maybe disappoint your parents.  You may try hard to be friends with someone and just not have that work.  You may face some hard times at home and even lose someone you love.  You may find yourself wondering is God really there.  In all of these situations, you will need help, friendship, love and support to sustain you on your Prep journey.  And you will find that love here.  For one, you have great company.  For instance, you have the friendship of your Prep brothers…

…in fact I was just thinking what a beautiful metaphor it was today when Father Maivelett asked the boys in Mass to stand and recite the Prayer for Generosity.  Just like the Prep, they started out all awkward and nervous.  When they started they were quiet and not really in sync with one another.  Then about half way thru they found their rythym together, became unified, and they ended loud and confident…

You also have the love of your your teachers (so many of whom are Prep grads themselves), the administrators, your Principal – this man, and this man (maivellett) and all the Jesuits, and most importantly you have the friendship and companionship of your God.  Which is a good thing, because God also went to the Prep. 

You will find that love here.  You belong here, you are not alone.

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.”

That was 1976.  And there was pride in knowing we belong here.  My own dear mother teared up in 1985 when she saw me first feel like I belonged here.  And here we are today, when the Prep is the best its ever been, and our goal is the same: for your sons to feel happy, and swell, for these guys to be men for and with others, to know that they belong here, and that they are loved. 

Thank you all so very much."

Toasting the Magis

Celebrating a historic run on the Prep stage with some wonderful human beings.

It's Been A While...

...Since my last post on the Brown Note and I know the 2 avid readers are up in arms. To those 2 readers, I appreciate the concern you expressed in your earlier emails but were the death threat notes asking me to return to my blogging ways really necessary?!?!?!?

Anyway, I've been very busy juggling all the productions in my life right now:

- Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opened to a wonderful crowd last night St. Joe's Prep and runs until November 21st. I'm an assistant director at the Prep and also oversee the house managers and ushers. I'll be there Wednesday and Thursday night this week.

- Philadelphia Theatre Workshop's Front Row Seat by Kathy Anderson opens Nov. 20th. I am the General Manager for PTW.

- And of course, Molumby's Million opened last weekend and continues it's successful run until the end of November. I play Jack Dempsey and my latest post for the Brown Note is a co-blog with Iron Age. Click here to read about the pop culture connections with Molumby's Million.

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.

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

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!)

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.

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.

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....