For Robert Choiniere, what started as a small idea — offering live theater to Catholic schoolchildren — ended up serving more than 300,000 students around New York with a theater education.
Mallory Kerwin, left, Dane Hobrecht and Judy Martinez, right, rehearse a scene from the production of Good King Wenceslas at the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. Photo by Scott Smeltzer/Diocese of Orange
Now here in Orange County, Choiniere’s small idea is back with the promise to once again have far-reaching effects. Choiniere, the executive director of ministries for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, is producing Good King Wenceslas, the same Christmas show that launched his theater education program back on the East Coast.
Based on the story of the person today known as the patron saint of the Czech state, Good King Wenceslas had one free public performance on Dec. 6 at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Joseph Center Auditorium in Orange.
For tickets, visit www.csjorange.org
Other private performances are scheduled in December for an estimated 1,600 local Catholic schoolchildren from kindergarten through fifth grade.
“I really think this is a beginning,” Choiniere said. “That’s what started this whole thing. We said, ‘Let’s do a show and see what happens.’ So, I just pulled the same show, Good King Wenceslas, and said, ‘Let’s see what happens.’”
Director Bruce Goodrich decided to take on the three-actor production after being intrigued by how humorous it was. It’s almost vaudevillian how Good King Wenceslas plays out, he noted. Even though it’s children’s theater, Goodrich explained, their approach is to present it as honestly and upfront as possible.
“I knew the carol, and I knew the story and what it meant,” Goodrich said. “It absolutely tells you the story you need to be told: It’s about charity and goodwill, goodwill towards men and being selfless, and all these important qualities of just being human. Whether you are faith-based or not, these are important qualities of just humanness.”
Despite the serious moral lessons of the play, Goodrich and the three actors have been taking every opportunity to find more humor and nuance in the 50-minute script.
“Bruce has been really great in his direction,” said actor Judy Martinez, who plays the role of the king’s page. “He lets us find the little bits where we can play and hopefully make the audience burst into laughter.”
The play — which focuses on generosity and selfishness, guilt and forgiveness — aligns perfectly with the Sisters of St. Joseph charism that reconciles love, a love that unites people together and breaks down barriers, Choiniere said.
“It doesn’t matter what you have or don’t have,” he added. “It doesn’t matter what color you are. It doesn’t matter where you come from. We are all just people and we are meant to be in good relationships with each other, so in that way I think it’s directly applicable to this. It is in the Sisters’ charism, live onstage.”
So schools could come to the play, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange donated and raised $12,000 in grants. Not having transportation money is oftentimes the biggest financial barrier holding students back from going on field trips.
Choiniere’s theater idea started when he was serving as the director of pastoral planning for the Diocese of Brooklyn. What began with the first show in 2006 spread to become a theater arts curriculum with actor residencies in 80 Catholic schools around New York.
Choiniere said he has already had conversations with local Catholic school principals about starting new residency programs.
Theater teaches children many skills, starting with showing up, Choiniere said. They also learn public speaking, movement and how to be comfortable in their bodies. Plus, it gives students a different way to learn: a way for struggling students to connect, he noted.
“It’s also just about being comfortable with who they are and the creativity that’s deep within them, which I believe is from the Holy Spirit,” Choiniere said. “It’s a great gift and we need to create a space for that creativity to come out.”
Visiting the theater is also a magical experience, said actor Mallory Kerwin, who plays several of the parts, including Queen Wenceslas.
“When children come and see theater for the first time, second, third or fifth time, if they can take away a message that’s great,” Kerwin said. “If they can just take away the magic of live theater and what that can be — that can be a part of your life as a hobby, career, emotional outlet, support system — to build community and to build family. There’s so much you can draw from the experience.”