Ellen Magnarelli
Leadership and Civic Engagement:
How Syracuse's Pompeian Players Play Into the Trends
Integral Honors Thesis
May 1st 2006
Introduction
Most long time residents of Syracuse will certainly remember the Pompeian Players.
They will recall with enthusiasm the musical productions presented by this group, and some
might even go so far as to call the Pompeian Players “Central New York’s Most Outstanding
Musical Comedy Group” of Syracuse during its height.1 This paper will explore the history
of the Pompeian Players and study the social and political effects the group had on the
communities of Our Lady of Pompei Parish and Syracuse, New York.
Although a local organization, the Pompeian Players spoke to two attributes with
which political scientists are concerned today; leadership and civic engagement.
Specifically, this work will examine the outstanding leadership of the Right Reverend
Monsignor Charles Borgognoni and that leadership’s role as a contributing factor to the
success of the Pompeian Players. In addition, this work will examine the manner in which
the group encouraged civic engagement and ultimately enriched the social fabric of its
community.
In order to fully understand the role of the Pompeian Players in the social and
political history of the City of Syracuse, it is first necessary to understand the environment in
which the organization took root and ultimately flourished. The Italian neighborhood within
the borders of the city of Syracuse, the “Northside,” has been an important part of the city
since the late 1800’s. At that time, there were more than 5,000 Italian immigrants residing in
the city’s “Little Italy,” many of whom were not yet citizens of the United States.2 In 1899,
this area stretched from the northern side of the Erie Canal and along North State Street, an
area from which the Italian Community gradually expanded.3 Integral to the Italian
community in Syracuse was the role of its Roman Catholic faith. As a result, Saint Peter’s
Parish was established to tend to the religious needs of the growing Italian population. Saint
Peter’s Parish dates back to 1890, when it was established to serve the “Italian Colony in
Syracuse,” which at that time consisted of many Italian laborers who were not yet American
citizens. The parish originally opened in the basement of Saint John the Evangelist Church
in Syracuse.4 A new church building was later located on the corner of North State Street
1
Showbill of Oklahoma! 1961
“The Little Italy of Syracuse,” Sunday Herald, September 31, 1899.
3
“The Little Italy of Syracuse.”
4
Carbone, Thomas J., Italian American Heritage, Italian American Association, 1994
2
2
and James Street in Syracuse and in its earliest days was named as a reminder of the “Eternal
City” in Rome.5
The strong presence of an Italian population in Syracuse continued through the
twentieth century. In 1930, there was a total of 8,617 Italians living in the city of Syracuse.6
In 1950 the number of residents in Syracuse who were born in Italy was 6,853.7 This number
increased to 35,165 in 1960.8 During this period, the number of Americans of Italian descent
also grew tremendously. Although the number of Italian immigrants in Syracuse declined as
the century progressed, the number of Syracuse residents of Italian descent remained
significant. According to the 1980 census, in the area of the city termed the “Northside,”
there were a total of 7,191 persons of Italian heritage, compared to 2,032 persons of German
ancestry and 1,632 persons of Irish ancestry.9 The presence of a large Italian community is
thus evident, as is the concentration of this population on Syracuse’s Northside
neighborhood.
Another important historical factor to consider when studying the Pompeian Players
is the role of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Syracuse. While religion plays an
important role in community and society today in the 21st Century, the church played a much
more prominent role in the lives of its people during the mid-1900’s. This is especially true
of the 1950’s, a time which has been called “the apex of American Catholic history.”10
During this time, “church attendance reached an all time high and Catholicism demonstrated
its capability of retaining the faith and loyalty of the new generation in an organized
church.”11
In the early 1920’s, the period just before the first band of Pompeian Players began
their musical productions, the Catholic Church in the Syracuse area offered few activities for
local Catholics. Rather, many area Catholics were beginning to enroll their children in
activities such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and the Campfire Girls. Few opportunities for
young adults to socialize within the church were present, leaving the youth to spend time in
5
“The Little Italy of Syracuse.”
Syracuse, 1937 Census information.
7
United States Census Bureau 1950 Census, (Washington, D.C.) 7.
8
United States Census Bureau 1960 Census, (Washington, D.C.) 15.
9
United States Census Bureau 1980 Census (Washington, D.C.) 103.
10
Faith and Friendship pg. 330.
11
Faith and Friendship pg. 330.
6
3
the numerous theater houses, movie theaters, dance halls, and pool rooms.12 In light of these
facts, one could surmise that the many young Italian Catholics in Syracuse were ripe for the
establishment of social activities that helped strengthen their faith and sense of community
within the church.
In the 1930’s, the Diocese of Syracuse began to emphasize keeping the Catholic
youth of the area involved in their religion. Many Catholics in the nation worried that as
Catholics became more Americanized, they would become lax or indifferent in their faith.13
This concern manifested itself in the increased numbers of Catholic schools and religious
education classes used to supplement public education through the Confraternity of Christian
Doctrine, a trend many Catholics in Syracuse enthusiastically supported. In addition to the
support of formal Catholic education, Bishop Walter Andrew Foery, Syracuse’s Roman
Catholic Bishop for thirty-three years, strongly supported extracurricular activities for young
people. During his tenure as the Bishop of Syracuse, Bishop Foery supported organizations
such as the Young Men’s Christian Association, the Young Women’s Christian Association,
and Catholic Youth Organization.14
During this period of time, as the number of Italians in the Syracuse area steadily
grew and the Catholic Church was becoming more active in Syracuse, the Italian people of
Syracuse’s Northside neighborhood began to outgrow their original parish, Saint Peter’s
Church.15
In the early 1920’s the Italian Catholics residing in Syracuse’s Northside
neighborhood became too numerous for St.
Peter’s to handle. As a result of this growth,
Our Lady of Pompei Parish was founded in
1925 by 1,200 working-class Italian families.16
The church building was originally located on
McBride Street and housed a small school on its
upper floor.
Our Lady of Pompei Church on Ash Street
12
Faith and Friendship 180.
13
Faith and Friendship 259.
14
Faith and Friendship 263.
15
Carbone.
16
50th Anniversary Our Lady of Pompei Church
4
This history of the Pompeian Players begins during this period, in the late 1920’s, not
long after the parish was founded. The group was actually started by Father Gerard Horn and
Father William Mahaney, Priests serving Our Lady of Pompei parish at the time.17 Creation
of the group carried out the wishes of Bishop Foery by serving to bring young Catholics into
church activities and the religious community. Throughout the existence of the Pompeian
Players, the aim of fostering and encouraging an activity in which young people could
participate would remain one of the primary motivations of the priests of Our Lady of
Pompei.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the forty days before Easter, the period referred to as
Lent, is a very somber time during which Catholics fast and recall the passion and death of
Jesus Christ in preparation for the celebration of his death and resurrection. During the years
prior to the second Vatican Council, this Lenten season was taken very seriously. Young
people were discouraged from any types of celebration, such as dances or parties. Thus,
Catholic high schools and parishes would sponsor no dances during this season, leaving a
long period of time during which there were few supervised events for teenagers and young
adults to attend.18
In addition to the usual concerns about keeping young Catholics close to the faith,
this somber period of time left the youth in an especially precarious position. According to
many of the youth involved, parish leaders wanted to follow the Diocesan trend and “keep
kids off the streets,” especially during such a quiet season.
During the early years of the organization, the Pompeian Players produced one-act
plays and vaudeville shows featuring musical numbers as well as comedies. Many of these
shows reflected scenes that spoke to the community of the parish and reflected experiences
with which parishioners could relate, enhancing the social viability of the group. One such
show featured a sketch called “The Italian Wedding of the 1920’s,” a scene during which
most of the actors spoke only Italian or broken English, poking fun at the issue of language
barriers many of the Italian-American parishioners of Our Lady of Pompei faced. 19
17
Howie Mansfield, “Former Members of the Pompeian Players reflect on their Experiences,” Catholic Sun, 8
May 2003.
18
Interview with Sandy Stanistreet.
19
Interview Marie Felice
5
In 1949, the most notable figure to be associated with the Pompeian Players, the
Right Reverend Monsignor Charles Borgognoni,
arrived at Our Lady of Pompei Parish.20 Father
Charles, as he was commonly referred to, began
directing the group upon his arrival at Our Lady of
Pompei Church, helping the group produce their
“Minstrel and Variety Show.” At this point, the
show was produced to benefit the New Church
Fund for the parish of Our Lady of Pompei.21
Pompeian Players in an early Variety Show
This simple type of show dominated the early
productions of the Pompeian Players until 1953. It was in that year that Father Charles
challenged the group to expand their horizons and directed the Players in a production
showcasing musical numbers from various Broadway shows. In 1956, Borgognoni further
challenged the parish youth to produce a complete Broadway show, Of Thee I Sing, including
both musical numbers and drama.22 From that point forward, for a period spanning three
decades, the Pompeian Players produced a Broadway-style musical comedy every May until
the group stopped producing its shows in 1986.23
During the group’s existence, particularly during the late 1950’s and 1960’s, the
Pompeian Players offered something to the greater Syracuse area that could not otherwise be
found When the Players began, neither Syracuse Stage nor the Salt City Theater or the
several other community theater groups that entertain the greater Syracuse area today, yet
existed. The Pompeian Players’ success in its earliest years was due in part to the fact that
they were truly offering something new to the community. Also, at that time they
encountered little competition from other groups. The Pompeian Players were the only group
offering a professional quality musical comedy in the area, a fact which quickly set the group
apart from the small plays produced by most community theater organizations. As a result of
this fact, members of the Pompeian Players, as well as Our Lady of Pompei Parish, gained
local notoriety as well as prestigious reputations.
20
Felice.
Felice.
22
Nevart Apikan, “Priest, Pope Share Love of Theater,” Syracuse Post Standard, April 30, 1979, page 11.
23
Felice.
21
6
While members of the greater Syracuse community will remember the professionalquality theatrical performances produced by the Pompeian Players, members of the Players
remember another aspect of the group much more clearly. By all accounts, the Pompeian
Players was a close-knit group whose members considered each other to be family. Those
involved with the group forged many strong relationships, friendships and even marriages,
that continue to today.24 As members of the Pompeian Players they spent a great deal of time
together, rehearsing every Sunday from January until May, as well as two to three times per
week depending on a person’s role in that year’s production. Spending such vast amounts of
time together gave the parish youth the chance to get to know each other and develop close
friendships. In this sense, Father Mahaney, Father Horn, and Father Borgognoni were
successful in their ultimate purpose for the group. The young members of Our Lady of
Pompei did not spend time getting into trouble on the streets. Rather, they spent time honing
skills, learning the discipline required to truly master a difficult endeavor, building strong
relationships with fellow Catholics, and nurturing their own faith.
This familial bond between the members of the Pompeian Players ties closely with
the national study of the concept of civic engagement. It has been observed that around the
world, citizens of the United States are “more likely to be involved in voluntary associations
than are citizens of most other nations.”25 This national level of activity was certainly
reflected in the Northside community in Syracuse. According to Putnam’s research, the
percentage of the population involved in community organizations reached its height in
approximately 1960 before it began to decline through the rest of the century.26 Such a trend
is consistent with the history of the Pompeian Players, since the organization was most
prominent beginning in the 1950’s and slowly lost its popularity along with other civic
organizations until its end in the 1980’s.
Another sentiment that is common among past members of the Pompeian Players is
the notion that “Father Charles is Pompeian Players and Pompeian Players is Father
Charles.”27 After interviewing members of the group, it is evident that Father Charles was
held in the highest regard. He demonstrated great leadership skills and was able to guide
24
Mansfield, Howie, “Back in Time,” The Catholic Sun, May 8, 2003.
Putnam, Robert D., Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, 48. (Reference from a
Gallup study.)
26
Putnam 54.
27
Interview Marie Felice
25
7
casts averaging approximately fifty people to the production of wonderful shows. Father
Borgognoni was also able to make each and every person feel welcomed, feel at home, and
feel as though he or she was a valuable asset to the group. Also, this man possessed the great
deal of pragmatism necessary to navigate the issues involved with buying the rights to
produce musicals, as well as the savvy to convince Broadway producers to donate highquality sets and props to a small parish in Upstate New York instead of burning them at the
end of their runs on Broadway.28
Father Borgognoni’s outstanding leadership of the Pompeian Players, as well as his
leadership in Our Lady of Pompei Parish, can be attributed to several factors. Among the
most prominent of these are his natural abilities to communicate with people and to solve
problems, as well as other personal characteristics such as intelligence, kindness, and loyalty,
that often are present in strong leaders. Another factor that played a large role in Father
Borgognoni’s success as the leader of the Pompeian Players was his vocation.29 As a
Catholic priest, Father Charles was not only allowed to spend large amounts of time
contributing to the community, but he was encouraged to do so as part of his profession. As
a result of this, the Pompeian Players did not have to compete for Father Charles’ attention
with the responsibilities of a traditional “Nine to five” job. This is not to say, however, that
Father Borgognoni did not shoulder multiple other responsibilities. Rather, the Pompeian
Players was both a professional responsibility and a labor of love that served the community.
The inspirational leadership of Monsignor Charles Borgognoni guided the youth of
Our Lady of Pompei Parish to become a prestigious theater group, the Pompeian Players.
During the decades of its existence, the Pompeian Players brought pride to Our Lady of
Pompei Parish, its Northside neighborhood, and the Italian American community at large.
The group also offered a unique opportunity for the members of the community to increase
the quality of the area’s social fabric and forge close relationships with each other. The
significance of the group in terms of both local history and in the study of leadership and
social engagement is evident.
28
Interview with Monsignor James McCloskey.
A. Alexander Fanelli, “A Typology of Community Leadership Based on Influence and Interaction within the
Leader Subsystem,” Social Forces, (Vol. 34, No. 4, May, 1956) 332-338 J-Stor.
29
8
Leadership
When interviewing former members of the Pompeian Players, one recurring theme
which presented itself was the importance of Right Reverend Monsignor Charles Borgognoni
and the role he played in leading the organization. No matter whom you speak with, be it a
“veteran’ member who participated in the Players for years or those who were just beginning
their involvement with the Players at a time when its popularity was waning, you will hear
statements such as, “Father Charles is Pompeian Players and Pompeian Players is Father
Charles.”30 Such statements clearly demonstrate that Father Borgognoni truly led the
Pompeian Players upon his arrival at Our Lady of Pompei Church in 1949 until the group’s
final production in1986. Father Charles’ role as the leader of the Pompeian Players was
multi-dimensional. In the first instance, Father Borgognoni’s position as a priest at Our Lady
of Pompei Church and his later position as Roman Catholic Chaplain at Syracuse University
by design set him in the role of a community leader. However, it was his personality, natural
charisma and true affection for those who strove with him at all levels to make the Players a
success that truly allowed him to become the great generalized leader as which he is
remembered today.
Leadership has been the subject of social scientists since at least the early 1900’s. It
is “a universal activity evident in humankind and in animal species,” and thus merits a great
deal of attention.31 In a study conducted in 1956, A. Alexander Fanelli writes that a person’s
role as a leader is often determined by his or her occupational role rather than simply
personal characteristics.32 In following this theory, an occupation such as a diocesan priest
would certainly facilitate a man’s ability to become a community leader, particularly in a
neighborhood community which was predominantly Roman Catholic and generally revered
its clergy to begin with. As such, Father Borgognoni’s priesthood certainly constitutes one
element of his successful leadership of the Pompeian Players and the community of which he
was a part.
However, there are several other schools of thought on leadership, all of which
emphasize different characteristics or theories on the topic. The Trait School of Leadership,
popular in the early 1900’s, sees leadership from the “Great Man” perspective. It holds that
30
Interview with Marie Felice.
Antonakis, Cianciolo, Sternberg, The Nature of Leadership 5.
32
Fanelli 334.
31
9
personal characteristics and traits distinguish leaders from other people. This school of
thought might thus argue that leaders are born as opposed to being taught. According to
research performed by Trait Theorists, there is a positive relationship between intelligence
and leadership, implying the importance of intelligence in a leader’s capacity to be
successful. Interestingly, losing popularity in the middle of the century, the Trait School of
leadership has recently found favor with sociologists once again.33
Another school of thought regarding leadership which is relevant to Father Charles
Borgognoni and the Pompeian Players is the Relational School. The Relational School
argues that it is not the characteristics of the leader that are important, but rather the nature of
the relationship between a leader and his or her followers. According to these theorists, a
positive relationship between leader and followers is based on trust and mutual respect.
Conversely, a negative relationship is based on contracts or obligations, situations in which
people are merely participating because they must do so. Research conducted on this theory
demonstrates that positive relationships result in more positive leader outcomes.34 According
to this theory, Father Charles’ wonderfully strong and positive relationships with the
members of the Pompeian Players make it no surprise that the group was so successful.
The most recent school of thought subscribed to by sociologists is the New
Leadership (neocharismatic/ transformational/ visionary) School. The New Leadership
School of thought theorizes that, “inspiring leader behaviors induce followers to transcend
their interests for that of the greater good.”35 This school of thought considers leaders to be
people who can communicate and assert the importance of community needs over the
importance of individual needs. In order to do this, researchers believe that leaders are able
to combine their charisma with their visions for bettering their communities and the world
around them.
Each of these theories is useful when considering Father Charles Borgognoni and his
leadership of the Pompeian Players. His “occupational role” as a catholic priest immediately
loaned itself to Fr. Borgongnoi’s ascension to a leadership position as Fannelli would point
out. Further, Father Borgognoni’s personal traits, such as his love of music, his vision and
foresight as well as his courage to continually move forward with the Players and to inspire
33
Antonakis, Cianciolo, Sternberg, 6.
Antonakis, Cianciolo, Sternberg, 8.
35
Antonakis, Cianciolo, Sternberg, 9.
34
10
others to share his vision, certainly fall within the parameters of leadership set by the Trait
School. Finally, the close and ultimately personal relationship which Father Charles
developed with the Players as individuals, his true love and concern for all of those who
helped make the Pompeian Players a success, fulfills the general criteria for leadership
ascribed to by the Relational School.
In studying leadership, sociologists also observe various individual variables in
addition to intelligence that play a role in a leader’s success. One such variable which is
particularly important in the case of Monsignor Borgognoni is competency, or a general
characteristic such as a trait or skill.36 Other variables which predict successful leadership
include behavior, style, expertise, experience, and maturity level.37
“Style” refers to a cluster of behaviors observed in a person, in this context usually
the leader. There are several distinct styles which have been observed by scholars. Among
these are “participation style” in which the leader involves subordinates often; “decision
making style” in which the leader rarely involves his or her subordinates; and “task-oriented
style” in which the relationship of the leader and followers is based solely on the
accomplishment of a task.38 However, based on interviews with former Pompeian Players, it
is clear that the style employed by Rev. Charles Borgognoni during his years with the
Pompeian Players was relationship-oriented. Leaders of this style constantly show
appreciation for their members, help with problems, show trust and confidence in them, and
help their subordinates develop.39
It is useful in our considerations to remember that these theories are often applied to
leaders in a specific setting. However, “People who are prominent in a specific field are
often termed ‘leaders’ simply because they can attract or command a following,” and are not
necessarily true community leaders.40 While it may be argued that Father Borgognoni was a
leader in a specific setting, namely the Pompeian Players, a further investigation into his
career demonstrates that he was also a community leader, offering guidance in several areas
in addition to Community Theater. Monsignor Borgognoni was a strong religious leader to
36
Antonakis, Cianciolo, Sternberg, 203.
Antonakis, Cianciolo, Sternberg, 204.
38
Antonakis, Cianciolo, Sternberg 204.
39
Antonakis, Cianciolo, Sternberg 204.
40
William W. Biddle, The Cultivation of Community Leaders (New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1953),
2.
37
11
the parishioners of Our Lady of Pompei Parish and a strong leader helping to socialize the
young Catholics of the area. As A. Alexander Fanelli points out, “The implication in the
term ‘community leader’ is that the person demonstrates leadership behavior in a variety of
situational contexts. In other words, he plays a generalized rather than a specialized
leadership role.”41 Reverend Monsignor Charles Borgognoni can clearly be called a
generalized leader because of his numerous leadership roles in different community
activities.
Unlike many other professionals, Father Charles Borgognoni’s community service
activities such as the Pompeian Players did not have to compete with his professional
responsibilities. He was not required to leave work early to make rehearsals or sacrifice
opportunities for promotion to remain involved with the Players. In fact, for Monsignor
Borgognoni, the situation was quite the opposite. Father Borgognoni’s job required him to
engage members of the parish in as many ways as possible in order to cement their
relationship with the church community and with God. The Pompeian Players was just one
of several groups Father Borgognoni led in association with Our Lady of Pompei Parish,
including the Young Catholic Workers and the St. Thomas Aquinas Club.42 Such a luxury
was invaluable to the Players and to Father Borgognoni. Success at work for Father Charles
did not compete with his joy in serving the community as it does in the lives of many other
Americans.43 Father Charles was able to live the dream of many Americans who would
instantly take up involvement with community and
civic groups if they were freed from financial
constraints and occupational duties. Consistent
with the studies of A. Alexander Fanelli, Father
Charles’ leadership role in the community
demonstrates the manner in which occupation is
related to a person’s role in his or her community.
In Father Borgognoni’s case, his vocation
Fr. Charles views an advertisement for the Players
contributed to his successful leadership of the Pompeian Players and other civic
organizations.
41
Fanelli.
Felice.
43
Robert N. Bellah, et al., Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life, (San
Francisco: University of California Press 1986) 8.
42
12
But neither his role as a Catholic priest or member of the clergy, nor even the respect
and loyalty afforded to him by the Italian community to their parish priests, accounts fully for
the leadership role played by Father Borgognoni in the Syracuse Community. Indeed many
others who held positions in the community as priests or ministers were not recognized by
parishioners as leaders in the same manner as Monsignor Borgognoni during his most active
years. Several people who are close to Father Charles Borgognoni attribute his success as a
leader in the community to his personal character traits, most obviously his charisma.44 The
use of the word “charisma” is especially applicable in the case of someone like Father
Charles in light of its definition: “In Christian theology, a divinely inspired gift or talent, a
great quality of leadership.”45 Such statements support the Trait School or “Great Man” line
of thinking. Most who knew him would say that Father Charles was truly unique and
blessed, a “once in a lifetime man.”46
However, Father Borgognoni’s priesthood and personal charisma were augmented by
his “competency’ in the performance of his work with the Pompeian Players. Regardless of
the school of leadership theory to which one may subscribe, such “competency” is
recognized as one of the individual variables essential to successful leadership. Father
Charles was clearly a competent theater director, directing casts of at least fifty people in full
length Broadway musical comedies for thirty years, a task which could not have been
accomplished without skill, creative pragmatism, and good judgment. This competency is
even more impressive when one considers that Father Charles had no professional training of
any sort in the theater. Everything he knew about the theater was learned from his roles in
high school productions in his small hometown of Canastota, New York.47 However,
regardless of his lack of professional credentials in theater, Father Charles was more than
competent in utilizing resources and developing talent to run the Pompeian Players. 48
Father Borgognoni also possessed a style of leadership that allowed him and the
organizations he led to be incredibly successful. A relational style of leadership allowed him
to utilize his charisma and ability to interact with people in a successful manner. Members of
the Pompeian Players felt connected to this man and considered him a friend. Indeed, Father
44
Interview with Monsignor James McCloskey.
Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language, 1968 ed., s.v.”charisma.”
46
Felice.
47
McCloskey.
48
Antonakis, Cianciolo, Sternberg, 205.
45
13
Charles was present at the weddings of many Pompeian Players, was present at the Baptisms
of their children, and has even presided at the wakes and funerals of many of the Pompeian
Players who are now deceased. Father Charles dedicated his life to the people around him,
and ultimately became an important part of their lives.
The effects of the relational style of leadership Father Charles employed during his
time directing the Pompeian Players extended far beyond the group as an entity in itself and
into the individual lives of its members and the greater community of Syracuse, New York.
An example of such effect is dramatically demonstrated in the life of Mrs. Marie Felice.
Mrs. Felice, a resident of Central New York and a long time parishioner of Our Lady of
Pompei Parish, has been involved with the
Pompeian Players over 36 years. Known and
referred to as Father Charles’ “right hand
woman,” Mrs. Felice went on from her role in
the Pompeian Players to become the first
woman in the local chapter of the International
Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees,
Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and
Marie Felice at work with the Pompeian Players
Allied Crafts of the United States (IATSE), a position for which she was forced to fight
against the gender discrimination of her time. However, the impact of Father Charles and the
Pompeian Players on Mrs. Felice’s life was not unique. Similar stories demonstrate that
through his close working relationships with members of the Pompeian Players, Father
Charles was able to help people to develop skills that would aid them in their professional
lives.49
In addition, Monsignor Borgognoni’s relational style of leadership has also affected
former Pompeian Players on more personal levels. Sandy Stanistreet, who was a dancer with
the Players from 1968 until 1978, credits her time spent as a Pompeian Player with
transforming her from a shy young girl to an outspoken and confident woman.50 Her time
onstage helped her to develop skills which boosted her self confidence. Such confidence is
extremely valuable today in various aspects of life ranging from social interaction to
professional advancements.
49
50
Felice.
Stanistreet.
14
Based on the many similar experiences, it is clear that Father Borgognoni took great
care in developing relationships with members of the Pompeian Players in order to help them
develop themselves on several levels. While the group may have still enjoyed its theatrical
success if Father Borgognoni had utilized a different style of leadership, the fruits of his
personal relationships with the Pompeian Players would never have developed.
Father Charles also exemplified a “participation style” of leadership as evidenced by
his tendency to assign responsibilities in the organization to those who were willing to help
and his confidence that they would complete their task effectively and efficiently. Although
Father Borgognoni was undeniably the “boss,” he did not micromanage the organization.
Rather, he gave members of the Pompeian Players community a chance to invest their own
time and effort into the organization, thereby increasing the social and personal benefits of
being involved.
Another example of the participation style of leadership Father Borgognoni used
during his years with the Pompeian Players was his commitment to finding a place for
everyone who auditioned for the shows on the stage.51 This man was not the type of person
whose purpose was to exclude people or force the show to reach its level of professional
quality by casting only the “best” and most talented young people. Father Charles also never
gave people the single option of working behind the scenes by denying them the opportunity
to play a role onstage in the production. The emphasis of the group and of Father Charles
was always on community and allowing everyone to be a part of the production in a role in
which they could be happy and proud. No one was to ever be excluded from the Pompeian
Players.52
Monsignor Borgognoni’s vision was probably similar to that of many priests. He
wanted to teach young people to work hard as a community toward a common goal, and
more than anything, wanted to bring people closer to God. However, Father Charles was
more successful in this task than many of his contemporaries or current active diocesan
priests who reach toward the same goals. As mentioned above, this is due in part to Father
Charles’ natural characteristics such as intelligence and charisma. However, in accord with
the new leadership school of thought on leadership, it can also be asserted that Father Charles
was successful in his leadership because he possessed the ability to encourage the members
51
52
Stanistreet.
Stanistreet.
15
of the Pompeian Players to place the needs of the group ahead of their individual needs. As
Sandy Stanistreet said, “There were no divas” in the Pompeian Players. 53 People did not
participate in the group to gain personal glory or recognition. Rather, they joined to be a part
of a great community. Despite the claim that there were no egotistical members of the
Pompeian Players, such a reality is difficult to believe. What may be more likely, however,
is that while “divas” may in fact have been present in the Pompeian Players, their attitudes
were changed by the examples set by Father Charles and the veteran members of the group.
The leadership role for which Right Reverend Monsignor Charles Borgognoni is
perhaps best known for will always be the Pompeian Players. However, this was by no
means the only leadership role in which Borgognoni served. At the heart of the Pompeian
Players was an organization of love and fellowship in Christ. Each rehearsal from 1949
when Father Charles started working with the Pompeian Players until 1986 when the Players
produced their last show began and ended with a prayer. Occasionally after a long Sunday
rehearsal, Father Charles would offer a mass for the members of the Pompeian Players who
had not been able to attend mass that day due to rehearsal.54 Through these small but
significant rituals, Rev. Borgognoni nurtured the faith of the people involved with the
Pompeian Players, Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Father Charles asserted his leadership
to help people nurture their faith and forge a stronger relationship with Christ. In this sense,
Father Borgognoni acted as the spiritual leader for the members of the Pompeian Players.
This contributes to the argument that Rt. Rev. Msgr. Charles Borgognoni was more than just
a specialized leader in the community, fulfilling the larger role of a generalized leader in the
community.
During the five months stretching from January until May, much of Father Charles
Borgognoni’s time was dedicated to the production of a musical comedy with the Pompeian
Players. However, during this time and during the rest of the year when the Players were
inactive, Monsignor Borgognoni was a priest first and foremost. Like any other priest, he
fulfilled his responsibility to preside over weekly masses. 55 Father Charles was also involved
with several other groups at Our Lady of Pompei Parish. He led the Young Christian
Workers, commonly referred to as the YCW, a group that met monthly and participated in
53
Stanisreet.
Stephen, Landrigan, “Spring: Time for the Pompeian Players,” The Post Standard May 1973.
55
Bob Workman, “Another Opening of Another Show,” Catholic Sun 9 May 1973.
54
16
many different service activities in the community. This group went Christmas Caroling
around the holidays, visited hospitals and nursing homes, and produced smaller-scale theater
productions.56 As many of the young people of the era will recall, “Father kept us very
busy!”57 This emphasis on community involvement was evidently not something that Father
Borgognoni saved for the Pompeian Players. However, organizations such as the YCW gave
Father Charles the opportunity to direct the efforts of this community involvement to the
service of other members of the community who were in need. In this way, Father Charles
extended his leadership beyond the Pompeian Players and into the heart of the service
activities carried out by the parish youth.
In addition to the many responsibilities and community activities Monsignor
Borgognoni guided at Our Lady of Pompei Church, he was also very involved as the Catholic
Chaplain at Syracuse University. Although Father Charles’ interests always lay heavily with
music and theater, he made a point to attend as many sporting events as possible at Syracuse.
It was important to Father Borgognoni to be a part of the community of Syracuse University,
even if it meant stepping outside of his comfort zone and into the activities in which he did
not usually participate. Father Charles even went so far as to sing the Star Spangled Banner
more than once before Syracuse University basketball games at Madison Square Garden.58
On occasions when he did not sing, Father Charles would make a point to join the players in
their locker room before the game to lead them in a prayer.59 Such supportive gestures were
manifestations of Borgognoni’s desire to be a supportive presence for the students of
Syracuse University and to lead them by example into a strong faith in God and communion
with his people.
Based on the research performed by various sociologists and political scientists on the
topic of leadership and the memories of former Pompeian Players, it is evident that Rt. Rev.
Monsignor Charles Borgognoni was a generalized leader of the Syracuse community. This
leadership is a direct result of his personal characteristics, most strongly related to his
intelligence and charisma, and also a result of his occupational position as a diocesan priest.
Father Charles combined his position and natural skills with a combination of relationship
and participation styles of leadership in order to be most successful in leading the people of
56
Stanistreet.
Felice.
58
McCloskey.
59
McCloskey.
57
17
Our Lady of Pompei Parish and the community of Syracuse University. It is undeniable that
Monsignor Borgognoni was successful in his leadership of the Pompeian Players, as well as
the other community organizations with which he was involved. However, the Pompeian
Players could not have been as great as they truly were without the help of this very gifted
man.
Father Charles’ Purposes and the Community
Because the roots of the Pompeian Players lay so far back in time, beginning seventy
years ago in the 1930’s, it is difficult to know why the group was originally founded. 60
However, because Monsignor Borgognoni and many of his contemporaries are still alive, it is
60
Mansfield.
18
easier to be aware of and understand the factors that may have motivated the group during
the years after 1949.
As many members of the Pompeian Players will tell you, Father Borgognoni was the
leader of the Players and as such directed the group as he saw fit. During the research for
this project, several members of the Pompeian Players stated that the main purpose behind
the Pompeian Players was to “keep kids off the street.”61 The years between 1949 and 1986
were no different from any other years in history. Opportunities for young people, especially
teenagers, to get into trouble were always lurking around every corner. It seems logical that
creating a constructive activity, be it a sports team, a prayer group, or a theater group, would
help counter the opportunity for students to get into trouble by allowing them the opportunity
to do something positive with their time.
However, while the Pompeian Players were indeed keeping young people off the
streets, especially during the quiet season of Lent, most of the group’s members were not
likely to have been roaming the streets even without the Players. Rather, friends of Father
Charles who share his vocation recognize that quite often they are not taking bad kids and
showing them their inner good. Instead, they are taking good kids and making them better.62
In this sense, the purpose of the Pompeian Players arguably was not to keep kids off the
streets, but rather to help hone their skills and provide them with an opportunity to grow.
The theatrical nature of the Players afforded young people an opportunity to gain
several skills that are useful in life. The first is a sense of confidence. Standing on a stage
before thousands of people is undoubtedly daunting. However, the Pompeian Players,
especially leads who spent time on the stage alone, learned to harness energy and nerves and
channel them into a spectacular performance. Such a skill is vital in many situations in life,
especially in professional or political settings.
The members of the Pompeian Players who were less visible in roles behind the
scenes also gained invaluable skills. Many members worked back stage controlling scenery,
sounds, or lights or organizing props and making sure cast members were present for their
cues. Such responsibilities required incredible amounts of organization, a skill which is also
useful in any aspect of life. It is clear to see that every member of the Pompeian Players left
the group as an improved person with a newly developed or enhanced skill.
61
62
Stanistreet.
McCloskey.
19
No matter what role a person held in the Pompeian Players, onstage or behind it, one
of the most invaluable skills he or she would gain from the direction of Father Borgognoni
was a strong work ethic. One of the most remarkable characteristics of the Pompeian Players
was the amount of time its members dedicated to the production of their musical comedies.
This fact was in no way coincidental. One of Father Charles’ most memorable sayings was,
“We’ll do it again.” He was a firm believer in doing things again and again until they were
done right and until they were made habits.63 Such a methodical and consistent strategy for
doing things is not forgotten. The members of the Pompeian Players were able to take this
strong work ethic with them and use it in their future endeavors.
Another very important characteristic about the Pompeian Players was that they were
a community theater group, the key word in this phrase being community. In the face of
growing emphasis on individualism in the United States, the Pompeian Players taught the
youth of the parish the value of doing things for the greater good of the community. As
Sandy Stanistreet pointed out, the group “didn’t have any divas who needed to be center
stage.”64 In place of such a self-centered attitude was the desire to be part of a group and
produce a quality show. This lesson in community is something truly unique that Father
Charles taught the members of the Pompeian Players, a lesson which many of them carry
with them today.
By guiding the Pompeian Players to develop the skills and character of the young
people of Our Lady of Pompei Parish, Father Charles Borgognoni made a lasting
contribution to the lives of the Players, to the community of Our Lady of Pompei, and to the
greater Syracuse area. In a sense, Father Charles was helping to foster a sense of civicmindedness in the young people with whom he interacted. By affording the young men and
women of the parish an opportunity to contribute to the community, Borgognoni helped both
the youth and the community in which they lived. Father Charles taught his followers the
importance of civic engagement.
63
64
Felice.
Stanistreet.
20
Civic Engagement
In the last fifty years of the twentieth century, many political scientists have
documented a trend of decreasing civic engagement and involvement of Americans in their
communities. Several of the studies on this topic call the downward trend a loss of “social
capital,” or the “social connections and the attendant norms and trust.”65 The era of greatest
activity and the decline of this era for the Pompeian Players act as a case study of these
65
Robert Putnam, “Tuning In, Tuning Out: The Strange Disappearance of Social Capital in America,” PS:
Political Science and Politics, Vol. 28, No. 4. (Dec. 1995) 665.
21
theories. The group, which is both a bonding and bridging organization, demonstrates the
height and decline of civic engagement in the United States in the past fifty years.
Many social scientists who study civic engagement take “social capital,” a term
which has been defined and studied by several different people, into great consideration in
their studies. In Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, Robert
Putnam notes that the term “social capital” has been independently discovered by several
people in the twentieth century.66 The first of these was in 1916, when a man named L.J.
Hanifan, who was the State Supervisor of Rural Schools in Charleston, West Virginia at the
time, wrote an article on the rural school as the center of the community. In this article, he
defines social capital to be, “that in life which tends to make tangible substances count for
most in the daily lives of people, namely, goodwill, fellowship, mutual sympathy and social
intercourse.”67 About thirty-five years later, a group of Canadian sociologists used the term
to discuss club membership in the suburbs. In the following decades, the term social capital
was used by urbanist James Jacobs, economist Glenn Loury, and French social theorist Pierre
Bourdieu.68 In the late 1980’s, James Coleman wrote about social capital at great length,
stating that “social capital is productive, making possible the achievement of certain ends that
in its absences would not be possible.”69 Adding more to the discussion, Robert Putnam also
writes that social capital has both individual and collective benefits, since an individual is
able to serve his or her own interests by networking, making friends, and finding people who
can help him or her, and the community benefits from the fruits of people’s social
involvement.70
In his book, Robert Putnam explains in great detail his analysis of “numerous and
diverse data sources” documenting the numbers of Americans who are involved with
community activities and other statistics indicating civic engagement.71 The many sources
from which Putnam’s data is gathered increase its value, eliminating the possibility that a
single problem could taint all the data involved. These data measure the concrete numbers of
66
Putnam, Bowling Alone 19.
L.J. Hanifan, “The Rural School Community Center,” Annals of the American Academy of Political and
Social Sciences 67 (1916): 130.
68
Putnam, Bowling Alone 19.
69
James S. Coleman, “Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital,” The American Journal of Sociology 94
(1988): S98.
70
Robert Putnam, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, (New York: Simon &
Schuster 2000) 20.
71
Putnam, Bowling Alone 415.
67
22
people engaged in community activities and are strong indicators of what the above
mentioned theorists termed “social capital.”
The Pompeian Players were very active in the 1950’s, gaining momentum to great
popularity in the 1960’s. According to Robert Putnam, the decade of the 1960’s was an “era
of expanded involvement” in the United States.72 During this decade, the numbers of people
involved with community organizations such as political campaigns, national chapter-based
associations, and Parent-Teacher Associations were the highest of the past century.73 Such
data supports the impressions of many people who remember the 1960’s as a decade of mass
protests and general involvement of people in issues concerning their communities.
One explanation noted by Putnam for this period of high involvement is the theory
that Americans had more free time on their hands during this period than at any other time in
recent history to that point. Americans faced the “threat of leisure,” and thus felt that it was
their duty or obligation to use their time to improve the world around them.74 Such a
sentiment was even supported by governmental role models such as John F. Kennedy. Few
Americans will forget Kennedy’s call to civic engagement when he spoke the words, “Ask
not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” This zeal for
the improvement of society experienced by Americans was most often channeled into
organized community groups.
Unfortunately, this time of prosperity for community organizations did not continue
in the decades to follow. Involvement in activities such as workers unions, bowling leagues,
and religious services declined from 1970 until the late 1990’s.75
The Pompeian Players in Syracuse, New York was a group that experienced these
transcending national trends of civic engagement. Like many other civic groups of the time,
the Players began to become very active in the early 1950’s.76 While this is in part due to the
strong leadership of Rt. Rev. Msgr. Charles Borgognoni, it can also be attributed in part to
the rise of civic engagement across the nation.77 The Pompeian Players saw high levels of
involvement in the 1950’s and 1960’s in several ways. While the number of actors in the
72
Putnam, Bowling Alone 16.
Putnam, Bowling Alone 39,57,54.
74
Putnam, Bowling Alone 16.
75
Putnam, Bowling Alone 71, 81, 112.
76
Felice.
77
Putnam, Bowling Alone 71, 81, 112.
73
23
show often depended on the show being produced, Father Charles always made the casts as
big as possible, allowing any person who was interested in the group to participate. Thus, the
number of actors involved in each show is not a very accurate measurement of civic
involvement in the group.
However, every year the Pompeian Players solicited advertisements from local
businesses as well as messages from family members or friends to be printed in the
production’s showbill. Such advertisements or donations to the showbill demonstrated the
number of people who were interested in contributing to the Pompeian Players’ success, and
thus be civically involved with the group. In the showbill for 1965’s production of South
Pacific, there are approximately three hundred and twenty families listed as patrons. In
addition to these, there were also ninety one advertisements from various businesses in the
area.78 Clearly, the businessmen of the time knew that an advertisement in the Pompeian
Players showbill would be seen by a significant number of people. This demonstrates the
extent to which the community was involved and concerned with the Pompeian Players.
During this time period spanning from the early 1950’s until the late 1960’s, many
Pompeian Players were involved with community groups in addition to the Pompeian
Players. The younger members of the Pompeian Players were quite often also involved with
the Young Catholic Workers or the St. Thomas Aquinas Club.79 On the other hand, many of
the adult women members of the Players were also involved in clubs such as the St. Theresa
Society.80 These activities do not even take into consideration the participation in
organizations outside of Our Lady of Pompei Church. The early years of the Pompeian
Players clearly support the evidence analyzed by Robert Putnam and other political scientists
who argue that civic engagement across the country was rising in the early 1950’s.
The Pompeian Players of the early 1950’s made a contribution to their community in
addition to their production of an incredible musical comedy. During this time period, the
profits generated from the productions of the Pompeian Players were another venue through
which the parish youth gave to the community. The money that was raised by the Pompeian
Players’ production was donated to the New Church Fund at Our Lady of Pompei Parish. At
this point in time, Our Lady of Pompei Church was located in a small building on McBride
78
Showbill South Pacific, The Pompeian Players, 1965.
Stanistreet.
80
Felice.
79
24
Street with the church occupying the first floor of the building and Our Lady of Pompei
School occupying the second floor.81 With donations from the Pompeian Players in addition
to the donations made by parishioners, the new church was built across from the original site,
and is located at 301 Ash Street.
Unfortunately, the Pompeian Players echo the decline of civic engagement along with
its rise. In the 1980’s, interest in the Pompeian Players from the Syracuse community began
to decline. During the last few years of the group’s existence, they began to encounter a lack
of interest in membership, most notably in the number of men willing to build sets for the
group’s productions. The men who were building sets and working back stage, for the most
part, had been doing so for a number of years and were getting older. Thus, it was more
difficult for them to handle the physical labor than it had once been. Compounding this
problem was the fact that “there were no young people coming up through the ranks to do
it.”82 In many cases, the young people who were willing to work backstage with the group
wanted to receive compensation for the work, a concept that was very different in
comparison with the spirit of volunteerism that traditionally supported the Pompeian Players.
Another indicator of the decline of community interest in the Pompeian Players was
the financial results of 1985’s presentation of Hello Dolly! During this season, not only were
the Players unable to reach their normal profit margins which reached well above $10,000,
but the group actually lost approximately $2,000 on the show.83 The feeling that the
Pompeian Players had something fresh to offer had dissipated with the feeling of pride in
supporting the efforts of members of one’s own community. The group was also now
competing with new groups such as Syracuse Stage and the Famous Artist series, in which
actors and stagehands were all paid professionals. Following the disappointment of 1985, the
Pompeian Player’s production of Annie in 1986 was the group’s last show.
While the group’s last annual production in 1986 was an especially sad event for the
Syracuse community, and especially the group’s members, the Pompeian Players have since
managed to continue serving their community in smaller
ways. Since 1986, several members of the Pompeian Players
have continued to participate in the production of smaller
81
Felice.
Felice.
83
Our Lady of Pompei Parish Bulletin, 1985.
82
25
shows. Approximately three years ago, a former Pompeian Player, Dick Domiano, was
living in a Syracuse nursing home in the city’s Sedgewick area. At this time, he contacted
Marie Felice, the woman who had been the equivalent to a producer of the Pompeian Players,
and asked her to gather some of the group’s former members together for a show at his
nursing home. Mrs. Felice obliged, and was able to organize several of the old Pompeian
Players to sing and perform for the residents of Domiano’s nursing home.84 The willingness
to donate one’s time in order to better the lives of others demonstrates the high level of civic
mindedness which continues in many of the former members of the Pompeian Players.
In addition to this instance in which the Pompeian Players banded together to give
back to a friend, many members of the group also take part in other types of community
service in the Syracuse area. For instance, Nick Colaneri, whose involvement with the
Pompeian Players began in 1954, went on from the group to direct the drama productions at
Bishop Ludden High School and co-direct the productions at Saint Cecelia High School with
Mario Desantis, who was the music director of the Pompeian Players from 1946 until 1986.85
Desantis, whose dedication to the Pompeian Players is evident in his forty years of service to
Colaneri dances with Armond
Magnarelli in Kissthe
Me group,
Kate
also served his community in several ways after the Pompeian Players. In
addition to co-directing with Nick Colaneri, Desantis was also the Director of Instrumental
Music for the parochial schools of the Diocese of Syracuse.86 It is evident that in considering
the core members of the Pompeian Players, the dedication to the community and to active
civic engagement lived beyond the shows for which the group was so famous, and may be its
true legacy.
Such examples of dedication to community involvement in the members of the
Pompeian Players are consistent with the larger trends in the United States. As Robert
Putnam points out in Bowling Alone, civic engagement in America did not suddenly
disappear or drop off. The trend in the Pompeian Players, in which the number of young
people who joined the group failed to balance the number of people leaving the group to
revitalize the community, was the common trend in America.87
In addition to the study of trends in the amount of civic engagement in America
during the past half century, political scientists also analyze the types of social capital in
84
Felice.
The King and I, showbill, 1982.
86
The King and I, showbill, 1982.
87
Putnam, Bowling Alone, 16.
85
26
which people engage. In his book, Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam discusses two types of
community organizations, which he terms bonding social capital and bridging social capital. 88
According to Putnam, bonding capital is the more exclusive of the two, “reinforcing
exclusive identities,” such as religion, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. 89 A group
offering this type of social capital is often comprised of people of the same type of
background helping one another out. On the other hand, bridging is the more inclusive type
of social capital, it is “outward looking, encompassing people across diverse social
cleavages.”90 The goal of the community group that offers this type of social capital is often
to bring people in a greater community together despite their differences. However, as
Putnam mentions, it is possible for groups to offer both types of social capital, and many
groups in fact do so.
In considering the history of the Pompeian Players, it is clear that the group offered
both bonding and bridging capital to its members and to the community. Judging by the
essential characteristics of the group, the vast majority of which was comprised of ItalianAmerican Catholics, it is evident that the group played a great deal as an example of bonding
social capital. In fact, this was one of its main purposes. The priests, especially Rt. Rev.
Msgr. Charles Borgognoni, wanted to bring the young people of Our Lady of Pompei parish,
together and strengthen their relationship with God and the church. Even the wisps of history
that survive from the Players’ start in the 1930’s tell us that the Pompeian Players brought the
Italians-American Catholics of the community together to laugh at shared difficulties with
common issues, such as language barriers, the issue at the center of a skit called “The Italian
Wedding of the 1920’s.”91 Such a show was especially relevant to the parish with the largest
Italian population in Syracuse.92 While all of the shows were comedies at heart, they also
spoke to a common way of life for many people and solidified that way of life. Clearly, the
Pompeian Players played their role as bonding capital.
This bonding capital can also be seen in Father Charles’ refusal to produce a musical
that dealt with any type of sexual relations. Despite the popularity of such shows as West
88
Putnam, Bowling Alone, 22.
Putnam, Bowling Alone, 22.
90
Putnam, Bowling Alone, 22.
91
Felice.
92
John W. Barnell, Enrollment with Analyses of Italian’s Registered and Survey, (Syracuse, NY, 1933).
89
27
Side Story, the Pompeian Players were a group rooted in a religious background.93 Thus, the
group served as bonding capital that reinforced the traditions and values of the Catholic faith.
While many of the group’s purposes were fulfilled through aspects that make the
group an example of bonding social capital, the Pompeian Players also served its community
as a type of bridging social capital. As Robert Putnam states in Bowling Alone, bridging
capital often results in more understanding for people outside one’s normal social or
economic group. This is clearly something that was achieved by the Pompeian Players. As
many members of the Pompeian Players will tell you, once the group became largely popular
in the Syracuse area, the audience was no longer limited to the Italian Catholics from the
Northside neighborhood. People from all areas and classes of Syracuse would approach
members of the Pompeian Players as a result and compliment them on the group and their
last performance.94 Marie Felice, who helped produce all the shows, was even stopped while
in New York City by a person who remembered her for the contribution she made to the
Pompeian Players.95 The Pompeian Players reached across different communities within the
larger community of the city of Syracuse. As Monsignor McCloskey commented, “It wasn’t
just the people involved in the production; it was the people that came. When the people
came, they felt a part of a community effort, they felt that they were helping the people on
stage, but they also felt benefited themselves.”96 The Pompeian Players bridged the gaps
between different “sides” of Syracuse, between people of different ethnic groups and
socioeconomic classes. Its benefits stretched beyond just the Northside neighborhood and
into the lives of all Syracusans.
The Pompeian Players also served as a type of bridging capital by affording many
people from the Northside the opportunity to become more directly involved with the greater
community of Syracuse, New York. Armond Magnarelli is a prime example of this bridging
effect of the Pompeian Players. Magnarelli was involved with the Pompeian Players
beginning in 1951 and continued his involvement with the group until its end in 1986.97 He
was always known for playing the comedic characters in the musical comedies performed by
the Pompeian Players. His reputation as a great comedic performer preceded him, with
93
Sue Caroll Linhorst, “Pompeian Players Take Final Bow,” The Post Standard, 2 February 1986, Sec. B.
Stanistreet.
95
Felice.
96
McCloskey.
97
Sue Carroll Linhorst, “Pompeian Players Recall Best of Times,” The Post Standard, 2 May 1986, sec. D.
94
28
audience members laughing the moment he entered the stage, before the Magnarelli even had
the chance to deliver a single line.98
While in many cases such notoriety would only be
useful to an actor such as Magnarelli during his time on
the stage, Magnarelli was able to put his popularity to use
outside the realm of Community Theater. In addition to
the time he donated to the community in his roles with
the Pompeian Players, Armond Magnarelli also served in
several political roles in the City of Syracuse. He began
his political career as a member of the Syracuse City
Board of Education, later being elected as a Syracuse
Common Councilor, and ultimately holding the second
Magnarelli with Bob Brown in Camelot
highest elected position in city government, President of the Common Council.99
Magnarelli’s popularity stemmed largely from his role in the Pompeian Players and his
reputation as a high school and college athletic all-star. However, many argue that it was the
notoriety he gained from his time with the Pompeian Players, with the name and face
recognition which resulted from his involvement, that enhanced his ability to be elected to
his political positions in the city. This example serves to demonstrate the manner in which
the Pompeian Players served as bridging social capital, connecting members of the small
community of the Northside with the greater community of the city of Syracuse.
The existence and history of the Pompeian Players is clearly consistent with the
documented trends of civic engagement during the group’s time. In addition to the common
timeframe in which the group was most active, it also offered a combination of bonding and
bridging social capital to the community of the Northside and the greater Syracuse area, as
many other organizations offered the nation at the time. However, one way in which the
Pompeian Players demonstrate transcendent trends in civic engagement is through the
group’s relationship between religion and civic engagement.
In his article discussing the connection between religion and civic engagement,
Corwin Smidt argues that “religious associations and structures of civil society help to
98
Linhorst, “Best of Times.”
Biography, Syracuse’s Northside Hall of Fame,
http://syracusehalloffame.com/pages/inductees/2004/Armond_Magnarelli.html.
99
29
generate what has been called ‘social capital.’”100 People who involve themselves with the
church, in the form of attending services and other church activities, get into the habit of
involving themselves in the life of their community. They develop friendships as well as the
skills needed to relate with other people and organize groups of people and activities. 101 Such
skills and friendships lend themselves to community involvement in activities outside the
church.
This research applies directly to the Pompeian Players and the involvement of its
many members in the community. In one sense, the existence and success of the Players is a
direct result of the social capital that is present as a result of people attending religious
services and developing friendships with other churchgoers. The youth of the parish, who
knew each other from Our Lady of Pompei and the Northside neighborhood involved
themselves in the group because many of their friends were involved, and to also get
involved seemed a natural progression.102 Young parishioners wanted to spend time with
their friends and be part of the group, a type of civic engagement that both manifested itself
in and grew from the Pompeian Players.
As has already been stated, many members of the Pompeian Players considered the
group to be more of a close family than an organization. When one considers the things
associated with the term “family,” trust is an important characteristic that comes to mind.
Thus, in addition to acting as an outlet for the civic engagement that was encouraged in the
church, the Pompeian Players increased the amount of trust people had in each other and in
their communities.103 The presence of such familial ties and trust supports a phenomenon
that has been found in previous research, “the more individuals participate in their
communities, the more they trust others, but in addition, the more that they trust others, the
more they participate in their communities.”104 When reading the showbills from the
Pompeian Players productions of the 1980’s, it is common to see that many of the leads had
been participating for over twenty-five years. Clearly the Pompeian Players developed a
trust within the organization and a sense of dedication to the group that kept members
100
Corwin Smidt, “Religion and Civic Engagement: A Comparative Analysis,” Annals of the American
Academy of Political and Social Science, 565 (1999): 178.
101
Smidt 178.
102
Stanistreet.
103
Felice.
104
Smidt 183.
30
coming back. They wanted to be involved with the group, they wanted to contribute to their
community. This relationship between participation, trust, and further participation by
Pompeian Players is consistent with the larger movement that has been documented in the
United States and Canada.
Although the Pompeian Players was a local group that had little impact on the world
outside of Central New York, the trends of the group are consistent with those of many
community groups across the country. The Pompeian Players, which offered its community
both bridging and bonding social capital, enjoyed its height of involvement in the 1950’s
until the 1970’s and unfortunately came to an end at the same time many other organizations
began to experience dramatic decreases in membership in the late 1980’s. However, during
the organization’s time the Pompeian Players served as an outlet and a fuel for civic
engagement, a role that is common in religious institutions. Twenty years after the group’s
last full musical production, the social capital of the Syracuse community continues to be
enriched by former members of the Pompeian Players. It is clear that although the group is
no longer in existence as an entity, its legacy lives on in Syracuse.
Conclusion
Without question, the Pompeian Players have made a tremendous contribution to the
community of the City of Syracuse, especially in its Northside neighborhood. The group
echoed the tone of a time in which people took joy in participating in community activities.
The people of Our Lady of Pompei were proud to participate in something that was unique to
the city and brought a great deal of recognition to the parish. The same is true of the later
members of the group who came from other areas of the city and other religious and ethnic
backgrounds. Participating with the Pompeian Players, onstage or backstage, was a joyful
event that created memories people still cherish today.
While the fond memories of extravagant, high quality musicals produced by the
Pompeian Players are common to longtime residents of Syracuse, fond memories of Right
Reverend Monsignor Charles Borgognoni are equally as common to members of the
Pompeian Players. Regardless of to whom one speaks, Father Charles was an inspirational
man, a true leader of his time who possessed skill and charisma and had a remarkable ability
to relate to other people and make them feel welcomed and at home. In the eyes of many,
31
Father Charles and his blessed leadership are the true secret to the success of the Pompeian
Players.
Although the number of former members of the Pompeian Players interviewed in this
study is limited, each person was able to make a considerable contribution of information and
memories. The individuals interviewed were each specifically chosen because of their
individual perspectives into the Pompeian Players and the different manners in which they
knew Father Charles Borgognoni.
Marie Felice, who offered incredible amounts of information and insight into both the
Pompeian Players and Monsignor Borgognoni, represents the surviving older generation
involved with the Players for many years, having been involved with the Players for thirtysix years and acting as a combination of producer and “Right Hand Woman” to Father
Charles.105 Ms. Felice possesses the most complete records on the Pompeian Players,
including pictures, showbills, and files containing production details on each show the group
produced from at least as far back as 1961. As such , her insights were invaluable.
In order to complement the information provided by Mrs. Felice and offset the
possible bias of someone who was as close to Monsignor Borgognoni and as intertwined with
the tradition of the Pompeian Players as she, Sandy Stanistreet was chosen as a second
interview subject. Ms. Stanistreet represents the younger generation of members of the
Pompeian Players whose involvement was just beginning to blossom at the time in which the
organization’s success diminished. As a ten year veteran with the Players, Mrs. Stanistreet
also offered ample information regarding the group, however, from the perspective of a
younger generation growing up in a much different time and a time of rapidly changing
attitudes and culture.106 At the end of the project, though, it became obvious that the
strikingly positive memories and impressions held by Marie Felice and Sandy Stanistreet
were no coincidence.
The choice of Right Reverend Monsignor James McCloskey as the third interviewee
was made in order to garner additional personal insights into the character and motivation of
Father Charles and the role of Father Charles’ priesthood in activities and leadership. While
Monsignor McCloskey was never directly involved with the Pompeian Players, he has been a
very close friend of Father Charles over the past fifty years and remains so today. As such,
105
106
Felice.
Stanistreet.
32
Monsignor McCloskey’s contribution to this research, particularly with regard to the history
of the Pompeian Players earliest years and the nature of its most celebrated leader was most
helpful.107
The information gained from these interviews as been invaluable to this research
project. However, when considering the recollections of individuals regarding events that
took place significantly long ago, it is important to remember that many memories, especially
those which reach as far as fifty years into the past, can be slightly skewed. People “seem
perennially tempted to contrast our tawdry todays with past golden ages,” and thus may
forget the more unpleasant aspects of the past, or purposely omit such memories in order to
create a more positive history.108 While this is a possibility, few such alterations were
necessary in an organization such as the Pompeian Players. By all accounts, the group was a
pleasure to be involved with and to enjoy from the audience.
The foregoing discussion of the Pompeian Players, the leadership of Monsignor
Charles Borgognoni, and the group’s role in the community is the first study of the ways in
which the Pompeian Players fit into the transcending issues of leadership and civic
engagement. However, this paper also serves as a reminder that the Pompeian Players
existed, and that they exerted a profound influence upon not only the lives of the individuals
which participated in the organization, but also the greater Syracuse community at large.
Hopefully, those individuals in the greater Syracuse area who took part in or remember the
Pompeian Players will share their memories with the area’s younger generations and ensure
that such a wonderful organization will not be forgotten.
107
108
McCloskey.
Putnam Bowling 24.
33
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