THE JEWELER’S SHOP
Written by Karol Wojtyla
Performed by JP the Great Drama Club December 2 - 4
SYNOPSIS
Karol Wojtyla’s The Jeweler’s Shop takes place in a city on an unnamed street.
On this street, the characters encounter a jeweler’s shop with a mystical air…
Act One
The first act tells the story of Teresa and Andrew, a young couple in love, but
also struggling to understand whether they are right for each other in
marriage. Teresa is carefully observing “signs and signals” that she receives
from all directions, trying to understand their meaning…
Act Two
The second act is the story of Anna and Stefan. Anna and Stefan’s twentysomething year marriage is nearly dead, and Anna is desperate for love and
companionship. She wants a man, and in the mysterious Adam, she gets
more than she bargained for…
Act Three
The final act places the children of the first two marriages together –
Christopher, the son of Teresa and Andrew (who died in combat), is engaged
to Monica, the daughter of Anna and Stefan. Given the examples of love and
marriage they witnessed growing up, Monica and Christopher carry certain
burdens with them into their courtship. How is it possible to love and to love
for a lifetime? The final scene takes us, of course, to their wedding. Is this a
moment of hope or of pain? Karol Wojtyla forces us to look at both…
Notes on the Chorus
Each act contains a chorus, somewhat akin to the choruses of the Ancient
Greek playwrights. Several voices come into the scene to make comments
on what is happening, as if they are thoughtful people on the street –
sometimes they are talking to themselves, sometimes to each other, but
they are always talking to YOU…
…from Mr. Keane:
Dear Friends of Pope John Paul the Great Catholic High School,
What a privilege it has been to work on the Pope’s play! The students have
impressed me greatly with their willingness to engage in such deep and complex
material. We dedicate this play to Bishop Paul Loverde, because of his
commitment to our school and its mission through the charism of our namesake,
Pope John Paul the Great.
As a young priest, Karol Wojtyla wrote this play during the Nazi occupation of
Poland. Consequently, the performance of plays as a means of culture
preservation was not permitted. The future Pope and his fellow actors had to
perform their works in secluded locations and disguise what they were doing. As a
result, this play was written with an emphasis on words and not action or stage
blocking. In our portrayal, we have added music, images, dance, and movement
as a means to assist in understanding the play’s many messages.
We thank you for joining us this evening. We hope you enjoy the performance,
and we look forward to seeing you at future JP Drama productions.
Sincerely,
Mr. Stephen Keane
…from Sister Mary Brigid:
Working on this play, I have seen the advantages of the Pope's decision to make it
a vocal play--he left all the work to the actors' delivery and the audience's
imagination. We have tried to give it also visual and artistic layers to complement
the words. And so, the cast and crew have had a tremendous task: to keep the
words throbbing with their full weight and importance, reflecting the intricacies
of married life though none of them are married, while maintaining focus
throughout the staging of the show, something Karol Wojtyla's actors did not
have to contend with.
I have been so impressed by the spirit of the actors; they have seen this show as a
building of the Kingdom of God and have taken their sacrifices in stride. Thanks to
the new actors: Kelly, Michele, Christine, and David. It’s been a pleasure watching
your roles grow and you grow into them. To our wonderful understudy, Natasha:
you have spread a safety net under the whole show, doing all the work for very
little glory. We could never do this show without the security you have generously
provided. To Katie Thompson and Maria, thank you for your intelligence and
dependability in many little roles. To Leah and Elizabeth, thank you for finding the
time to make the dancing come alive.
To Larson, Matt, Jacob, and Josh: you have seen the amount of work that these
shows require and have come prepared to give your all. Larson, you have made
Andrew heartbreakingly sincere. Matt, through you, Stefan turned out to be every
husband who can’t communicate or reciprocate love. Jacob, you found a voice for
the Jeweler that shows the mercy and justice of God. Josh, you let us see into
every man and woman with your insightful delivery. To the women, Amanda,
Katie Miller and Shea: thank you for the time you dedicated to the show. Amanda,
from dancing you have become a beautiful actress, showing Teresa not as the
“perfect” bride but as a wife who loves and overcomes difficulties. Shea, your
voice and delivery is always moving, helping me welcome shy and inward-looking
Monica into my heart. Katie Miller, you have been the dependable rock, making
Anna poignantly lovable in her weakness. Especially I thank Danny, who worked
on his part on his free time, joining rehearsals completely prepared the day after
the football season ended. Danny, you bring together willingness, competence,
and humor. Christopher comes alive in you. Acting squad on three!
To the crew: Kat, Tessie, Colleen, Colin, Chris Shepard, Tiffany, Tori, and Teresa,
thank you for coming on board and bringing this whole endeavor together. You
have been great to work with in this your first show. To the “old hands,” Ben,
Heather, and Chris Afcha: thanks for coming back for the third year in a row! I am
so grateful for your dependability and competence and your willingness to do any
part or task.
It has been a show that has revealed to me the inner depths of these students.
Josh suggested that people memorize their lines in the chapel, and Larson did it.
Matt Spinoza used the “Hail Mary” as a place marker and the others picked it up.
Danny said, while waiting for his next cue, “We prayed a whole decade.” This
show has asked us to see married love as it is, as it should be and as it should not
be. Each person in the show has struggled to keep the focus of the show, and the
fact that we have had to struggle to me underscores the importance of this play,
or meditation, as the Pope called it.
I am so grateful to the students for their willingness to develop their talents, to
develop new skills, to use new media, to obey each time I change my mind. Thank
you to one and all! Each of you is a precious gift to this show and we would be
impoverished without your contribution. I am so grateful, also, to the parents
who have given of your time and changed travel plans to allow us to produce this
show. May God reward you all.
In Christ,
Sister Mary Brigid
CAST AND CREW BIOGRAPHIES
Kelly Brunsman (Chorus) is fourteen years old and absolutely loves theater.
She has gone to Catholic schools her whole life. She is ecstatic to be in The
Jeweler's Shop. She has been an orphan and town person in Oliver Twist, a
hotbox girl in Guys and Dolls, and a ballroom dancer in Cinderella. She would
like to thank all of her family and friends for their continuous love and
support.
Joshua Francis Peter Carias (Adam) is a seventeen-year-old junior. He enjoys
writing short stories, making movies, acting, voice acting, and pie. A self
proclaimed nerd, Josh loves Doctor Who, Code Lyoko, Star Trek, and, most of
all, Transformers. In past performances, Josh has portrayed Secret Agent
Hoppy in The Secret Lives of Toads, the Aviator in The Little Prince, and the
raconteur Unosuki in Dragon of the Winds. Josh hopes that you will enjoy
this performance of The Jeweler’s Shop, and would like to thank everyone
for coming (especially the Bishop!). He would also like to thank Sister Mary
Brigid for explaining all the philosophical stuff he has to say, Mr. Keane and
Sister Mary Brigid for teaching him how to act, Katie for not missing any
rehearsals and leaving him all alone on the stage, his parents for deciding to
keep him, his sister for not undermining their parents’ decision, and God for
creating the universe and everything in it. But especially pie. Josh likes pie.
Maria Carias (Chorus) is a fifteen-year-old junior (doesn’t that just blow your
mind?). She loves being a part of the Drama Club at JP, and hopes to
continue acting in the future. Previous roles include Eliza Doolittle in a scene
from Pygmalion, the Conceited Woman in The Little Prince, and will be in
The Pirates of Penzance. Maria is on the swim team and is a member of the
Pro-Life club. She enjoys reading and writing fan fiction, drawing,
daydreaming, watching the same movie repeatedly, manga, the Hunger
Games, McDonald’s Smoothies, Code: Lyoko, and especially Doctor Who
(David Tennant > Matt Smith). Favorite music includes Evanescence, Ingrid
Michaelson, Taylor Swift, and Jacqui Treco. Maria would like to thank her
parents, Sister Mary Brigid and Mr. Keane for helping her improve, the rest
of the Drama Club for their support, her lunch table for including her, Josh
for not giving her any permanent physical/mental/emotional injuries, and
God for obvious reasons.
Christine Connor (Chorus) is fourteen years old. She is thrilled to be a part of
The Jeweler's Shop. Christine has appeared in productions of Oliver!, Guys
and Dolls, and Once Upon A Dream: the Classic Story of Cinderella at Saint
Thomas Aquinas Regional School. She enjoys acting, volunteering as a
Student Ambassador, and Irish dance class. She would like to thank her
friends and family for all of the love and support.
Shea Corpora (Monica) is currently a sophomore at John Paul. She has
starred in two JP performances her freshman year as Hermia in A
Midsummer Night's Dream, and the prince in The Little Prince. Shea is very
enthusiastic about acting in a Pope John Paul II play on the John Paul stage.
She would like to thank Sister Mary Brigid and Mr. Keane for opening her
eyes to her passion for acting, camp counselor Dana for helping her hone
her acting skills, and her family for their love and support. A special thanks
to her father, Christopher, who has been stationed in Afghanistan for the
year.
Tessa Croce (Crew) is fourteen and currently a freshman at John
Paul. She has appeared in the following shows: Cinderella, Guys and Dolls,
and Oliver Twist. Tessa's hobbies include dancing, playing the clarinet,
and acting. Tessa would like to thank all of her friends and family for their
support.
Larson Gore (Andrew) is excited to act on a stage for the first time. Larson
would like to thank Mr. Keane, Sister Mary Brigid, friends, and family
members for convincing me to memorize these life-enriching lines of the
play.
Jacob Halbert (Jeweler) is ecstatic to be back on stage with JP Drama in its
second year. He was last seen as the King in the performance of The Little
Prince, and has acted with All Saints Upper Room Theatre Ministry. He
enjoys playing guitar and airsoft-ing in what spare time he can find, and
thanks God for the opportunity to work with such talented people. Gratias
et benedictiones to family and friends for their moral support and general
awesomeness!
Elizabeth Hankins (Chorus) is a sophomore and is excited to be in another
play at JP.
Amanda Kempton (Teresa) is currently a senior at Pope John Paul the Great
and will be eighteen on the 6th of this month. She has only been in one
other school production, A Midsummer Night's Dream, as a fairy. She
choreographed a few scenes but never had a speaking role. She is extremely
nervous to be taking on the lead in this play but hopes to put on a delightful
performance. She would like to thank her mom for the countless hours of
running lines together and Sister Mary Brigid for believing in her. She hopes
you enjoy the show!
Natasha King (Chorus) is fifteen years old and is currently a junior. During
her time at JP the Great, she has participated as a member of the cast or
crew in A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Little Prince. She is very
excited to be part of this play and would like to thank her family and friends
for supporting her.
Michele LeBlanc (Chorus) is fifteen and very excited to be performing at
Pope John Paul the Great. She has appeared in Oliver Twist, Guys and Dolls,
and Cinderella. Her most recent appearance was playing the role of Kate in
Taming of the Shrew. She would like to give lots of thanks to her friends and
family for supporting her with her acting.
Katie Miller (Anna) is a sophomore here at JP the Great and is overjoyed to
be part of the cast because she has a passion for acting. She played Titania
in last year's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Mother Goose in
her middle school's Mother Goose Incorporated, and worked lights for
another middle school play. Katie enjoys singing, hiking, acting, writing
poetry, and playing with her puppy. She would like to offer a huge thanks to
Bishop Loverde for attending one of the performances, Sister Mary Brigid
and Mr. Keane for their unflagging efforts and thoughtfulness as directors,
and friends and family for constant support.
Leah Morrison (Chorus) has been in A Midsummer Night's Dream as well as
The Little Prince. Also, she will be in The Pirates of Penzance this spring. She
is excited to be in The Jeweler’s Shop because it involves different memories
and characters. She is a dancer and Teresa's memory in this play and
choreographed some of the pieces. She says, “Thank you to my parents for
putting up with my busy schedule, my friends for coming out tonight, Sr.
Mary Brigid and Mr. Keane for their time and direction, and to all the cast
and crew for being dedicated to this play.” Leah is looking forward to seeing
Pope John Paul II's play finally performed and hopes everyone not only
enjoys it but learns something from the characters.
David Silk (Chorus) is seventeen years old and is a senior at JP the Great. He
is a four year lacrosse player and this is his first time acting in a play. He
enjoys playing lacrosse, hiking, scuba diving, and watching TV. David will be
attending college in the fall and will also be enrolled in ROTC to become an
Officer in the Military. He would like to thank his parents and friends for
keeping him motivated and inspired.
Matthew Spinosa (Stefan) is excited to be a part of this production. This is
Matthew's second performance. Last year, he was a part of the play, A
Midsummer Night's Dream. Matthew is currently the captain of the varsity
baseball team. He would like to thank Sister Mary Brigid for "urging" him so
many times to be a part of the production. He would also like to thank
everybody who has made this play possible, his family, and most
importantly, the Lord God.
Katie Thompson (Chorus) is honored to be a part of the Drama Club’s
rendition of The Jeweler’s Shop. Her previous productions include Oliver
Twist (Singing Street Vendor), A Midsummer’s Night Dream (Snout), The
Secret Life of Toads (Cissy) and The Little Prince (Geographer). When Katie is
not practicing for Drama Club, you may find her singing show tunes,
composing poetry or out on a nice nature walk. Katie would like to offer her
sincere gratitude to her family and friends for encouraging her to succeed in
all her subjects including the arts. Finally, Katie would like to thank the
entire Drama Club, especially her directors—Mr. Keane and Sister Mary
Bridget—who never failed to bring joy to Katie’s day and teach her more
about the beauties of drama. Katie especially enjoyed learning about Pope
John Paul II’s life as an actor through the play and looks up to him as an
inspiration for all actors and playwrights. Currently, Katie is in rehearsals for
John Paul’s upcoming comedic musical, Pirates of Penzance. She looks
forward to seeing you at the next play!
Danny Turner (Christopher) is a senior at JP the Great and goes by the name
of "Cowboy." He started on Varsity football and Varsity baseball last spring.
He enjoys playing sports, and acting. His face may seem familiar because he
was Lysander in last year's play A Midsummer's Night Dream. He hopes to
attend college next year, but will always have a place in his heart for his
peers at John Paul. He feels blessed that you are here to allow him to
entertain you on this wonderful night. He would like to personally thank
Sister Mary Brigid and Mr. Keane for being flexible and allowing him to
participate in football, his fellow cast members for allowing him to jump
right into practice, and to his friends and family for being supportive. Enjoy
the show.