The R’s were rolling, as were the laughs, at Sacred Heart Major Seminary on Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, as the seminarians presented “H.M.S. Pinafore” for their annual spring production. For most of the seminarians in the cast, the show marked their first time tackling a theatrical style unfamiliar to them — operatic comedy.
The Gilbert & Sullivan musical, with the subtitle “The Lass the Loved a Sailor,” opened in London in 1878 and tells the tale of a low-ranking sailor who falls in love with the captain’s daughter aboard a British warship. The script was adapted at Sacred Heart to include nods to seminary life, with mentions of incense boats, study and discernment, confession, and the aptly nicknamed “S.H.M.S. Pinafore.”
Diocese of Kalamazoo Configuration I seminarian Logan Scott served as the stage director for the musical.
“That’s our Sacred Heart twist, to make it our own,” Scott said after Friday’s performance. “I’m so happy with how it went. I could not be more proud of these men and all the hard work they put into it. And Fr. (Brian) Meldrum did so, so much to make this happen.”
Fr. Meldrum, assistant professor of theology and director of liturgy at the seminary, was the faculty advisor and music director for “H.M.S. Pinafore.”
“This show is really near and dear to me. It’s the first CD I bought in middle school,” Fr. Meldrum said. “It has been amazing for me to witness the guys react to these beautiful passages and the clever lyrics for the first time. It brings me such joy, and it means a lot to me that they’re on board — literally, given the setting.”
Two dozen seminarians made up the cast, practicing weekly for months and spending many hours in rehearsals the week leading up to Friday’s opening night. Others worked on script adaptations, lighting, sound, photography and additional details. Female roles were kindly filled by professional opera singer Angela Theis; Sacred Heart’s voice teacher, Ruth Lapeyre; and the seminary’s administrative assistant for enrollment management, Rebecca Vogel.
Fr. Meldrum, a friend of Theis, recruited her to perform the lead female role of Josephine. Theis has been a soloist with opera companies and orchestras around the United States, including the Michigan Opera Theatre. She is a cantor at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Grosse Pointe Woods.
A full renovation of the seminary’s auditorium forced the cast and crew of the musical to pivot to the small gymnasium stage for this year’s production. Audience members were transported to a maritime setting when they entered the gym, with nautical flags and roping, and sea shanties playing on the speakers.
On Friday night, 15 students and adult chaperones from St. Mary Catholic Central High School (SMCC) came to see “H.M.S. Pinafore.” In February, the group performed “The Bluff,” the original musical presented last year at the seminary and written by then-Deacon Steven Caraher and friends from his home diocese of Gary, Indiana.
SMCC was the first group to perform “The Bluff” outside the seminary. Thirty-two seminarians who were in last year’s cast attended the SMCC show; this time, the students at the Monroe school wanted to show their support for the future priests who supported them.
“I thought it was so awesome that they came to see us and now we’re here to see them. They did a wonderful job,” SMCC junior Chloe Orris said. “It’s also fun to see them interact with each other. You can see how much they enjoy being together.”
The camaraderie among the seminarians was also noticed by the Chisholm family, who attended Saturday night’s performance.
“My sons (ages 12, 14 and 17) especially liked all the inside jokes about serving at the altar and the references to past musicals,” said mom Teresa Chisholm.
The family saw “A Man For All Seasons” at Sacred Heart two years ago but was unable to attend last year’s show. As a musical family, they were eager to attend “H.M.S. Pinafore.” All four of the Chisholm children play at least one instrument, and the whole family sings in choirs at St. Joseph Shrine in Detroit.
This Lent, Chisholm is taking the free online course offered by Sacred Heart, “Come, and You Will See: Images and Invitations in the Gospel of John,” taught by Fr. Meldrum. She was delighted to see the fruits of Fr. Meldrum’s work in another role as music director of “H.M.S. Pinafore.”
Going forward, the Chisholms plan to make Sacred Heart theater an annual tradition.
“When you come to events like this, you feel more connected to the seminary. You start to feel part of the Sacred Heart family,” Chisholm said. “It’s a great chance to get together with people from all around the archdiocese to support the seminarians.”
Jacob Sasak is a first-year seminarian for the Archdiocese of Detroit. He was involved in the theater program during his time at Everest Collegiate High School in Clarkston, and has directed and produced films since third grade, including a four-part docuseries he made in high school, “The Life of a Priest.” Despite the demanding academic work of the seminary, time for prayer, and the rehearsal schedule, Sasak never doubted he wanted to be part of the musical.
“I knew that having the other guys to look up to and also to help me manage it all would make it a good experience, and it was,” Sasak said.
When he first learned they’d be doing an opera for this year’s show, Sasak was skeptical, but now he’s a fan of the genre. He plans to listen to more music by Gilbert & Sullivan as well as other operas.
Performing “H.M.S. Pinafore” gave the seminarians a chance to stretch themselves musically and showcase their skills. Two seminarians from the Diocese of Lansing took on lead roles. Paul Keenan, a Configuration II seminarian for the diocese and for the Archdiocese of the Military Services, played the captain of the ship and played violin during one of the songs. Ryan Ferrigan, a Configuration III seminarian for the Lansing diocese, was cast in the lead male role of sailor Ralph Rackstraw.
“Mrs. Ruth Lapeyre and Mrs. Stephanie Nofar-Kelly (Sacred Heart’s director of liturgical music) have generously been working with me to expand my vocal capabilities as a tenor,” Ferrigan said.
Ferrigan had never set foot on a stage until he was persuaded to join the chorus of “The Bluff” last year. This year, he said, singing in front of the packed gymnasium was less intimidating.
“I felt an invitation from the Lord to give myself over to it,” Ferrigan said. “Being up there enhances your confidence and helps you to focus on what you need to say and do. The experience definitely helps you not to feel overwhelmed in front of a crowd.”
After the curtain call was done and the applause died down, the seminarians led the hymn, “Hail, Queen of Heaven, the Ocean Star” before the house lights came up.
Fr. Meldrum believes that theater at Sacred Heart is an important aspect of formation for the men who choose to participate. While the show presents a simple story of a captain’s daughter who wants to marry for love and not for social status, the exquisite music and the process of staging a musical offers something more complex.
“At the heart of it, it’s about love and beauty,” Fr. Meldrum said. “It’s important for the guys to be part of that process of making something beautiful, which gives glory to God and raises up spirits and hearts. I think theater does such a great job of turning the spotlight onto what is beautiful, what is true, and what is lovely in the world. It gets us focused on things that are beyond us.”