Students at Pope Francis Prep embrace an inspiring dedication to the performing arts. It is through the performing arts, that a curiosity for learning is cultivated and is ignited while discovering unknown talents. With opportunities for acting, playing musical instruments or singing in the chorus, all students interested in performing are encouraged to pursue their passion. The Pope Francis Players put on two productions – a drama or comedy in the fall and a musical in the spring, and our Chorus presents a winter concert and sings at commencement.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Little Mermaid
PLAY OVERVIEW: In Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, rebellious 16-year-old mermaid Ariel is fascinated with life on land. On one of her visits to the surface, which are forbidden by her controlling father, King Triton, she falls for a human prince. Determined to be with her new love, Ariel makes a dangerous deal with the sea witch Ursula to become human for three days. But when plans go awry for the star-crossed lovers, the king must make the ultimate sacrifice for his daughter.
Dates
Friday, April 5 at 7pm
Saturday, April 6 at 7pm
Sunday, April 7 at 2pm
Cost
$10 adults, $5 students
Tickets can be purchased at the door.
We hope to see you there!
Past Events
PLAY OVERVIEW
It’s A Wonderful Life is a play adaptation of Frank Capra’s masterpiece film. This is the saga of George Bailey, the Everyman from the small town of Bedford Falls, whose dreams of escape and adventure have been squashed by family obligations and civic duty, and whose guardian angel has to descend on Christmas Eve to save him from despair, and to remind him – by showing him what the world would have been like had he never been born – that he has had, after all, a wonderful life.
DATES
December 8, 2023 at 7pm
December 9, 2023 at 7pm
December 10, 2023 at 2pm
COST
$10 Adult
$5 Student
PLAY OVERVIEW
Based on the popular comic strip by Harold Gray, Annie has become a worldwide phenomenon and was the winner of seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The beloved book and score by Tony Award winners, Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, features some of the greatest musical theatre hits ever written, including “Tomorrow.”
With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone’s hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage that is run by the cruel, embittered Miss Hannigan. With the help of the other girls in the Orphanage, Annie escapes to the wondrous world of NYC. In adventure after fun-filled adventure, Annie foils Miss Hannigan’s evil machinations… and even befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt! She finds a new home and family in billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, his personal secretary, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy.
Annie is the perfect family-friendly musical!
DATES
Friday, March 31 at 7pm
Saturday, March 1 at 7pm
Sunday, March 2 at 2pm
PLAY ON!
BY RICK ABBOT
PLAY OVERVIEW
One plucky community theatre is about to produce a show called Murder Most Foul, a new “murder mystery play” with the same title as an Agatha Christie novel but with no relation whatsoever. The director/theatre manager, Gerry, thought producing the play was a good idea since the inexperienced playwright has agreed to let the company perform the show for no charge. Gerry, however, had no idea what disasters awaited her: the show is hilariously amateur, the “murder mystery” plot doesn’t really have a murder, and to top it off the playwright keeps changing the story and script only two days from its premiere! It doesn’t help that the cast is disgruntled, and the playwright accidentally deletes the entire sound effect board. All of the disasters come to fruition in Act III when the company performs the actual show with hilarious mishaps as every turn. Play On! is a hilarious love letter to community theatre.
DATES
Friday, December 2 at 7pm
Saturday, December 3 at 7pm
Sunday, December 4 at 2pm
EMMA
BY ERIC PRICE
PLAY OVERVIEW: Emma, a senior at Highbury Prep, is certain she knows what’s best for her classmates’ love lives, and is determined to find the perfect boyfriend for shy sophomore Harriet by the end of the school year. But will Emma’s relentless matchmaking get in the way of finding her own happiness? Based on Jane Austen’s classic novel, this sparkling new musical features the hit songs of legendary girl groups and iconic female singers from The Supremes to Katy Perry. Girl power has never sounded so good!
Dates
Friday, March 25 at 7pm
Saturday, March 26 at 7pm
Sunday, March 27 at 2pm
The Pope Players present the murder mystery/comedy
The Plot, Like Gravy, Thickens
by Billy St. John
OVERVIEW
Great storm effects, spiffy costumes and lots of fun and mystery distinguish this work. Gathered on a stormy evening at Worthington Manor to celebrate Edward’s fiftieth birthday are his attractive wife, her brother, Edward’s befuddled older sister, his ex-wife and his daughter, a college student. Also present are his shady lawyer and his uptight business manager with his giddy wife and southern secretary as well as the butler, the housekeeper, the maid and the cook. Each has a motive that is barely established when the lights go out! Seconds later they come back on to reveal the knife for the birthday cake protruding from Edward’s back. In Act II, the police detective investigates, eventually allowing the audience to question or accuse suspects before the killer’s identity is revealed in a surprising climax.
Dates: Friday December 3, 7pm; Saturday December 4, 7pm; Sunday December 5, 2pm